Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-11-08
THE MORMON PROBLEM.

George G. Cannon, the delegate from
Utah to Congress, is in Washington and
has been interviewed on the report of the
Utah Commissioners. TO the reporter Cam
non said:
'"rhe Edmunds law had precisely the
effect predicted, just the effect | told Sen
ator Edmunds it would have, but he thought
1 was too much interested to give an un-
biased opinion. 1t has whooped our people
up, to use common but expressive term.
70 illustrate, there is a grandson of Brigham
Young, young man not over % years OF
age. He is rather wild, not bad; but he
has always been rather careless with re-
gard to religion. His friends have believed
that his sympathies were with the anti
Mormon element, and perhaps they were
in a measure. Well, at the last election
he went to the ballot-boX and putting in a
vote said: 'They have disfranchised pap
(his father) but I'll put in a vote that will
count for his side You see he had but one
not disfranchise him." "Has Edmunds'
law been very obnoxious to the Mormons ?"
inquired the reporter. "The law itself has
not" replied Cannon, "but the way it is
administered is very oppressive. 1t has
been given construction not warranted
by the constitution" "In what way?"
"It has been made retroactive. Men are ex-
cluded from voting for acts alleged to have
been committed many years prior to the
enactment of the Edmunds law. For in
stance, the eX-Mayor Of Salt Lake City had
once two wives, but is now WidOWer. He
has been disfranchised. The present Mayor
has but one, living wife. He had another
who lived but a short time. He is excluded
from voting, although he, like others, COM
mitted polygamny many years before the law
cluded from voting because her husband,
while living had another wife. This con-
structionof the law has given rise to test suits,
and | am satisfied it will not stand in the
courts. But as / said at the outset, this
prosecution has made our people more
united. 1t has drawn the young people
who were Indifferent as to the church and
it's teachings, to take sides. 1t placed them
in position where they had to take sides
with their own people or against them, and
naturally they have chosen to stay with
their parents and friends. Now, at the last
election for delegates, our candidate receiv-
ed as many votes as usual, while the 0pp0-
sition got only what it polled when was
elected to the Forty-fourth Congress-. The
votes Of the young people, who were indlg-
nant at the oppressive construction OF this
law against their parents and relations,
made up for all that we lost by distranchlse-
ment."
'Then the law has not injured Mormon
ism?" put in the reporter.
"No," said Cannon. Except that it is
unpleasant to stand prosecution. But the
people of Utah can stand a great deal of Op-
preston. They are united, industrious and
frugal and having endured much, can en-
dure much more There are good many
people in Utah besides the Mormons, and
they can't enforce oppressive laws against
the latter without pinching the others some.
Now the clique who clamored for the Ed
munds law are very much dissatisfied with
it's operation. They were disappointed.
Their scheme was to get entire control OF
the Territory and having failed by this
means, they want to try another. Now
they want legislative commission if they
can bring it about. Failing in that, they
will perhaps perpetuate the existing COM
mission. 1t is to continue until the Terri
torial Legislature enacts certain laws. The
Governor can, if he chooses, prevent the
legislation by his veto, or by insisting upon
legislation that the people cannot grant.
In this way the present commission could
be continued. The enemies Of the Nor
mons cry out about treason, but they can't
point to single act of that kind. They
have tried to prove the MormOns into some
overt act that would give a preteXt for call
ing for troops, but none such have been
committed. This Edmunds act was we'll
calculated to arouse such Indignation as
would break the peaceful bounds, but the
people have borne it with patience, and
will bear on"