Show THE independent PARTY NEW POLITICAL organization IN IDAHO minutes of a territorial convention of the independent party of idaho idalah joeida county idaho october 1886 the delegates to the convention met at 12 ih A it was moved and carried that john donaldson act as temporary chairman and thomas durant duran as temporary secretary the following committee on credentials was then appointed by the chair J E fogg H margetts Margett sand and W WL L Webster the committee then proceeded to dx examine the credentials and the following named delegates were reported a as members to the coNvent convention ton john donaldson Dooald sou thomas durant peter W L webster proxy J E fogg K R L bybee C G rose j ohn john C larson laison proxy thomas warrick B S dudley J A hunt J A hunt proxy K R S spence H margetts H marge its proxy H R margetts proxy W H homer W C hawkins and jos dudley the report was accepted and the committee discharged dichar ed the convention anen proceeded to eff effect act a permanent organization organizations 7 it was moved by W S webster that the temporary organization be considered permanent carried unanimously W 11 II homer moved that W L webster be carried the convention opened with prayer by the abc chaplain it was moved that a committee of five be appointed by tile the charon Ch airon resolutions and platform carried the chair appointed as said committee B R y S spence it t L babee G 0 parkinson W L webster WH homer the convention then adjourned ull till aam in 4 p m the convention reassembled and while the committee were preparing their report john donaldson made some remarks sho wing ning our present position and forcibly showing the ane necessity of organizing oraan izi ng ourselves into a party separate and iri independent dependent from all other political parties I 1 the committee on resolutions and platform the then rl returned and presented the platform aich which was unanimously adopted by the convention and ad the committee discharged W ii webster moved that the minutes of this convention be published in the southern I 1 idaho independent and toe the utah that 1000 copies of the platform be printed carried mr homer moved that we proceed to nominate a r ventral committee committe ei and that the committee be composed of three citizens from each of et the counties of bear lake bingham Biag ham oneida an and d cassia and that one member be ch chosen osen from each ftc h commissioners district t carri carried ed the th members nominated for bear lake county were J A hunt E R 8 spence ed burg oyne for oneida county joseph dudley isaac TL eborne orne W L webster for bingham county W H homer J A F adridge john donaldson lor for cassia county count horton Horto niD D Hali haight lit E U L wood john JO y bowler for bartek carter county ceorge george harland Ha it was moved by W L webster that a fi finance tiance committee of ave ve be appointed by bythe the chair carried a pointed appointed as said committee W L debs webster ter E R S spence E R L bybee H R D haight and george harland Ha convention adjourned with prayer by the chaplain JOHN DONALDSON chairman THOMAS DURANT secretary PLATFORM principles of the independent parag of idaho As light was evolved from darkness dar kuess by the divine hat gat tn in the beginning so goodis good is often brought brough tout out of evil by the onni oTini p potent hand band of providence Provid eabe the force ot of circumstances frequently implies actions and i causes combinations which result in benefits that would not have 0 occurred e but for those apparent apparently t ly unfavorable events in this light we view the movements which have real rendered necessary essary thi the formation of u ah independent party in southern idaho for afif fifteen teen years the people of this gion ion commonly known as cormons mormons Mon Mor mons ave voted for and sustained the democratic party of idaho through their influence that party parts has gained such victories as bay bas crowned its struggles sl ruggles in the fieldor field of politics without their a d it could not nave flave succeed succeeded edin tn battling with an unscrupulous a ous foe but the party part has become divided in sentiment in relation to the citizens who have been so faithful to its interest and falsehoods of the basest kind have have been circulated concerning our fai thour faith our motives and our fealty to the government an anti mormon faction has sprung into ex isaace Vi tence singular ar fatuity has fallen int into 0 the snare i set by the republicans to split up the democracy with their aid an infamous test oath was enacted for the purpose of preventing the exercise of the elective franchise by an any m member ember of the mormon church resi residing gink g in the territory by their actions the party becomes so coward lyas to 10 submit to the expulsion from a territorial convention of duly accredited accredit ext delegates because they represented mormon citizens by tuis means a large number of staunch democrats were virtually shut out