Smyrna times., 1882-01-25

! IIIE MORMON PROBLEM.--One of the
most important political questions Of the
day is the proper method of treating the
great evil Of Mormon polygamy. That
the practice Of polygamy is fragrant vio-
iatiOn of the laws of the land, and a gross
offence against public morality, is acknowl-
edged by almost everybody outside of
Mormonism. The duty of Congress, with
Its absolute control over the Territories.
to legislate i'll an effective manner against
the evil, is obvious to ALL The Republi-
can party was pledged, by the very first
platform it ever issued, to combat this
relic of barbarism;'' and all its subse-
quent utterances on the subject have been
IN harmony with this original declaration.
In the House of Representatives, few
days ago, the Hon. S. S. Cox said that the
Democratic side of the house would be
found ready to unite in the most effective
measures for the suppression of this abom-
nation and we do not doubt that he
spoke advsedly.
With such substantial agreement on so
important matter, why is it that years
go by without seeing anything actually
accomplished toward Kidding the country
of the nuisance?
One of the chief sources of difficulty is
to be found in the fact that the Territorial
Government of Utah is entirely in tbe
hands of the Mormons. Out of sc mem
bers Of the Legislative Council. 80 are
officers Of the Mormon Church. The
Council is essentially the Mormon Church
itself, assembled in legislative capacity.
-As long as the law-making power of the
Territory, and the arrangements for the
execution of the laws and the general
conduct of the Territorial affairs. are in
Mormon hands, there will be MANY obsta-
cles to the execution of United States laws
In the Territory. 1t is true that the United
States Courts are Independent of the Ter
rltorlal government; ard yet experience
has demonstrated that the possession of
that government by the Mormons has
been stronghold of great power to them.
Another difficulty is found in the i'm
possibility Of proving the fact of plural
marriages, and establishing in legal way
the guilt of the criminals. In many cases
the only persons who could give testimony
that would convict are Mormons; and
they will not testify to the disadvantage
OF their fellow religionists.
Then, also, justice is often prevented by
thepresencc ofMormons or Mormon svmpa-
thizers upon the juries-a thing which can
hardly be avoided where Mormons are
80 largely in the majority.
That the situation is embarrassing is
sufficiently evident, that the evil is an
enormous one, and requires prompt hand
ling is equally evident; what to do and
how to do it, is not so easily to be determin-
ed
One proposition is to abolish the Terri
tory Of Utah, and to divide it among the
neIghboring States and Territories. This
Is advocated by 50 wise statesman as
Senator Edmunds, of Vermont. But
""tIF any division Of the kind could be
made without endangering the possibility
OF Mormon supremacy IN some of these
adjacent governments. Colorado would
by no means welcome a Mormon addition
TO her population; and SIS Colorado is q
State, No such addition could be made
without her consent, There is already a
considerable Mormon population in Ar;-
zona, and the project Of adding to IL
might result in making Arizona Mormon
Territory No other Territory would
wish Mormon aAneK and all these Ter
ritories are large enough alIsady. We
/ cannot, therefore, endorse the scheme of
the Vermont Senator.
That which comes the nearest to our
view OF a proper and efactive measure to
reach the case is the proposition TO abolish
the Territorial legislature, and to provide
Tor the appointment of q Legislative Coun-
eiI, by the President, With the advice and
consent of the Senate, which council shall
have all legislative power for the Terri
tory. The only objection to this is that
it is unusual aad contrary to all precedent.
But unprecedented evils demand unpEece,
dented remedies. 1t would great pity
if wrong alone had the privilege of new
departures, while right were bound hand
and foot In the red tape of precedent.
Congress has full poYsI' 10 legislate for
the Territories IT has ps0Sfded Terri
torial Legislatures in the past, and they
have answered their purpose. But if
this arrangement proves Il failure in Utah.