New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-16
THE PROBLEM OF POLYGAMY.

"A
ate to carry out the Presidents recommends
tons in regard to the Mormon question. ltpro-
vides that the legislative powers of the Terri
| tory of Utah shall be vested in the Governor
and Legislative Council composed of nine
members, to be appointed by the President. 1t
may be worth while to try this experiment, but
Judging from the past it would be rash to put
much confidence in it as a means Of extirpating
polygamy. The grayest difficulty about this
evil is that it belongs i'll category unforeseen
and therefore unprovided for by the makers Of
the Constitution. And it is further to be noted
that there is no precedent in history which can
guide us. When it has been sought to change
the practices of any people, where those
practices were founded in the prevailing re-
ligon, the only effective means has been fire
and sword, and even those drastic instrument
talities have by no means always been success
full. When AnglO-Saxon peoples have by con-
quest or concession came to rule over pOlyg-
amous Asatic races they have found it add
visablc and even necessary to respect the GUS
toms of the country and TO recognize their
legitimacy. But there is no instruction for us
in these cases, for our problem is not only novel
but unique Congress is required so to deter
mine Jnc lh'tC 10 pun
pie shall enjoy the forms of republican govern
ment, and at the same time it is called upon to
cOerce the MOrmoas into abandoning form OF
marriage which they regard as being enjoincd
upon them by Divine authority.
1t is obvious that the firm establishment
within the United States of virtually indie
pendent polygamous community cannot be per-
mitted 1t is equally evident that the cOnstitu-
tional remedies, to which alone resort has thus
far been had, are not calculated 10 bring about
the desired results. Whether any such con-
sentative measures can possibly succeed, is a
question which the fate of the new experiment
about to be made will probably answer. But
1t must be realized in advance that though put
ting Utah in Commission may seem, from con-
stitutOnal standpoint, going very far, it docs
not follow that such a method will meet the ext
gencles of the case, because in truth that case
may be Understandable by constitutional meth
DDS. A Commission may have and exercise
large powers, but the real question IS, What
kind of powers must be exercised to cxtirpate
polygamy Experience has shown that the
Mormon women cannot be relied on to assist the
Government at all 1t would be singular if
they acted otherwise, for so far the Government
mas 0lTercu Uncln NOInluR DuJ IL WORSE ldIc lIldn
their present one. 1t has proposed in effect TO
disgrace and drive them out upon the world
helpless Naturally, they prefer even the frac-
ton of husband and home to this prospect
But it, as experiment has proved, the Nor
mons, men and women are agreed in resisting
all legislative attempts to dissolve their poyg
aInous relations. it is scarcely possible by any
enactment of new laws to get at the heart of the
evil. A Commission with plenary powers could
doubtless institute house toulouse visitation
could put in motion inquisitorial machinery of
an elaborate and harassing nature; could infict
summary punishment after summary trial, or
without trial. But whether, even supposing all
this arbitrary work to be done honestly and
without injustice and unnecessary cruelty, it is
a kind of policy likely to produce the desired re-
Suits is question history does not warrant us in
assuming an ailrmativereply to. The extreme re-
luctancc of the American people to resort to
extra constitutional agencies, and the real COM
plexity of the problem itself account for, and
even Justify, the hesitation with which it has
been approached. And in order to convince
the public of the necessity for far more severe
measures than have yet been attempted, it may
be advisable to test Mr., CullOms bill, or some
other based on the Presidents recommends
tons. But it seems most probable that in the
end the United States will be compelled to
adopt measures for the suppression of polygamy
which may at first sight appear incompatible
with the philosophy of American government.