Show TIlE BOISE CONVENTION The constitutional convention atBoiso is composed of men of ability many of its members have been prominent in public and private life in other parts of the union There is no better proof of the immense superiority tho convention to the usual gatherings of alleged Idaho statesmen than the difficulty they are experiencing in getting the vexed Mormon question safely disposed of In tho proposed constitution The legislature of last winter would have dono the thing up in short order The question would have presented no difflcul ties to their gigantic intellects they would have disposed of it about as follows Article I The legislature shall make no law showing any respect to the Mormon ro ligion or permitting tho free exercise therof An oath that a man is not a Mormon Mor-mon practically theoretically hypothetically hypotheti-cally or sympathetically shall be required office public as a qualification to any or trust in the state The conventions embarassment results from the fact that it is dealing with human rights inalienable rights of life Ii erty and the pursuit of happiness which it seeks to deny to a large and meritorious class of fellow citizens It seeks to do that by con stitutional means which is inherently unconstitutional un-constitutional It naturally finds the way blocked with obstacles Having proceeded thus far might it not be a happy thought for tho members of the convention to pause for a few moments to ask themselves if after all the Mormon spectre is not a bugaboo a sort of a scarecrow scare-crow which upon closer examication will be seen to be quite a harmless object Most of tho gentlemen of the convention are no doubt addicted to the pernicious and poisonous poison-ous habit of reading the Tribune of this city We caution them against putting confidence confi-dence in its word3 Its local uttarancop are the vapid witticisms of a mercenary while its editorial comments are tho unscrupulous un-scrupulous utterances of a political fanatic for political ends We adjure the members of the convention to turn from fiction to fact to ceaso placing plac-ing reliance upon the idle tales of the enemies ene-mies of the Latterday Saints and to weigh them up and measure them as they are to consider their value as pioneers and as citizens to recognize that they have never abused the franchise either in Idaho or Utah though for many years in complete com-plete ascendency in the latter territory that they have never sought to thrust their peculiar views on others or bring non communicants into harmony with thomaS a prerequisite t3 tho exorcise of political rights Ask yourselves gentlemen if in the mad career of politics you are not likely to stultify free government and bring disgrace dis-grace end unhappiness to a worthy and harmless people |