The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-03-12

out Tor the Tear OF tDe law. In 0tner
words Mormon Is just as good as
the law makes him. 1t Is admitted
that one cannot be punished for his
faith, and that we must deal with
overt acts only: but the position
taken by the Mormons Is referred to
in order TO call attention to the ne
'cessity for laws and their enforce
ment, and TO the fact that the ,agita-
tion OF the subject has not been In
vain, but has prevented the domina.
tion OF this state by the Mormon sect.
What would be the result II both
the political parties were committed
to a policy OF non-interference?
1t Is true that good many good
people still regard the efforts made
to destroy the immoral practices of
the Mormons as religious persecution,
although the supreme court OF the
United States has declared that such
Is not the case. Let us admit that
the Mormons have a right to combine
politically and commercially but let
IL be remembered that combination
always begets combination, and that
this Is necessarily the case. BY rea-
son Of the failure OF the people of
this state to meut this Mormon COM
bination with its own weapons H. has,
with about one-third Of the popula.
tion, been able to dictate terms to
the dominant political party Of Idaho.
The Mormons started the combina
tion business. and what Is sauce for
the goose should be sauce for the
gander.
The talk about religious persecu-
tion Is buncombe. Joseph +. Smith,
the head OF the Mormon church, to.
gether with the majority OF his
twelve chief counsellors are open and
avowed law-breakers, living In polyp.
amy In 6ellance of statutory law, set
ting at naught revelation OF their
predecessor "suspending' the doc
trine of polygamy, repudiating their
own petition Of amnesty to the pres
ident Of the United States, and fur
ther defying the constituted author
ity OF the law-makine power by "
noring and defying the amnest,
granted by Presidents Harrison ano
Cleveland. III these Mormons we're
counterfelters instead Of polygamists
II they believed that the right TO Is
sue counterfeit money was divine
revelation TO their church, and at
tempted TO put IL into practice, and
we're caught with the goods and sub
Iected to the penalties prescribed b,
law, and upon their release they per
sisted in manufacturing and utterinl
counterfeit money, would the Jack
Mormons claim that there was IRE
ligious persecution In an organized
effort on the part Of society at larg'
to make them stop their illegal ans
debasing practicesY
II statements made by Gentle
who have lived In the Mormon sec
tions can be accepted, the Mormon
themselves can give some enlighten
ing lessons I'm the art and science o
religious prosecutions. Let SOM
Jack. Mormon who wants light OF
this subject buy farm In Mormon
settlement and live on IL for one yea
and he will likely know more abou
religious persecution" than lie ha
read Of, in lifetime. The Jack
Mormon sentiment, In the main
emanates from democrats. Iesidlnl
I'm towns in southern Idaho like Bois
City. Caldwell Mountain Home
Nampa and other towns In the eoun
ties where there Is Mormon popula
tion enough 10 hold the balance O
power. The Jack-Mormon woul'
! have the party in the state repudist
its policies for the sake OF being elect
, ed tn some petty county ofiice in sue
counties. Their names and thei
purposes are well understood, despit
their anonymous contributions TO th
| Tribune and other papers. The
have resource which, II they are dem
ocrats they viii put into practice
| Let them turn out at the ptimsrfe
; and elect their delegates TO the stat
convention. II they can control th
> convention they can write the pls,
! form. nominate their candidates an
determine the policies Of the part J