The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-02-15
TIE M0RMoT TROUBhF
Is an eating q ncer anon thaLodN

nm ordinary remedy is needed to
check its ravages. 1t has been
handled too gingeriy and allowed |
to grow and expand when it shpulld
have been cut np. by the roots at
the very threshold Those who
should have dealt with it with a.
steady hand, regardless of rcdnae+
quences,a have cofnniyed at it: Fhe9
misfortune is that it fen into the
hands of.political doctors who dag
nose every political ailment from a
selfish standpoint, having an eye to
their own ACKNOWLEDGMENT without
any regard to the public welfare.
There is, among them, a lack of
nerve in disposing of such questions
lest they incur ,displeasure in some
quarter Such politicians are a.
curse to the country and always
will be. The followers of 10 Smith
have grown into such formidable
proportions have 50 vastly incrf asT
ed in numerical strength as now to
command influence They have Der
come epower in the landP--apow-
er that has become ehrystalized and
increasing and Strengthening day
- II /,
by day, They are now numbered
by the. thousands and beeoming
Iaore and more audaeious. They
have ventured into the States and
proclaimed their polygamous doc
trines unblushingly, never falling
20 make converts and to carry back
with them to Utah their dehded
COMMITMENTS. There was a time
in their history when a slight blow
would have killed them outright.
1t will now require herculean blows
to get rid of them. a., q.
Who is to blame for this state Of
things? OF course there is blame
somewhere. AT whose doors shall
it be traced? Public opinion has
always been against it. There can
be no doubt of this. The entire
press of the country has been
against it. Newspaper correspond
ents, of all grades and mental cali
bre, have been against it. The wO-
men have been against it and have
clamored and prayed for its destruc-
ton. If, therefore, public opinion,
the press, newspaper correspond
ents and the women are against it,
who is responsible for this disregard
of the imperative demands Of our
social and moral fabric? a serious
question, this, and should be care
fully looked into. e. .r-.r -a1as
There is only one solution of'the
matter the politicians No one
else can be responsible for this foul
blot upon American civilization.
Long ago they could have wiped
it out of existence had they been SO
minded. We do not know that we
have any right to blame one politi-
cal party more than another. Both
are to blame and deserve public re-
Duke. Both have connived at it and
permitted it to have a large stand
ing upon our soil until now they are
inclined to court it and thus secure
its influence in political contests.
We are by no means sure that the
Republican party has =done its duty
in trying to put a stop to it. For
over twenty years it has been in
power and during that time has
done nothing, whatever, to abate
the nuisance. lrs- s-lssl1 lsat sEf 81
i, 1t may be possible that it can't be
llegislated out of existence, and yet
there seems to be no other way by
which it can be done. If there is.
he who can discover it and put il
into execution will prove q bene-
factor to his country. Tobe sure the
constitution of the United States
guarantees the right to'every one to
worship his Maker according to the
dictates of his conscience, but il
must be remembered that poEyganiy
is not recognized as religions dog
ma. 1t is a fragrant sina-al gross
outrage upon all deeency, nowhere
countenanced by civilized peoples.
1t is at war with both the laws Oh
God and man and should be treated
as the laws of the country treat any
great crime Polyganfy strikes at
the foundation ofvirtue, uproots and
destroys it., Why then should ii
not be leg1slated out OF existence,
especially when we see it so effect
ually undermining the citadelof our
moral and social fabric? The Amer
lean government cannot afford to
wink at so destructive an evil. Ii
dare not, by its silenees give encour-
agement to it. Plurality of wives
would be death to the republic. No
argument is needed to prove this. 1t
is self-evident. Under these cir
cumstances the duty of the govern
ment is plain. It is bound to pro
tect itself against an, evil which
threatens its Generalization, if not
its overthrow. AID Rr ~r4n0r vG -