The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-10-22
BY G. E. ARNEY.


BOISE, oct. 21.-For an of year,
Idaho has had some considerable politics
this year. through the local option law.
enacted by the Legislature at the last
legislative session.
To begin with. the state convention OF
the Republican party promised local oD
tion legislation Ada county Republican
delegates To this convention took the lead
in committing the party To this specie Of
so-Callcd reform.
While there was Il smart controversy
in the Legislature over the passage OF the
measure. the party kept its pledge and
all local option laws enacted anywhere
in the country.
Since the act was passed there has
been constant turmoil I'm Il majority of
measure, as provided by the new law
and up TO present date eight of the
twenty-three counties of Idaho have
voted on the subject. Six Of the counties
have voted dry and two, wet"
The "drys" are Canyon. Bannock. Bear
Lake Bingham. Idaho and Fremont The
"wets" are Ada ard EmoUc. in the last
named there is contest over the result
The election returns show n victory FOR
the anti-local optionists OF thirteen votes
and the ''drys' claim seventeen illegal
votes were cast at GIcnns Ferry the
proof of which would change the result
from lg wet 10 dry"
The result OF the vote In -ida county
appears as n TGDNke To tne RrDuDllCdu
delegation in the last state convention
which took 10 themselves the credit OF
binding the party in Idaho to the issue,
OF the six counties voting dry" four
are Mormon counties. viz. Bear Lake,
Bannock. Bingham and Fremont, In
these counties there Is no charge any
where that any OF the Mormons OF the
various precincts voted wet" ON the
contrary, All analysis proves the conclu-
sion that they all voted dry
This was q foregone conclusion. based
on a scmi-annual conference suggestion
by the president OF the church in salt
Lake City. which was obeycd as idola =
trously as is. and has ever been, the
custom OF this people.
At Pocatcllo. few days since. attcn-
tion was called TO the fact that in the
outside precincts of Banuock, Bear Lake.
Bingham and Fremont countics-which
are almost entirely Mormon-the wet
vote was universally the same as the
vote received by Heltfeld Democratic
candidate for governor In 1905, and Stock
slayer. Democratic candidate for COVER
nor in 1901. when the issue for the re-
enactment Of the test oath was prom
iscd by the Democratic party.
An investigation OF the returns Of the
local option elections In these counties,
elections. show Ia any unbiased mind the
accuracy Of the above deductions.
In Ada county there is a Protestant
Ministerial associate which meets each
Monday OF the week for mutual confer
cncc, which. among other things. acts
along lines of an advancement of morals
| in civic affairs.
Early in the progress Of this local
option campaign in Ada county. this as
/ socia,ion took d firm stand in favor OF
/ the "drys' and several sermons were
preached from the respective pulpits urg-
! ing their Pensioners TO Join them III
mont OF local option in Ada county, Per-
! haps Il * fair 10 say that in no pro-
/ ViOUs public question did the ministry
/ of these churChcs-many of which bavc
boon active in this community for more
ithau u quarter of n ccntUry--assumo such
! q pronounced attitude on any issue. deter
| nina liun of which WAS To be made by
tho franchises OF the people, Their pleas
1 wore OF the most inSiSt"nt nature. for
! they argued with their audiences r"ligi-
ouslv, fervcntly. and praycrfullv. They
went further. for many nl them were
assigned TO speak in public places. out
side their churches; so that The atti-
| tudc Of the ministers was well under
! stood by the lay members Of the Pro
tcstaut churches throughout Ada county.
II is fair 10 state further That the Of
! fetal boards OF AL these churches sane
The attitude .of the ministry on this pub
lic question so bitterly contested in The
Eut what oC the result?
! Standing on The streets of Eoise n few
moments after the result uf the election
, was known 10 he favorable to In" 'wcts. %
a non member of any church said to an
active churChman-o9c known To bc Il
dcvout, active Christian gentleman.
/ "Woll. Ada county has gone wet" but
I am proud To say 10 you that ! voted
dry" Ia which the other replied: II
did not and | am glad of IL for after
hearing Mayor Rose and studying the
question as Sacrcdly rs | usually do all
moral questions. | thought tic greatest
! hy
voting against local option.
No fair estimate Of The Ada county
election can b" mad, other than tha,
hundreds OF communicates oC there scy-
oral churches voicd rs this man aid
against local option,
These deductions emphasize again th,
oft-rrpcatcd faliacinuS statement thai IN,
! Mormon church * just Ills" the Pr"t.st-
ant churches. whose members Vote a.
ihpir headers direct.
No Protestant church even seeks 4,
npI'I"i ia public matters The franchises