The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-06-20
THE IDAHO SCIMITAR.

country, and the constitution of Utah is even more
pronounced that subject. 1t declares that no
church shall usurp the functions of the state and yet
we have seen the man, who here is rated a prophet
and seer whose claim that heis vcegerent of Almighty
God earth and is accepted by hosts of credu-
IouS fol1oWerS-we have seen him in the last few
years. in a publication over his name, tell demo-
Gratis that it is theirduty to give up their lifelong
principles and to vote the republican ticket Now,
that is only species of treason That man, when
he did that, should have been arraigned enemy
of his country seeking by false preenSes to exercise
a counterfeit right of his to sway the minds of the
naturally honest people of Utah and make them do
what every instinct of their hearts taught them
wrong
We are confronted every day with a newspaper
that pretendS to be the organ of the church. We
read every night its denial of any usurpation
the part of those in authority in the church and still
there is not child ten years old IN the state that
does not know that at the command of Joseph F.
Smith the editor of that sheet would engage in any
business no matter how reasonable or how I'M
American it might be. We read in that sheet every
night how the saints from the first have been perse
cuted and yet all know that from the first had
they accepted the righteous rule of this government
and obeyed its laws and had not sought by pre-
tended religious claim to rule their misguided people,
there would have been any trouble to them
There are scores of religions in the United States;
none of them disturbed but this one.
We saw four years ago when Reed Smoot came
here and dictated who should be state officers and did
it solely on the score of his ecclesiastical influence
and power, and how he was Obeyed We know the
Deseret News says he is but and has right,
like any other American to exercise his political
privileges he best and that for whatever he
does the church is not responsible. Now, we will
suppose that Bishop Seaman and all the priests of
the Catholic church that in this city were to at
tend primaries and conventions and insist on the
nomination of no one but Catholics; or that Bishop
Spaldng with all the priests of his church to do
the same; or if DR.. Paden and all the Presbyterian
clergymen in this region were to do the same, some
of would declare that it was attempt to crowd
religion into politics, and if they to say that
the Catholic church the Episcopal OF the Presby
terrain church not responsible for what those
priests did, it would not deceive any one because
every one would know that what they did was in
spred from higher source from the central gov
eminent of their respective churches today.
And so when these Mormon priests of high and
low degree follow the bidding of an apostle, or OF
their first president, and prostitute the ballot which
the fathers left to us to keep pure, why there is
nothing for to do except TO fight that treason I'M
til it shall be withdrawn. We did it once We did
not do it because liked 1t, any OF us; we did 1t
as a duty, and we crowded it up to the point OF
disfranchisement of every Mormon in the world
Then they surrendered; then they made prostesta-
tons that their political fighting over; then
they pettioned for pardon for their ofenses; then
they agreed to be, in TRUTH American citizens. 1t is
our duty to keep up this fight until they do that same
thing again-to keep it up, if necessary, until an
other bill of dsfranchisement is in imminent danger
to them of passing, because any man, matter what
may be his political faith no matter what may, be
his private standing as man. II ne is not willing
to obey the laws of the United States in spirit and
in truth is not fit to take any part IN the government
of this country.
So we must go on. We must put ticket in the
field and make the best fight this year and
next until the victory is No matter if we are
called enemies of "our religion" know we are
not we know we do not straw for that re-
1igion; that all we are seeking for is to have the
liberty which the fathers transmitted to maintained
in its purity and strength until every man, mat
ter what may be his principles his accomplishments
in this country, shall realize that religious liberty
is like every other form, it liberty under
righteous laws
A great campaign will be in few weeks all
over this republic Another president is to be elected