Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-04-08
Tho Mormon Question, Again.

A. q. Campbell, who claims to he the
legally elected Congressional delegate from
| Utah and To- whom the Governor of the Ter
ritory has issued his certificate in preference
to his competitor, George q. Cannon, has
written II plain spoken letter to President
Garfield in support of his claims. Premis-
ing that lac claims seat in Congress not for
the emolumcnts nor for the honor thereof,
but as representative of principles, MIR.
Campbell goes on 10 say that MIR. Cannon is
an alien and a polygainist law W-breaker, and
that many Of the votes polled for him were
cast by women of foreign birth and girls un-
der age Mr. Campbell justly says that the
PRINCIPLES which Cannon represents, namely,
church rule and polygamy, are contrary to
the institutions and laws of the United
States, and that their recognition by Congress
when the issue is squarely put before it would
he destructive of the well-being and good
order of the community. He then goes on
l., state the question in the following vigor-
nus manner:
| This is not question of religion. 1t IS Il
question of government, Of law and of NOR
| ais. Mormonismis increasing and spreading
| in all the Territories and in many States OF
the Union. 1t already influences the poll
| tics OF our youngest State, Colorado. 1t
claims to hold the balance of power IN Idaho
and is making great headway in other Terri
tories soon to become States. In Utah alone
| thousands of children, born of Mormon pa
rents, are growing up with no other educa-
| a. tba.
| the Book OF Mormon rs their text book OF
morality, and the necessity of living their
religion and paying their tithes imposed
| upon them as the first duty OF life. The
revenues of the Mormon Church last year, 1t
| is stated, exceeded 81 600, 900. This great
sum is absolutely at the disposal OF the lead
ers of the church. Every Federal official
who has dared to go against the church has
been met by organized Misrepresentation ana
calumny. Delegate Cannon, | am told,
recently boasted TO an eXGovernor OF the
| Territory that he had the scalp of every
Governor of Utah who had ever opposed him
hanEinr IN his belt, except Gov. Murrays,
and hr was going for that.
The M"riaoa Church is a bar to the mate
rial as well ms To the moral progress oi the
| country. Every enterprise that does not
originate with the church, no matter how
| beneficial it would prove Ia the Territory or
the nation, is discouraged. Every enterprise
that does originate with the church is requlr-
| ed To pay 10 per cent of its earnings into the
Golfers OF that body. The power welded by
these men is almost dcspotic and is entirely
irresponsible. rolygamy is the corner stone
| of their institution. Strike down polygamy
| and the whole fabric will fall, so far as ii
| conflicts with the laws and cndangers the
moral and material welfare OF the American
people 1t is true that polygamy is forbidden
| by an existing law of Congress, but that
law cannot lie enforced. No facts are
better know in Utah than these, that the
late DELEGATE from that Territory has four
openly Acknowledged wives, and that
| his nomination To Congress in place of
| Delegate Hooper, II monoSamist, was dc
tatcd by the Mormon President, Brigham
| Young. for the avowed purpose ot forcing
Congress IT, recognize the institution ot po-
| lygamy, Under the laws OF Utah, Mormon
wives can 90 the polls taking with them II
they choose, girls under 81 years of age, and
by simply declaring that they are the wives
| of "A Mormon citizen and That the girls are
his sisters or daughters, they can all vote Tor
"a delegate tn Congress, and many such.
doubtless. did vote at the last election. In
| der the general practice of the country it Is
| cuually competent for these same persons,
| who were wives for the purpose oi voting
under the Territorial law, to appear next day
in the court house and deny that they were
wives if the question of infringing the law OF
Congress prohibiting polygamy should he
brought up.
AS to The remedy for polygamy AMI its at
tenlant evils, Mr. Campbell has no specific,
but simply recommends vigorous and direct
legislation and he says that there are thou
sands of young men and women there who
long for deliverance from the baleful shadow
of polygamy, and who are ready to come L"
the front So soon as they are assured that
Congress and the administration are deter
mined to free them. AS to Governor Mur-
rays action in issuing him certificate OF
election, MIR. Campbell says that his action
was taken after elaborate argument hy able
lawyers Of the legal points involved, anu has
since been upheld by the decision OF court
of Utah.
IN,BArHp RUsu OF TIE OFFICE-SEEKEEs
While the business Of the Senate IS at Il
deadlock on the question Of electing new
set of officers the heads OF departments also
complain that their time is 50 consumed by
applicants for Office that it is almost impos-
slble to attend to the routine business OF their
| respective departments. The seekers Tor
| official patronage are daily increasing in vol
umc anil intensity, urging their claims
through Congrcssmcn-elect, ex-memhcrs and
others who assert the right of access 10 the
private Office of Cabinet officers whenever
they call. Of the seven departments of the
Government, the navy has the least IN the
| way of patronage. Some idea, There
| fore, may be had Of the pressure brought
upon Secretary Hunt when ii is said that for
II prospective vacancy in the psymaster5 )
| CORPS for the position OF assistant pay master
there are already on rilc 126 applications
Almost as much influence is presented tor
| the appointment Of clerk, messenger or
laborer, AS though the place sought WAS one
| of naval rank OF course the Secretary has
| NO vacancies to he filled, vet the bearer ut
| the recommendations expects, and. III SOME
cases demands, that his petition shall receive
his immediate and favorable consideration.
| The most the head Of any department can
| do is To- treat the visitor politely, which
expends his time, and during the seven
| hours allotted for the daily duties al his
| dcpartmrnt he finds that more than one -halt
Of the time has passed in hearing the demands
Of the imp1rtunaie office seekers. The head
of a bureau in one of the departments told
your correspondent few days ago that he
had some important matters which he wanted
| to present to the head "f his department,
and for that purpose had made repeated
visits To the office of the Secretary He
found every time hc went so many strangers
present that as yet lac had not Ind an oppor-
| lunity of talking over the business matter
requiring that officials attention, and Was
seriously ihinhin., whether it wouldn't hG n
good plan To gel some Congressman IL
present il Tor him - Washington Ger v 1
| Uty1iii
NOTES AND NOTES.
| Gen. Melikolf has suspended two St.
Petersburg papers, the Roi"", and tbs Gd:ettf,
| for one month.
Chicago, according ts a lecture on the sub
irct Just delivered there. had in 1850 iii
vorce suit to every eight marriages. ami tho
average for six years past has been one Ill
| v,rc,, t, .varv IN MARRIAGES IL does not