of the party weakening it by loss of number and creating disgust in he breasts of all true democrats democrat s who know khow no creed and recognize no religious religions distinctions in politics this unwise and ungrateful ul course has tendered rendered necessary for self preservation and f future actions the organization of an independent party in which no difference of faiths will be a bar barab tb membership we therefore representing lie be citi citizens zeus so unfairly treated withdrawing all fellowship from every other political ioli tidal body do organize aud and establish the PARTY OF IDAHO and announce the following as our oar platform of principles ARTICLE I 1 we are the friends of law and order we will uphold every constitutional and just enactment whether national or local but we are opposed to everything in the shape of a religious debt in politics ard aad we pledge ourselves to work for the repeal bf every statute and provision which infringes infringe s upon the rights of man and the immunities of citizens ARTICLE 2 we dispute athe right of the state to encroach upon the lawful domain of tte tie church we also deny the right of the church to dominate tile state each has a of its own and neither should infringe on the other religious as welt well as civil liberty Is a fundamental principle of our national system both are equally essential in a true republican torm term of government ern ment no sect should be singled bufor for state support neither should auy religious body be subjected to any hostility or oppression every religion under the sun should be V entirely tree free until it lai ades natural rights cr breaks out into overt acts against peace and good order and all pretended laws jaws that seek to bind the consciences of men are oppressive unconstitutional and ana voids void ARTICLE 3 we demand freedom of speech and of the gegg as a constitutional right W Wn ileno eno man by voice orpen or pen should be permitted iol to libel another a muzzle must not be placed upon mens mouths months nor a fetter upon human thought every attempt to stifle free fio however wever obnoxious may be the sentiment of the speaker so long as he e does oes not abet actual crime is absolute tyranny and to be resisted by every free man the right of alape ajla pao 0 o ale to freely assemble discuss their views and present their grievances must and add shall be maintained ARTICLE 4 we will maintain and struggle for the rights of local self government the officers of the territories ri should be selected from the territories each political division ought to be permitted to choose its own officials all governments in lill all departments derive their lust powers from the consent of the governed the majority in each locality d rule every official should be res responsible response blufor for his official acts to tile the citizens whose business he conducts or whose interests he be is appointed to public officers are the servants not the masters of the people ARTICLE 5 we fire are in favor of low taxes consistent with public improvements economy in the administration of public affairs is essential to the public welfare dishonesty and fraud should be punished with rigor and no officer who betrays his trust should continue lin the public service we are opposed to jobbery in every form exorbitant or bitant salaries to public servants are inconsistent with the general I 1 interest all officials should be con content tent with fair wages for fa fair ir work the fee system is an avenue for much abuse it should be abolished whenever just sa salaries laTles can be consistently substituted ARTICLE 6 we den dep ounce bunce ballot box stuffing illegal voting and political chi beanery in every party arty ARTICLE 7 we C despise political cowardice treachery and vacillation and bijl stand by taase who will fearlessly stand by us ARTICLE 8 we will sustain lor for office good men and wise men only who appear to us worthy of oar ar vote and con ti dence ARTICLE 9 we pledge ourselves to unite and struggle against every assault upon human freedom in he territory andio labor for the promotion of the public welfare and for the exercise of all the rights and privileges ot citizen by every jaw abiding individual we e proclaim ourselves the friends of all who are lawfully battling for human f tru edom and the foes of all who seek to oppress mankind and who place private and factional interest above the beneral welfare ARTICLE 10 we are a local party organized for local purposes and thereto f 0 i ie e austain f from rom touching upon national questions ARTICLE II 11 we invite true men of al all shades oi of opinion religious or political li who cau can endorse I 1 them sentiments to join us bathe good work of purd purifying ing the politics of idaho and establishing tab lishing political independence and pledge rhem them a hearty and cord cordial a 1 s support u p and we invoke upon our e efforts ff 0 r t the abe benedic benedictions tiong of the supreme rule of f tile the universe R S chairman |