The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-02-27


democratic party. 1t was deliberate
y toiced upon the party by the Nor
mon. 1t is not fight On anybody's
religion. Neither the democratic
party nor self respecting and law
abiding citizens could avoid the con-
test and 1t is we'll that 1t came while
the loyal citizenship has the power
TO protect itself. The fight was care
fully planned, premeditated and
brazenly, openly commenced by the
Mormon hierarchy.
They demand that the Constitn.
ton OF our state be changed in a new
Constitutional Convention, by the
elimination Of the test oath.
They made their political trade with
the republican leaders and depend
on them to carry out the details,
they turning over the Mormon voters
to the republican party.
There was absolutely no justidca.
tion for the MCrmons forcing this
issue, provided they do not practice
and encourage polygamy, exercise po-
litical domination In politics, nor
pla:e the ecclesiastical above the
civil law, offenses expressly inhibited
by our Constitution.
There has been peace and good will
between the Gentiles and Mormons
in Idaho from the date of the Man.
ifesto, in 1890. down TO and includ-
Ing the election OF 1900. There was
no Mormon question. Those Ameri-
can citizens who had come to our
new state during those ten years did
not know there was test OATH in
the constitution. During the era OF
good feeling, in the session of the
legislature of 1915, the statutes
making 1t effective were repealed,
unanimously, and by direction OF the
state conventions of all parties.
The Gentiles accepted the pledges
Of the Mormons so solemnly made in
the Manifesto In the pleas for
amnesty signed by all the authoritiss
of the church, and the more especial
ly because the Mormon people them
selves in semi annual conference at
Salt Lake, twice ratified, accepted
and made binding on themselves the
Manifesto" proclaimed by presi-
dent MILFORD Woodruff. President
Woodruff testified that the miami
festo" came to him las revelation
from God" Believing in the SINGER
ity Of the Mormons, the Gentiles
quickly struck from the statutes OF
the state all the laws enacted to con-
troll them during the fierce Struggle
which ended in the complete surren-
der of the Mormons.
The Gentiles were united in the
determination that there should be
no union of the church and state and
no polygamous living under the sane
tion of religion in Idaho. The Nor
mons accepted this determination
and approved of it in the most solemn
and binding manner in the eyes OF
the entire world.
Both sides OF the controversy were
rejoiced that the end mad come. The
subject was dropped. There was on
Mormon question. Had the MormOns
kept faith there never would have
been a revival OF 1t. This could not
be however, for the authorities at
Salt Lake, the hierarchy, detern ined
after statehood was given Utah by a
deceived congress, to renew their old
practices of polygaIy and political
domination.
We will briefly recall the causes for
the present contest for the benefit OF
those who have recently made their
homes in Idaho.
1t is sometimes flippantly asserted
that this is personal fight of Mr.
Dubois. Such a statement Is neither
fair nor Just, nor is 1t at all warrant
ed by the facts. The contest was
forced on the Gentiles by the Nor.
mon leaders In the political CAM
paign OF 1902, and the legislature oil
1923.
Mr.. Dubois took his seat for six
year term in the United States sen.
ate on March 4th, 1901. He was not
candidate in 1902 There was nc
mention of the Mormons directly oil
indirectly In any party platform Of
1902. There was no mention o.
Mormons by any political speaker o.
any party In that campaign.
Mormonism was In no sense an is
sue. The Mormon people were eithe
democrats or republicans, the major
ity voting the democratic ticket.
Bear Lake and Oneida countie
were pretty strongly democratic, the.
being then as now inhabited almos
entirely by Mormons.
Towards the close Of that campaig
apostles Francis Lyman, Nj. +. Cow
lev and John Henry Smith, all frof
Utah, all republicans and all polyga
mists went over southeastern Idah
admonisning the faithful that IL wa
the will OF the Lord that they sboul
vote the republican ticket Davi
liz. Evans, OF Oneida, who is an e.
ceedIngly intelligent.M1rmon and wi
, would like to be an independent on
Il fo.