The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-08-29

legislature to make our laws. Out
side of the legislature the Mormon
menace is myth.-Salmon River
Sun.
The gist of the above is that the
M ormon counties send able men to
the legislature and that the non-Mor-
mon counties send the opposite kind
of men and in consequence the Nor
mons control the situation. This. is
pure assumption. In character and
ability the members of the non-Mor-
mon counties will rank as high, and we
believe higher, than the members
from southeast Idaho. 1t is not abil-
ity but cohesion that we lack 1t is
commonly stated and believed that
Senator John Hart was the control
ing factor in the last legislature. Sen
ator Hart may or may not be very
able man. We know of nothing that
he has ever done that particularly ex-
cites admiration. He need not have
been able. A dumbwaiter could have
handled the situation as we'll as SEN
ator Hart. 1t too could have had at
its beck and call the members of the
legislature from the Mormon coun-
ties provided the church authorities
had so dictated.
A condition obtains that seems to
be in no wise appreciated by great
many who never came in direct con-
tact with the Mormon church. The
Church is great religious, political
and commercial organization. 1t
comes in contact with its people at
every point. The energies of the
Church are devoted as consistently
and as continuously to the extension
Of its political and commercial inter
ests as it is to the propagation Of its
doctrines. Efforts are being put forth
at all times to build up the church in
wealth, influence and members. In
consequence the members of the leg
islature accept Church dictation in
legislation simply because it is good
for the Church
In the non M ormon counties there
is no such identity of interest Can
yon county sends members to the
legislature for the sole purpose Of see
ing that no harm comes to our local
option law. If it can be strengthened
all we'll and good, but we believe, here
in Canyon, that prohibition legislation
is the one great thing. Ada county
sends her members to the legislature
for the purpose of securing appropria-
tons for the capitol building and
boosting Boise. There was no time
in the history of the state when the
Latah delegation had any other pur-
pose than that OF getting appropria
tons for the University. Other coun-
ties have their interests" The dele
gate from Canyon county goes to the
legislature knowing that he is dead
duck politically if anything happens
to the local option law. The dele
gate from Latah would have to emf
CRATE if the University was not we'll
taken care of. The same with others.
What can these members do against
the organized delegates from the
southeast whose interests are identi-
cal, whose submission to dictation is
complete and whose votes are always
at hand They must trade and barter
with John Hart or fail OF their mis-
sion.
Frankly, The Tribune realizes the
seriousness and hopelessness of the
situation. We do not know what can
be done. There are only two things
that we can see and that is for the
state to become all Mormon or for
the non-M ormons to organize against
the Church even at the sacrifice OF
local interests. The menace is here
and the menace is real. 1t comes to
light in the legislature because there
we can see the results. In a hundred
other ways Church influence is just
as bad, just as persistent and just IS
successful in subverting American
ideals OF government.