The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-04-29
OU1 UT.lh NEIoHBoRS.

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The BIN now before tho Senate ''for tn
execution of tho Tvs in Utah, and for otlse
lpurposcs. -is attracting much ettcasion fron
the press, and in view of possible contingen
cics. - we'll ~ actual purpose, Is one of tn
most important now pending. While rccog
niz;ng the necessity for amendatory legisla
tion securing political liberties 10 the non
Mormon residents Of Utah; and desiring I,
sec the statutes. now dead letter in Utah
enforced there as they arc elswhere. We still
do no. regard the bill as a whole, wise, ex
pcdicnt or bcnclccnt. There are few thing
either wholly good or bad. In the main 'hi'
bill 10 good, but it has provisions entailinl
evils that perhaps might I've avoided. II,
main purposes arc 10 provide for the exccu
ton of the laws. crush out polygamy. and
guarantee political lDcrtySsomething thai
does not now exist in Utah. All these pur.
purposes arc good. There appears to be m
error, in one instance, in the method to full.
ill them. For 1.-THE execution of the laws, n
its provisions are just and apparently ade-
quate. For the securing of political liberty
to non.Mormons, it prohibits, upon pain OF
fine and imprisonment not to exceed 81
years, the putting of any number, figure or
device upon ballot, whereby it may be as
ccrtaincd who cast it. All ballots arc mum.
bercd now. The suppression of bigamy is
tile main object of bill. It lays the axe to
the roots, and if enforced viii destroy it.
But in that destruction, immediate, univcr.
sal, prospective and retrospective, there arc
consequences cntailed little less deplorablc
than existing polygamy. It cures the ulcer
by destroying the member. II provides that
after the net takes effect, polygsmy shall be
a peniten :iary offensc, and tho fact of the
offender living with, acknowledging, treat
ing or dcporting himself toward more than
one woman As his wife, shall be sufficient to
sustain the prosecution. This Mormon ques.
ton should he considered in view Of the
fact that polygany bas existed in Utah
twenty-five years; that vast population
arc practicing it; that no effort has ever
been made to suppress It; that however leni.
cnt and consideratc the law prohibiting it
may be, it will entirely rcvolu,ionizc the
social and civil relations of the Mormons;
and that as this bill is drawn, 1t turns out on
the world in day thousands Of former
wives and mothc.s-without protection.
home or support, cxilcd as ''NoT WIVES"
with's deso!a:c, drcary life before them, all
their illcgitimatized chillrcn, homeless,
clinging about them. or sundcrcd from them,
and oil hope crushed by despair. Ignorant
though tho masses orc, making the case only
tho more pi;iful and helpless, have these
women not the affections Aid maternal love
which elsewhere throughout the land is
h"norcd and protected and have not these
men, the will, numbers and valor to rise and
defend these wives they arc taught, and
many believe, arc given to them of the God
they worship? "@
There was fnitl, that the railroad would work
civil revolution In Utah. Has it died? There
IL belief that the Godbe movement 10 lib.
eral, progressive socially and politically, and
anti. polygamops, although tending to spirit
ualism and infidelity. Il it not to be trust
cu! IOIyH0"y eABtS, ""u enOuIu w
destroyed. But would 1t not bc the wiser
course, al things considered, to permit the
polygnmous relations already entered into
10 exist until death, If the husband and So
called wife desire: providing = plain, easy and
projected method FOR the pOlyyamous wives
10 procure divorces and alimony; giving .
legal legitimacy n the children Of polyga.
nous parents, and providing and enforcing
TO the EXTREMIST limit stringent laws against
po!ygamous marriages hereafter? To this the
nation would say amen; the objects Of the
bill would be sabserved, and tho dire results
Of making thousands Of outca:t wives and
pronounced bastards would he obviated
And this view Of tho CuliOm Bill We think
tho Senate Of the United States will take.