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Show "AMERICAN IDAHO." Wo believe the paramount Issue in the coming campaign to be, as it was In the last, the Mormon question the prohibiting prohibit-ing of Mormon church influence In political po-litical and governmental matters and the debasing crime of polygamy and wo urge that the Democrata of WclHor and of the county of Washington will from this day forward uso their efforts to secure se-cure a delegation to the next Democratic State convention from this county pledged to support such an Issue. That is the first paragraph of a declaration decla-ration of principles by a political club in Washington county, Idaho, according to the Welser Signal. That staunch American newspaper announces, also that other und similar clubs are to be organized advocating the same principle and appealing to the citizenship of the Stato generally, regardless re-gardless of former political party. The organizers of the club In question are Democrats and are speaking first for their party, since It has already avowed Its attitude on this question. But, as indicated in the Idaho paper, the particular issue Involved Is beyond all partisanship. It must not be utilized as mere party or personal possession, for JuvoIv.es the welfare pf tho entire State, nnd the future of oil tho people who shall Inhabit Idaho for a generation. genera-tion. Democrats of our neighbor on the North must realize that tho hierarchy is as willing to eonnublate with their party as any other in order to procure protection for offenses against the law and In order to maintain undue advantage advant-age In commerce and politics. Indeed, for many years the Mormon church was more closely amilated with the National Democracy than with Republicanism. And In Utah at the present writing, the hlerarchs are receding from Republican association (after having wrecked the piirty) and nre steadily encouraging the Democratic parly to seize the reigns of local government under ecclesiastical permission and control Therefore the American citizens of Idaho should recognize that if thoy would free themselves from tho offensive offen-sive burden of npostollc interference In politics nnd corrupt bargaining with offenders of-fenders against law and decency, they must ns they avow hold this Issue paramount par-amount to all others and, accordingly, above all mere partisanship. In this way they can win and they ought to win to their support and away from the political partners of the hierarchy hie-rarchy all the self-respecting voting elements ele-ments of the State. |