The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-31
MormoniSm Must go.

L.. DC ~
the United States Marshal of Utaf
exactly as in other territories ant
States, from law-abiding citizens
only. How few of the readers o
this article know that by most un
wise law, enacted under our unwist
"conciliatory" policy, the Mormon
officials select, in Utah, half the
names from whom the United States
Jurors are to be drawn F.! AS wei
expect to put down gambling by al
lowing gamblers to select half the iu
rors who are to try them for them
offences
so. Without any reference to the
general question of female suffrage
in communities where what Presi.
dent Arthur justly calls this 'barbar
Gus system does not prevail, the
MOrmons of Utah should not be al.
lowed to vote their submissive har.
ems by the wholesale in favor of pc.
lygamy at either congressional OF
territorial elections. Nor should
these surplus wives be allowed to
claim land as the head of family,
to help enrich their husband. right
denied to legal wives anywhere
both cases holding out a premium in
power and in possessions to polyg-
amy as against law-abiding citi-
zens.
SO. The right of dover, which has
been abolished by the Utah legisla-
ture $50 as to renGer polygamous
wife slavishly dependent on the hus-
bands favor for any share of his
property after his death for herself or
her children), should be re-enacted
by national legislation, and carefully
guarded for the legal wife, who. in
polygamy, is never the favorite, as a
general rule, This would greatly
discourage women from marrying a
polygamist.
81. The District of Columbia had
for years a territorial legislature.
Congress, however, by the assent of
both parties. believed such body
could be dispensed with there, and
it is now governed by three commits
sioners under the supervision of the
direct legislation ofCongress. Every
member of the Utah legislature,
whose per diem and expenses are
paid for out of the national treasury,
holds the national law in utter con-
tempt, and nearly, if not quite all, of
them are practical polygamists. Why
not try there exactly the same ex-
pertinent being tested now in the
District of olumbia-namely abol-
ish the legislature, saving all its ex-
pense to the treasury, and have, in
stead, a board of governing commits
under the supervision of the
National Congress. The constitu-
tional power is the same in both re-
gions. The need for It's exercise is
far greater West than East. In this
way only can the Union of Church
and State in the legislature be effec-
lively abolished.
70. Enact that as Utah is confessed
~ exceptional in its outspoken deter.
mination to defy the national law. no
citizens thereof shall enjoy the bene-
tit of the land, patent. or naturaliza
ton laws, unless they declare under
oath that they have not violated any
law OF the land, and specifically the
law that is so contemporary tramp
led under foot in that territory and
this should also be subject to dispro.
val by com petent evidence. The ex.
ceptional crime and the wilful GRIM
inals should be banned by exception
al law.
10. Heed the Gentle appeal from
Utah that the open living in polyga-
my should be the crime punished
rather than the ceremony, which
is guarded by secret and oath-bound
ceremonies of the Endowment Hous-
es, which the leaders refuse to testify
about in court.
". l do not underrate the value of
the suggestion that in the territories
a woman married to a bigamist
should be legal witness against him
on his trial. There is the same ius-
tice in this as in allowing woman,
imposed on by mock marriage. to
testify. But this would be more
effective after. rather than before,
the legislation suggested above.
but by itself this seventh promo.
sition would be of little avail. Be-
guiled, induced, almost forced bv the
public opinion there, and by the
increased happiness in heaven prom
ised by their creed, the women.
debased by this relation, must needs
justify and eulogize it thereafter. or
else proclaim themselves and their
children dishonored.
Nov is the golden hour of oppor-
tunltV and of n0wnr too Cor,.,..