Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-09

are uOG easily Cc1CSalSd, anu is even Sus-
picion of venality under the circumstances
would ruin any suspected member. it is evil
dent that the sums paid mustha been large
enough to cover the risk of political bank
ruotcy. We DO not believe for a moment
that the Mormons have spent a corruption
fund of million dollars. We 90 not be-
jeve that they have million dollars to
spend. Nor is it at ell probable that Con-
gressmen enough coull be found to sell
themselves in so open fashion It is not
when public sentiment is aroused, and the
progress OF legislation is being most care
fully watched, that the opportunity for the
employment of corrupt agencies is found.
Those are the times when even the
venal members are afraid to follow their
inclinations, since they know that it would
be very difficult to conceal their negotia.
tions.
The delay in Mormon legislation can be
accounted for without the hypothesis of
corruption. Congress has been engaged
upon other matters of greater Importance
than polygamy for some time past. 1t has
had the Chinese question before it, and
that has absorbed great deal of attention
There is plenty of time for the passage OF
the anti polygamy bill yet before the end
of the session, and though it will do no
harm to keep close watch upon Congress,
it certainly can do no good to bring charges
of corruption against that body without
evidence, Or upon no better foundation
than seems to exist here. Moreover il
must be realized that it is impossible for
Congress to abandon the proposed legisla-
ton, or to pigeon-hole it, as the case
stands. Such action would certainly be
accepted as PTima Jacie evidence that cor
rupt Influences had been at work, and
Congressman are quite sagacious enough !
to comprehend it. They are, of course,
aware that the question of polygamy has
now reached stage at which definite and
effective action is demanded by the coun-
try. There is, in fact, enough public con
viction on the subject to render it certain
that failure or the part of Congress to
legislate at this session will cause the
question to be transferred to the polls,
and will put the upholders of inaction in
very disagreeable position as regards
their constituents.
There is further no rational excuse for
postponement. The evil is plain, undeni-
able, scandaious, offensive 1t has been
left alone so long that it has become ma.
tional disgrace, and until public feeling has
been reused very seriously. Congress must
realizs that the country is not prepared to
tolerate any further temporizing with the
abuse, and that any members who hence
forth range themselves as defenders of the !
Mormon system will be accounted false to |
their constituents. And If the Mormons |
themselves think they have manipulated |
matters at Washington, and are foolish |
enough to let their belief be known, Con.
gress will be compelled to dispel the dis |
trust such state of things must engender, |
by proving that the polygamists have been
reckoning without their host. Fair |
minded men are not disposed to condemn
tha national legislature on the strength OF |
idle reports, but further inaction in this |
case would constitute real and just cause |
OF condemnation, and even the most con. |
sentative critics would find it hard to get |
rid of the suspicion that something worse !
than sluggishness was accountable for the |
results.
1t is not forgotten by the people tha. the
Mormons have been able, in some unac-
countable way, to battle every effort made
to compel them to surrender polygamy,
and it is not forgotten either that their
leaders have on several occasions been
known to express entire confidence in the
outcome, even when to the outside observer
it seemed most probable that something was
about to be done The people no doubt are
slow to draw conclusions, but when they
do come to determination they are very
apt to stand by it, and it would not be
good for the party in power for the country
to get the conviction that Congress could
be controlled by the heads of the Mormon
Church. It is true that so much has been
alleged several times before, but because it
involved such Wholesale corruption very
few people believed it, Yet rumors of
this kind cannot be repeated year after year
without at last producing an impression.
Men will presently begin to believe that
where there is so much smoke there must
be some fire, and after that they will not
only pay more attention to the scandalous
reports, but they will connect them with
the proceedings of Congress.
That body cannot afford, in our opinion,
to palter with the polygamy question any
longer. It is becoming dangerous issue
It has already spread beyond the limits of
Utah, and has become beet of heated dis
cussion in more than one of the Territories.
There is nothing in the Mormon vote which
P'uoShS p'ti'ASiane VIII venture IospeCuitte
upon. Harm, and not good, is to be had
in that direction. 1t may be that the bill
now pending will not settle the question,
but at less; it can be made to disfranchise
the polygsmists, and we are inclined to
believe that it will prove more effective in
extirpating the evil than its opponents pro-
fags 30 Sb,rl- Ill - - = IL
that offers now, and Congress can have no
valid EXCISE for not enacting it. Further
delay will not only render the friction
greater, but may seriously injure the
standing OF those members who are re.
sponsible for it.
The PANAMA CANAL