Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1908-03-19
MOrmOnism Not an Issue.

Some little misrepresentation has
been occasioncd by the movement
assuming large proportions to
make the election of Brayn and ma
tional issues paramount in this
and to make platform
in accordance Herewith.
1t is assumed by some that this
is movement against Senator Du-
bois, and that this main idea is to
oppose him, which is certainly not
correct.
The movement is made to unite
the democratic party by adopting
platform on which all can stand |
and to win a victory in this state
this year. This is done simply |
and solely for the good of the
democratic party, and as matter
of course, in the best interests of
all the people, as that is what de-
mocracy stands for.
There are certainly very good
reasons for RELOCATING the so-called
Mormon issue to the rear for this
campaign.
1t is conceded by the most earnest
advocates of the anti-Mormon pro-
gram that nothing short of the abso-
lutte disfranchisement of the Nor
mon people will work out the re-
suit aimed at by them, which is in
the first instance doing away with
the teaching and practice Of poly
gamy and the interference of the
church in politics.
1t is quite clear that disfran-
chisement cannot be affected by
direct legislative action. 1t must
be done, if done at all, by the adop-
ton of such test oath as the Nor
mons cannot take, o., in case the
present oath is found in the consti-
tuition of the state, which is hold
to be self-opcrative by our best law
yers, stands opposed to the present
teachings and practices of the Nor
mon church which is emphatically
denied by them. Mr.. Dubois de-
clared emphatically on the occasion
of the banquet rendered him at Salt
Lake by the American party that he
favored the absolute disfr 4nchise-
ment of the Mormon people, and as
the methods above mentioned are
the only ones by which this pur-
pose can be accomplished, one or the
other must obtain in case his pur-
pose is carried out. Now no one be-
lieves that any legislature that can
be eleced in Idaho will stand for the
old test oath that formerly disfran-
chised the Mormon people. This
oath was in effect that they did not
belong to an organization that
taught or had taught, practiced Oh
had practiced polygamy.
The enaction of such GA tn at thi:
time would be manifestly unjust
as it would be a sort of ex pos
facto law and would bear mos
heavily and unjustly upon the in
nocent, so that this feature may b.
dismissed without further com rent
Then as to the constitutional ties
oath, should it be held by the SUI
: preme court, which is likely TO b.
: done, that this is self-operative al
the Mormors could take it, because
they hold that at present and for ;
period reaching back as far as thu
. manifesto issued by Wilfred Wood
ruff in 1890 and sanctioned by thu
e entire Mormon church, il. does no
each nor do its members practic
polygamy
Shou Id this be denied the onl
way to determine It, as a matter o
= TACT is to arrest a~y Mormon VIII
I attempts to vote or hold office an
IT bring it into courts
The question is one of fact tina
the courts alone can determine
Whatever the decision of the lowe
II court may be it would go to the su