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Show Church Interference Evident n Idaho Distinguished Citizen Tells How Mormons Mor-mons Manage to Shape Legislation Legis-lation in Gem State. Mans II. Coffin of Boise, who has Just returned from an extensive business visit to tho East, and who returned to noise last evening, expressed surprise at the conditions that exist In Snlt Lako with roferonco to tho question whether or -not the church oxcrcisos influence In political and other temporal affairs. "In Idaho," said Mr. Coffin, "wo have never been given tho opportunity to doubt church Interference. More I find a few anti-Mormon Mormons and a great num. bor of pro-Mormon Gentiles. If we have tmy of tho first class In Idaho they have nover been seen enough to notice. Until tho last year wo havo had none of the latter, though the genus seems to bo coming Into existence in Idaho, nnd the reason for Its creation Is the hunger for office which Its Instinct tells It it ennnot securo without sycophancy to the Mormons. Mor-mons. "I will say it without fear of successful contradiction that at tho last two elections elec-tions Mormon Influence was predominant In Idaho politics, and at the preceding election It was worked for all that It was worth. At that time, in &00, while the State waa carried ngalnst the wishes of tho Mormon church, tho good work or some of the apostles aided in carrying the counties of the southeast, and helped shapo tho Legislature. Two years,, ngo such men as Apostles John Henry Smith and Matthias M. Cowley stumped Cassia. Bannock, Bingham, Fremont and Oneida counties and spoko nt political gatherings, nnd this. too. ngalnst tho protest of Mormons Mor-mons who wero on tho other side of th political fence, but who. as a classi were generally whipped Into line. "It has been urged that there are more Gentiles than Mormons in tho Idaho Legislature, Leg-islature, and this I grant. But the last two sessions of tho Legislature had n Mormon for Speaker of the House, and tho same Mormon each time. The long advantage that this gave to the political ei'ds of the Mormon church need not be elaborated upon. What more or a cinch could they want than the office which practically rules In the Legislature what legislation shall bo perfected Into laws and what legislation shall be killed In Its Inception. "Speaking In a general way. T can say (hat I havo witnessed many examples in tho last four years where It has been w-orked decidedly In the Interest of tho church. The sugar bounty law was an example, and the State was practically powerless in the matter, for the reason that John A. Bagley, tho Attorney-General, was a Mormon, and as such served the Interests of tho Sugar company purely Mormon concern." ' |