Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-10-19
A new REMEDY roR poLYGAMY.

The Chicago Times, in labored ar
ticle on Mormonism, the twin relic,
comes to the conclusion that the only rem
edy is to be found in missionary labor. 1t
would have the Mormons worked upon by
autagonizing "liberal" influences. 1t
thinks, for instance, that if Mr.. Ingersoll
should be sent out TO Utah he would &C.
complish more than all legislation and all
armies and administrations. The intensely
theocratic polity of the Mormon Church,
It holds. can only be nulliied and rendered
harmless by the spirit of rationalism, of
unbelief, of infidelity. 1t takes this view
because it thinks that no religion can
resist the spirit of the age, and because
the history of the world shows no instance
of the religious spirit manifested in any
modes or forms of belief having ever been
reduced or modified by statutory enact
ments, or by any governmental attacks.
All this, OF course, rests upon the basis of
Mormonism being accepted as religion,
which it is, as the Times labors earnestly,
needlessly and long to prove-a composite
religion, combining some of the distinctive
characteristics of Judaism, Moslemism and
Christianity. We are ready to admit that
Mormonism is religion; that it has like
attributes with the most pronounced of
religious beliefs, and that a large part of
its followers are animated by sincerity
such as marks religious devotees under
most creeds. But the conclusion of the
Times that legislation and determined
effort on the part OF enlightened govern
ment will not serve to prevail against the
infamy of tenet in religion that outrages
the spirit of civilization, is absurd. We
deny that the dogmatic schemes of re-
ligion have never been modified by legisla-
tive action. II certainly was not "the
spirit of an age" unaided, that prevailed
against intolerance. That spirit, of course,
was the basis of the legislation, but the
legislation was necessary to give it effect.
The esprit of this age is opposed to the
twin relic there is nothing in the forces
of modern society to give it support; it
has in no part of our system particle of
sympathy; it cannot point to any record
OF our progress as warrant for its exist.
ence. The Esprit of the age" then, is, as
the Times would have it, in bitter antag-
onism to the Mormon institution of po-
lygamy, and it must find its expression not
only as sentiment, but in legislation, and
that in turn must have the aid of executive
vigor necessary for enforcement. That
legislation has thus far not prevailed against
polygamy as religion, is not due to the
fact that a sect breaches plural marriage
as a dogma, and an essential article of
faith, but TO the fact that legislation, un-
der the influence of the tolerant spirit, has
itself become timorous and subservient to
the selfish fears and small ambitions of
politicians. Political mismanagement alone
is to blame for the liberation of a practice at
war with the sentiment OF the civilization
OF the era and the laws Of the land It is
not to be conceded for moment that the
only remedy for an abuse that hides itself
under the folds of a religious garb
is to array against it the proselyting in
fuence of some other faith or doctrine.
The doctrine of the Times, carried to
its legitimate sequence, will protect lar
ceny, burglary and any other heinous prac-
tices when those who follow them shall
arrange themselves in the order of sect,
and teach that to the strong arm and
to the cunning hand belong the goods
of other men because of their inability to
hold them against those who strive for
them. We shall then have, not legislation
against such, according to the Times, but
duly appointed agents to preach to them
the virtues of abstinence from thieving
and the pleasures and rewards of a non.
burglarious life. The Times needs to re.
call the fact that the Mormon doctrine of
blood atonement was no more dangerous a
tenet than that of polygamy, and yet its
practice has been blotted out by the en-
forcement of the laws of the land with
vigor.