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Show ISSUE 100 LARGE. That versatile gentleman, Mr. W. E. Borah, has discovered a new way of stating an old question. He says that the issue raised by tho opposition is not an issue at all, does not exist, and must not be recognized. .It will thus appear that in contending against Mormon polygamy and church interference in politics, tho Democrata of Idaho are standing on a platform without supports, sup-ports, and tho .Republicans would be merely getting into a dangorous position posi-tion if they were to accept a conflict to bo thus waged. It would not be fair for The Tribune to challengo Mr. Borah personally at this particular time on certain statements state-ments made by himself concerning political po-litical iuterferonce and polygamous practices; although tho day may come in this controversy when honor and all the obligations of confidence will permit Tho Tribune to state matters of which it is well aware, and of its knowledge of which the distinguished Mr. Borah himself has cognizance. But thero aro some matters of public history which it is proper to use, nnd which not even tho temerity of tho eloquent gentleman from Boise is sufficient suffi-cient to incite denial. Tho Mormons constitute more than one-quarter of tho population of Idaho a most important quarter; thoy constitute two-thirds of tho entire population of southeastern Idaho. Not a candidate is permitted to tho Mormons upon tho general State ticket of the Republican party, which is headed by Mr. W. R. Borah as candidate can-didate for tho United States Senate. If thero wero no polygamy and no church iuterferonce, if there wero no such issues, as Mr.. Borah chooses to term it, with a pretended aptness which is really iueptness, why no Mormon placed on the ticket, from any one of the counties of southeastern Idaho? Instead In-stead of thero being no such issue, was not tho Republican reason because the issue loomed bo large that the politicians politi-cians and the candidates were afraid to meet it before the people? Men who aro acquainted with tho politics of Idaho know perfectly well th'at tho mat-tor mat-tor was gravely considered previous to tho conventions, and considered as an issue, as a living, breathing, kicking thing; and that tho reason givon by certain eminent gentlemen who desired to bo nominated and elected was that the Mormons would have to wait this year, as the "issue" was moro than tho party dared to carry before the people. How can Mr. Borah say that Mormon potygamy is not an issue in his Slate of Idaho when there walks tho stroots of Idaho towns tho largest single political polit-ical figure of the party to which Mr. ' Borah belongs a man, William Budge by name, who testified in Washington that ho was tho chief Mormon of Idaho, that lie was living openly with three wives; and when, as Mr. Borah should know, tho example of that chief Mormon Mor-mon is boing followed by hundreds of others? It is a bad advertisement which Mr. Borah maTccs for Idaho in saying that Mormon polygamy i3 not an issue there. If men may commit bigamy with flagrant freedom, may live in high respect in thoir community with numerous wives around them, the State where such things are must surely be degraded in tho esteem of the country; and such is the character which Mr. Borah has chosen to give to his own State of Idaho, which ho seeks to represent in the Senate of the United States. . |