The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-06-26
BOYCOTT CONTINUES.


The boycott started against The Re
publican by prominent local Mormon
still continues among the faithful
lights of lesser magnitude We do no
think 1t is by advice or counsel of thos,
In authority that 1t is kept up, but by
the agitation of one of the satellites O,
the local bishopric who has more de-
votion than intelligence, and is ambi
tious to make himself felt according
to the influence he can muster.
There is another explanation for part
of the action that shows on the sur.
race, that is clear to us because we
know, or think we know, the tenden
| cy Of many Of the Mormons to under.
value their own Judgment and follow
blindly In the footsteps of those thew
look up to.
! 10 Illustrate this, we cite a case that
came up recently in meeting of the
Republican County Central Committee,
| They were considering whether to hold
one set of primaries and county con-
ventions or two, to elect delegates to
the state conventions to be hid in Nav
ana september to dispose of state and
national business. The chairman said
the State Central Committee had au-
thorized them to do either way thew
chose and stated that 1t would be quite
saving of expense to hold the dou-
BILE convention and dispose of 1t all at
one meeting, Whereupon very worthy
saint whose integrity and LOYALTY no.
body questions, arose and said that he
favored that course, and the mere fact
that the State Cenarl Committee had
opened the way for the double conven-
tlon was conclusive evidence to his
mind that they wanted to see 1t done
that way, and he was ready to vote
accordingly.
Another example of the same dispo
sition to under-rate self, and delegate
everything to the leaders, was shown
rev days ago where bunch of Nor,
NOUS and Gentiles were discussinp
church and state in a very friendly
good natured manner and one man
said: II wish you would tell me whv
1t Is that you Mormons always send
your church officials as delegates to
polltlcai conventions? You don't see
the Methodists, Baptists, Episcopals or
ffesbyteriaps or any other denomina-
ton except the Catholics, turning po-
litlcal matters over to church officials
any more than other members. The A.
r A. has been working to get Catho-
Hes out of that practice and it is up
TO the Mormons to follow suit" The
gentleman to whom the question was
addressed said: Well the princinal
reason why we send our bishops to
conventions to act for us Is that the |
rest OF us don't know enough"
whether this statement was made in
Jest or seriously, 1t carries a certain
amount of the truth of what we said
before, that the rank and file of Nor
mons under-rate their -own Judgment
ana oVer-rate that OF leaders in the de-
,artments OF the church organization.
we suppose their individuality has been
iwarfed and original independent
thought restrained by rigid discipline
ina by being fed up on what purported
u ne revelation. handed down through
nose IN rank who were authorized TO
eceiVe them. In this way has been
'reu ana born too much of the dispo-
ltlon to blindly follow the man who 10
n any rank above, and this spirit Is
Illustrated In the Republican boycot
ONE OF the fellows who stopped their
aper seemed to be satisfied with no
or printing the unwelcome news unti1
heS learned. that. leading spirits had ,
esented Its publication. and then thew ,
20 decided that II was time to act.
III Justice to the members of the
ounty Central Committee referred FOL
!. this article we are glad to report
nat another devout Saint Of good char
eter promptly answered, the, first one
lying, wen, now that's all right, but ,
dont care what the State Central ,
ommittee favored or wanted or why1 ,
'ey wanted 1t. 1t is for Us 10 use orr !
~h Judgment here In Bingham county 4
I'd decide for ourselves what 10 do !
his Is flat county, with plenty of
ads, and 1t Is easy for us to get ,
'ound, but some counties ave mona
ihous and a trip to Il county. conven- n
on means long hard trip. Let them a
ia the double convention in such {
unties II they think 1t is best, and we n
I'll do what suits our conditions best I" .
Fhat was the right spirit, the spirit
individual liberty exercised, and we n
e glad to know that some are acting 4
their own Judgment in contrast with n
hers who follow blind dead. 4.
w. A. Harrington in correspondenceI I,
lth The Shelley Pioneer last week C