Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-11-15
PROPOSED ANTI
MORMON FIGHT

IN certain sections of the state. re-
garding the Inauguration Of an anti
Mormon fight because of the alleg-
cd church dictation' in the recent
campaign, we commend the follow.
ing article from last Tuesdays
Statesman to the careful consider
alton of all who were wont to at.
trit ute results in southeastern Idaho
to church interference:
sit is going 10 b difficult to In
dVee the Democratic party of Idaho
to engage in an anti-Mormon fight
In the first place, there is q lot OF
sober second thought in the Demo-
cratic party of Idaho, that will not
be moved to radical action except
ing in an emergency, and certainly
not without more evidence than
the fact Of defeat and the cries Of
the defeated. In the second place,
the Democratic party has quite
following among the Mormons that
it's politicians do not desire to lose.
If the southeast had been carried
by the Democrats this time there
would have been no objection from
Democratic sources. Yet if that
had been the outcome, the Mormons,
being largely in the majority down
there, wonld have brought it about;
and if it had been done, as claimed
now, by church interference and
influence then it would have been
just as offensive on the grounds
now presented as If it had been
done in the interest OF the Republi-
can party.
"There is small room for doubt
that the Democrats who are com.
planning about the southeast vote
because of alleged church dictation'
would have seen in the result no
reason to raise lofty moral-po!it-
ical standard if the 'dictation' had
Injured to their benefit. The only
question is, "Was there church
dictation?" Il matters not which
| party had been benefited, if it were
wrong 1t would be equally bad il
directed in either channel.
ssThe best evidence adduced 30
far 10 based on the election returns.
Il is shown that the changes from
Republican candidate for governor,
the only position that can be pos
sibly involved In the controversy,
were more pronounced in Gentle
than in Mormon communities.
"Gentile towns, like Pocatello for
example, went against the Republic
can candidate for governor two
years ago on the liquor question.
This year, that issue not being rais-
ed % between the two leading can.
didates, the Gentiles of Pocatello
divided on party lines, and the Re
publican candidate carried the city.
There was change of more than
f40O votes IN Pocatello alone, as be.
tween the two elections, which &C.
counts for the change IN Bannoch
county; and Pocatello is largely
Gentle.
"a similar situation is presented
in other Gentle cities, accounting
very largely for the net change II
the county voting.
"In Fremont county Governo
Brady was unfortunate in having
aroused antagonism because of irri
CATION systems he had built. Gov
ernor Hawley protited. This yea
there was no such dissension, an
the natural Republican majcrit
asserted itself.
sIn Oneida county. perhaps th
strongest Mormon county, Cover
nor Hawley received more vote
this year than two years ago II
vote then was l4l2, official. Thi
year, with only part of the count
reporting SO far, he has 144s. Ana
ysis of the returns in any soutl
eastern county, with comparison
based on those Of two years ag'
fail to. sustain the claim of seizure
dictation."
.If it IL argued, in support of u
contention that church interferen'
was practiced, that the north, no
Mormon, went for the Democrat
candidate, the answer Is that the
was Bull Moose sentiment in I
north that was alone responsible {
the Democratic victory, while the
was no similar exhibition in I
southeast, although there was sol