The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-07-29

The relationship of the Republican party
} to Mornonism has been one of the wors
& blots on the party history. bad as it has
been. It has tolerated, nay, even more
than tolerated, even encouraged polygamy
in Utah, and every representative who has
been sent from Utah, elected by Mormon
votes, has acted and voted with the Repub-
hcan party. The Republicans in Iowa
have been known to declare against polyg-
amy in their State platforms, and that is
about as far as the party conscience has gone
fnthe matter. For twenty years it has been
in the power of the Republican party to
crush out polygamy in Utah, and for TWEEN
ty years it has refused to do SO. 1t has
welcomed the bigamist Cannon into its
ranks, and unless the past is no guide for
the future, will seat him in preference to
his monogamist but Democratic competitor.
Once in awhile. however, Republican
paper wakes up to the enornity of the
abuse and speaks like the Cleveland Leader
in the following:
''The verdict of the people is that it
must go. 1t is denounced and condemned
on all sides, yet it continues to grow and
strengthen and spread. 1t has over-run
the fertile valleys and plains of Utah, and
is fast spreading into the adjacent territor-
les of Arizona, Idaho and Dakota. It has
controlled elections, legislatures, courts
and juries in its chosen territory. The
government has made feeble efforts to sap
press it, but they have been abortive and
- 1oxrv
and common decency, relying upon Nor
mon juries to save its prosecuted followers
from conviction and punishment. To its
internal growth is now being added by the
ship load ignorant, and, in many cases, in
nocent converts, from the pauper classes
of Europe, until the people are led
to CRY out, "Where is the end and when
shall it be?"
1T must be blotted out at once. Public
opinion and decent regard for our nation
al honor demand that it must be wiped
from American soil. if need be, by force
1t has been tolerated too long. In the
meantime some measures should be taken
by the Government to more effectively en-
tighten foreigners of the the descriptions
and frauds that are being practiced upon
them by the representatives of this gross
and criminal fanaticism' that is alluring
alton and misery. The Government has,
through its Ministers and Consuls, taken
steps in that direction, but they have evil
IDENTIFY been deficient, and should be made
more vigorous. This should only be pre-
liminary to the final stamping out which
should speedily follow the assembling of
Congress. Out with polygamyr should
be the battle cry until not a vestige OF the
curse remains to pollute our free soil.
That is the way to talk. but it is only re
Gently that any Republican organs
have been persuaded to see the iniquity of
the Mormon system.
1t is undeniable that Mormonism has OBJ
tanned its greenest and sturdiest growth
since the Republican party came into pow
er. The movement of Grant against the
Mormon institution in 1871 and 1872 was
a recognized sham. Just SO soon as the
Federal Judge in Utah began to bestir him
self against the Mormon church. Grant |
put stop to his operations, and the Nor
mons have laughed in their sleeves ever
since. Not a month passes without fresh |
of Mormon converts from |
Europe, both men and women, who are Ia
ken at once to Utah, Idaho and New Mex
leo to swell the strength of the rebellion
against the Federal Government. The |
bishops of the church confidently declare |
that they will soon control the Territories |
of Idaho, Utah, and New Mexico, and that |
they will eventually control Congress.
Twenty years ago it would have been
nipped in the bud. 1t has now |
grown to great strength, and boldly |
deties the Government. 'tOut with /
polygamy" is a very good battle-cry for the
Cleveland Leader and other journals of the
pretentious moral party, but unless they
get down to strong specifications of line
of action and thunder the warning at the
administration their clamor
will be useless. Why do they not insist
that the President shall proclaim poly gamy
out of existence2 That is the only way to
''blot it OUT in short order. We need not
give polygamists time to say their prayers.
Polygamists in the States are arrested, tri-
ed and sent to the penitentiary. There is
not a Norman to-day who has any fear of
any such punishment. He and his fellows
ident, as Chief Executive, will dare out
law them. If Andrew Jackson was Presi-
dent of the United States to-day the Nor |
mons would be given short shrift. Jackson /
would recognize them as nullifers of FEEDER
al laws, and would deal with them accord
ingly. The Republican party has been the
promoter and nurse of notification