The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-04-04
THE IDAHO SCIMITAR.

pie and all the people of Idaho is involved in it.
Four years ago just before | made speech IN
Preston, Idaho, A. W. Hart, the embezzer of the
past year, who posed Democrat, but voted the
Republican ticket told me that the church did not
interfere with the voting of the Mormon people
that this was mistake of Dubois Later in the day
another Mormon, who is certainly reputable
though not so high in the councils of his church,
told me how Apostle Cowley and George C. Parkin-
sor-another embezzler of the last year-went from
house to house among the Mormons and left a card
instructing the men and to vote for the
Republican State candidates. [ remarked to this
man: "You surely are mistaken, for l have just
been told by Mr. Arthur Hart that such is not the
case" This man blurted out: Hart is ID
liar and he knows it. He knows that this precinct
that had always been the banner Democratic pre-
cinct of the county, went Republican after this work
of Brother Cowley."
Mr. Editor, the Democratic party will never get
any Mormon votes Until the Mormon people are
free to vote they please They will never be
free people so long such men as Gooding and
Brady and some leading spirits among the Demo
Gratis go to Salt Lake and trade for these votes
thereby selling the liberties of all the people of Idaho
to the Mormon hierarchy. There is sort of
question but what we had Democrats who traded
for these Mormon votes in years past and some
of those who would be leaders today among the
Democrats would like to eliminate this plank
tirelv from the Democratic platform in the hope of
once more CHANGING an office or two a good trade
or two with Joseph F. Smith and his quorum of the
apostles.
If the change in the platform is to put into the
leadership of the Democratic party these trimmers
and traders say emphatically that it ought not to
be done But if it is the purpose of the party in
this presidential year to emphasize the great Ma
tiona1 issues we afford to give these State issues
less prominent place in the platform. [ am in
favor of this view of the question. [ think this
wear we should aim to give the electoral vote OF
Idaho to William Jennings Bryan, and if we can
carry our State and legislative ticket, we'll and good
I am therefore in favor of having the Democratic
party of Idaho in convention say something like
this: '"The position of the Democratic party OF
Idaho on the Mormon question is we'll known-tor
four years the people have been educated in this
subject We here and reaflrm Our utterances
of the past two campaigns in regard to polygamy,
unlawful cohabitation and church dctat1on and IN
reference in political affairs, and insist that all OF
our citizens shall obey the constitution and statutes
of the State"
Unless the Democrats of the State get to-
gether on some such plank in the platform you will
see, Mr. Editor, that the "stand-patters," as you
have called the ntiMormon wing of the Democrats,
will write what they choose for their platform IN
this good year 1908. Ada and Canyon counties will
not dictate the party platform. We can be united
and win this State from Republican and Mormon
rule if we are wise, but if otherwise we can
split the party and lose everything.
Yours for unity and success,
B. F. Clay.