The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-10-20
BY @. E. ARNEY.
.ncciaI lo The Tribune.


Special to The Tribune.
BOISE, Idaho. Oct, 10, 1909.-During
the campaigns Of 1904 and 1906, IN Ida
ho, the Democratic party of this state
was essentially an anti Mormon party
The real contention in these two cam
paigDs was made over thc enactment
into statute, the constitutional - Test
Oath which, in short, inbibits those
who believe in, or contribute TO the
support Of any organizations which
believe in polyEnmy, patrIarchal
celestial or plural marriage. from eSer-
cising the elective franchise.
Probably the one dramatic feature
which brought This ISSUE closer 10 the
people Of the state than any other.
was the appearance of John Henry
Smith, of Salt Lake, polygamous
apostle of the Mormon church, in Boise,
during the 1908 session Of the legisa-
turc, asking for a new constitutional
convention in Idaho for the purpose of
repeating this constitutional provision,
g SO objectionable TO orr people
During both of these campaigns there
was considerable Scntiment.in the party
against the drift Of party affairs, which
took positive shape IN the early stages
Of the 1908 campaign, and nj the first
convention, held at Twin Falls 10 elect
Il delegation To the national convcn-
tion, bolt from the regular organiza-
tion occurred and a coutcstiug delcga-
ton was sent to the national convcn-
tion at Denver, which failed TO I'M
press their claims on the convention
and The delegation from the former or
ganlzation was seated and Simon p.
Donnellcy was made the national COM
mittceman from Idaho.
continued and the contest again carried
to The Wallace convention, where the
party met 10 name state ticket and
again there was bolt, each faction
naming Il state ticket for the approval
Of the Democracy of the state, Timothy
Rcgan of Boise being made the chair
man of fhc state Democracy true to the
tcncts of the party for the last two
campaigns, and John +. Nugent being
made chairman of the party demanding
such change in policy as would on
tIrclY eliminate any reference To the
constitutional ''tcst oath There was
much bitterness attending this result
and the supreme court decided thc case
in favor Of that faction of the Dcmoc-
racY of Idaho which stood out against
any reference 10 lcgisla tion antago-
nlStlc TO the Mormons.
The decision of the supreme court
came but three weeks before the date
for The election, so tho task of Chair
man Nugcnt was a difficult one.
To p0lr oil on the troubled waters
IN sufficient spots and quantities to
unite the incongruous elements of the
party was a task beyond the possibili-
ties of the new organization, and as Il
Governor Brady was the
political beneficiary Of large number
of votes which could not be lined up
for candidate Alexander. But when the
votes were counted it was observed
that the Brady vote was humiliatinp,
falling far below the average of his
party ticket, the greatest losses to him
obtaining IN the southeastern counties
Ada county, the location of the state
capital,
After the adjournment Of the Wal
lace convention Chairman Regan went
about the organization of his state com
mlltee with usual dispatch and vigor.
me first step being the appointment Of
T. NJ. Davis rs the secretary. Davis
2as well known over the state. his
acquaintance having been extended
through his service as the flrst state
insurance commissioner, Governor Hunt
having brought him from Lewiston in
l9Vl toI tins purpose.
When Mayor Pence was chosen as
he mead Of municipal affairs in Boise
asst spring, he appointed Davs-with- |
'nt an application for the place, or for
my place-as desk sergeant in the 20.
zee department of Boise CITY. This |
was made over the uDuG- !
'aiop of Charles H. ArbuckIc. a for |
ncr state game warden under the Stcu |
lenber2 administration, and one who
lad been former advocate of The Mn |
rent contention within the Democratic
larty, while Davis had been loyal 10 |
he cause of the Rcgan cGr:rasion,
The past history Of the party made
nc selection Of Davis of more than |
ordinary interest. aud his selection was
.iewcd over the State as the "Olivc. |
5ranch act Of the new mayor and the |
Icw chairman, both Of whom were pre-
umcd TO take all the political advant
gc possible of the election of Demo
ratio Mayor Pence in Republican
3uiSc.
During the turbulent days of the
trugglc for supremacy of each of the
factions of the State Dem
'cracy over this disturbing Mormon
question, Pence and Nugcnt were lead
rs of that element which demanded a
hangc of party policies. which had |
'cen pointcdlv guided against the Nor.
mons. all of whom bitterly opposed the |