The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-21
Mormon Bishops in Politics
Unmitigated Curse i'm Idaho

hce. 1t Is the great curse Of Idaho today.
In Bannock county two years ago there
was most fragrant example Of the Ills
attending this practice. This same Bishop
was candidate on the Democratic tick
ct for assessor He had nothing save
his prestige at the head OF the bish-
opTic to recommend him for the office.
him was Charles H. Bassett Of Gentle
valley, non-Mormon. He had served
the county at intervals for eighteen
nTs as and as with
with great credit to himself, The Re
publicans carried Bannock county by 500
votes. yet Bishop Hendricks defeated
Charles Bassett by 500 votes. These are
interesting phases Of our political sys-
tenn in Idaho for study by the voters of
the non-Mormon counties of this pros
porous young commonWe
Barney o'Neil's Pledge.
In his interview to the Pocatello Trib-
une here Monday. Barney L. O'Nei, Re
publican candidate for congress- said
this:
II believe that what the people at this
time are particularly concerned in is the
proper. careful and businesslike conduct
clamor has been raised with reference
TO conducting OF our land board. This
is more than party issue. and ! be-
lieve that the people are entitled to know
Gus charges that have been made. In In
teryiews recently granted have unequiv-
ocally pledged my administration. II elect
ed, to a thorough probing and investiga-
tion OF the conducting OF the affairs OF
that board. and seeing TO ii that the
guilty. whomsocver they may be, are
properly punished. and that there be re-
turned to the state any property which
may have been Illegally or wrongfully ap-
propriated by anyone, by virtue of any
political office they may have occupied" 3"
Apropos 10 the shortcomings. the deln
auencies and the fayoritism attending the
present state land board. how does 1t ef-
feet the bishops? Are they murmuring
or rebelling at the exposure of these
Are they leaving their people free to
indorse or TO condemn these culpable
public servants? Is the indication at pres
ent promising to free, untramm eled
vote in the six southeastern counties OF
Idaho? Not so. The bishops are In pol
itics. They are candidates for office TO
out for the loaves and the fishes Their
people feel II incumbent on them to vote
for their respective candidacy, Three
fourths of these people are In the Re
ccntage OF these -fourths are the
boasted heritage OF Brady for governor.
no matter what his record is on the
state land board. He has been obedient
To the requirements OF the Mormons. He
has cemented the Gooding alliance be-
tween the Republican party and the Nor
been advised TO Sustain" him as the
candidate of the Republicans for renom
ination.
The murmuring of the elder referred
to at the beginning is "A healthful sign.
He Is one Of many who are disposed to
assert their independence. but fear to do
80, by name. because Of the coercion
which would surely follow
IL will be interesting To watch the vote
OF this southeastern Idaho country on Au-
gust II and 10 see II these five bishops
are set aside" as party nominees.
1t will also be of interest to observe
the vote on Brady, and see how many
lay MormOns step aside from the evident
designs OF the bishops 10 give him the
! lions share Of their votei