Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1908-04-03
THEY CAN'T BE FAIR.


" the insincerity of the fight against the
Mormons in the state than the utteranceS
in the Occur d Alene Press, a Dubois organ,
regarding the recent decision of the
Supreme Court in the Bulge case In the
article they misrepresent the decision com
pletely, and show conclusively that the in
tenton is to use the issue as IA means of
getting votes, and are willing to twist and
distort the facts in any way in order to
make al impression upon their readers
We quote the following extracts:
" Disgraced damned and doomed to Nor
mon domination and the Haunting of their ac-
cursed doctrines Of poiygamy long they
solemnze and practice it under the Of
celestial or patriarcal marriages. il the decision
handed to the citizens Of Idaho by their supreme
court"
'"rhe decision is he greatest victory the
M"rmons have won since brcame a state,
and means that they are now firmly tied to the
republican party with their $4,000 votes; that
they will preach and praotce poygamy in the
face of the citizenship of Idaho under the guise
of celestial or patrlarchal marriages"
AS matter of fact the decision Of the
supreme court is directly the opposite in
all of its effects The writer Of the article
knows that this is true. If there is one
point in the decision that is stronger than
any other it is the one concerning this
phase of the question. The court makes
the case clear that polygamy practicd under
any name is Il crime in the state, and that
the members of any organization that
countenances or encourages this practice,
under any name may be disqualified as
electors in the State of Idaho
The court in its review goes back to the
intent of the trainers of the constitution and
recites that the intent was To forever stamp
out polygamy. 1t attempts to define the
terms celestial and patriarchal marriages,
and says that in case these names are used
to cover up cases of polygamy the crime is
as great as if called by any name, but if
they are used to mean marriages for etern-
ity as they are recognized blythe members
OF the Mormon church that it was not the
intent of the law to interfere in the relg-
ious beliefs of any people
So far from being a victory for the
Mormon people as stated in this article,
this decision would be received with reioic.
ing by the Dubois followers if they were
sincere. 1t takes the question they have
been agitating out of politics and clearly
defines every polygamist as u criminal and
every member of any organization that
.countenances or encourages such practice
as man unfit to participate in the affairs
OF government, either as an elector or an
Office holder.
If there is polygamy in the state, or if
the Dubois people really believe there is
the Supreme Court by this decision has
placed in their hands "a weapon by which
they can mercilessly prosecute the otfenses
If they were in absolute power them
.!selyes-snd coaldspass laws, and hand down
decisions according to their own liking thew
could not frame stronger measures to use
IN the accomplishment of the purpose for
which they claim to be working. But thew
are not sincere. It is as it has been all
along. They are following meaningless
issue in which they themselves are not even
serious in a vain attempt to fire the minds
of the voters of the state, for the purpose
of securing votes, and gaining for them.
selves, lucrative positions as servants of
the people they would deceive.