New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-17
THE MORMON PROBLEM AGAIN.


The change in the leadership of the Rocky
Mountain Saints, and the particularly dirty
process 10y which the son of the departed pro-
phet has recently attempted 10 restore himself
TO favor III the church. once more call atten-
ton to a duty this Government has long
evaded, and promise which the Republican
party has made and forgotten over and over
again. 1t is twenty-five years since Brigham
Young publicly avOwed the practice of poly
gamy, which has done more than oil other
causes combined to separate the MormOns
from the rest of mankind, and make them a
perpetual danger to any commonwealth In
winch they settle. The whole country
ever since has been in moral revolt
against the outrage. The common sense
of the people has never failed to COM
prehoDd that the liberation of this licentious
and dsgraceful habit is inconsistent with the
first principles of Christian civilization. and
menace to social order not only in Utah but
all over the United States. As far back as
1862 Congress passed an act to punish poly
gamy with fine and imprisonment Party plat
forms have repeatedly called for the enforce
ment of this statute. The Cincinnati Conven-
ton in 1876 declared it to be the fright and
"hibit and extrpate in the Territories that
"Ielic of barbarism, pOygamy." President
Grant was never tired of pressing the subject
upon the attention of Congress. Yet, although
the statute has been in existence fifteen years,
there has been, we believe. but one con-
victiOn uDdert, and only once-namely, in 1871
has there been a serious attempt to obtain
any indictments.
Mr. George c. Bates, who was the Federal
prosecuting officer at Salt Lake City iii 1871,
now proposes a scheme for a new crusade
against pOlygamy. He suggests two COURSES ::
first, the indictment of John W. Young sec
ordly, an amendment Of the statute Of 1862.
John w. Young was Brgham's iavOrite son.
but he was not liked by The other church
authorities he Stunned Utah be had appar
emily no great relish for Mormon practices /; 1t
was doubtful whether he really believed III
the Mormon revelations; he had divorced his
first wife, put away his second, lived gay
and rolIicking man of the world, in strictly
homogeneous union, with his third. But since
the death of Brigham, ambition has been kin
died in his breast, and he has made bold
stroke for The favor of the Church by pcrpe-
trating an nccsuous plural marriage with bis
half-sister Surely, if there is any Mormon
who deserves to he prosecuted for bi2amy, it
is this pleasure seeking nbelieyer, who follows
vice as a matter Of business. Neither Saints
nor Gentilcs would sympatbize with him. The
most fanatical Of She MormoDs would hardly
look upon him a. a martyr.
The changes which Mr.. Bates proposes IN
the statute would disqualily polygamsts
from voting sitting on jures, holding Office.
or representing the Territory a. Delegates in
Congress. Thus he appeals to one of the
strongest and commOnest passions of the
American soul-the mania of ofiice-seeking-
and simultaneously with the prosecution of
the offenders, he endeavors to bring the offence
itself into disreputo. The difficulty in the en-
forcement of the ant-polygamy statute has