| Show stretching A POINT THE st paul minnesota GWO globe has under the above heading the following sensible article on the anti mormon planks in the idaho state constitution the territory of idaho has adopted a state constitution and claims a population that has not dot been exceeded in number in more than three or four new states in the nie effort to exclude its mormon settlers from any participation in the government if it is admitted as a state provisions have been put in the constitution that are radical and dangerous and conflict wi with th the constitution of the united states any person supposed to be a mormon in 0 n presenting a ballot is required to jo take the oath of the edmunds bill abjuring polygamy and still he will not be allowed to vote he is to be put on probation two years and at the expiration of the time if he still wants to cast his ballot lie he must present evidence satisfactory to the hostile judges that he has not lived in polygamy this is a palpable invasion of religious freedom it is go ging beyond the edmunds bill or the authority of any government in this country there is no right to inquire as to a mans religious faith the voter has the same right to believe in joe smith and the mormon creed as citizen and voter robert ingersoll has to disbelieve in any religion some borne mormons cormons believe in polygamy and some do not congress has outlawed the practice and those who live in its multiplied relations rhe ahe idaho people could follow in the steps of congress in this matter but they must not ask the voter what religious theories he holds hold it is the criminal practice alone that is a matter of investigation there is infinitely more danger in trenching drenching tren ching upon the rights of religious freedom than there is in the development of mormonism the idea of allowing a man to take the oath and then refusing him the right to vote looks farcical and an aggravation it to is not likely that any state coming with such provisions will be allowed admission even if the object sought in the ostracism is commendable |
