The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-09-27
sqovERNoR MURRAY's PLAN.

1
count of their religious belief, does
not take well outside his excelIency's
own narrow set. Leading newspa-
pers of the country are denouncing
it in severe terms, and speaking of
the Governor himself in no datter-
ing manner. The Chicago Times
devotes leading editorial to MUIR
rays plan, which it handles in such
an able way as to justify the repro
duction of the article in full. The
Governor and his friends will not
feel highly complimented over SO
influential a journal as the Times
speaking of Murray and his shame
full scheme in appropriate terms:
Mr.. Eli q. Murray, Governor of Utah,
declares that he has not been disBp-
pointed in the total failure Of the latest
congressional 1ostrum to eradicate the
| Mormon practice of supporting tro many
| wives. ~ told you so " says Mr. Murray
"Oongres would not take the bull Of
polygamy squarely by the horns," IS
| Mr.. Murray recommended, and 80,
refusing to do thu wrong Mr.. Murray
wished to have done, failed to do the
right"
If Mr. Murray had bsen the lswmak-
| ing power Of this country, what would
he have done? He would have done what
he said it was necessary to do 10 take the
local administration of Utah wholly
away from the Mormons and give it to
! the "Genties.' According toll his own
statement, "not above 20 per cent Of the
Mormons are polygsmists, but the
other so per cent, cor monogamists, as
they are called, are largely in excess of
the GENTLE populations" and therefore
lean easily outvote the 'Gentiles' and
elect their territorial legislature, This
is exactly what they did in the election
held under the provisions Of the ed
munds bill" The "Gentile' party,
| with the terrific ial governor at their
head, were utterly routed, horse, foot,
and dragons"
To render such 8 result impossible, Mr..
Murray would disfranchi:e the 50 per
| cent. of Mormon ruonogomists IS well as
the 20 per cent. Of Mormon polygamists.
That is, he would limit the elective fran
chise in Utah to persons who will coma
forward and swear that they are not pro-
fessors of the Mormon sort OF religion.
That is, he would establish in Utah, by
act Of Congress, religious test, which
the Constitution declares Congress shall
not do. That is, upon the pretense Of K
tirpating the practice of polygamy by 20
| per cent. of the Mormons, he would By
legislation in the nature Of sttRinder at
faint the Mormon church, disqualifyiDg
the innocent so per cent. of its members
equally with the guilty 20 per cent. Mr..
Murray may be Virtuous and q moral
man in his own opinion. Nevertheless
his prescription for the cure of the too
mRny-wives distemper in Utah raises a
suspicion that his moral perceptions have
been so blinded in his pursuit of the trade
OF politics that he has lost the faculty Of
discriminating right from wrong.
1t has been charged that the real motive
Of the GENTLE" party in Utah,
cry aloud to Congress, begging
deal with the Utah saints after tie man
ner Of the charitable wish of Psul re.
| spectipg those who, in bis opinion, were
not saints, by cutting them of, is not
only TO get possession of the Teri itorial
government, but, by the use of it, to
drive the Mormons cut Of Utah and
possess themselves of Their inheritance.
The spirit of the demand foS o religious
test of political exclusion against ali who
profess themselves Of the Mormon relig-
ion, whether polygsmists or monoga-
mists, has strong favor of the verify of
! that charge.
Why, then, should the prescription
which Mr.. Murray would not limit to
| polygamists be limiled to Mormons? II
the Mormons were cut of, some other
religious sectary- Bsptists, Methodist,
Csmpbellites, Quakers, B1ddhists, or
something else-might appear in their
place, "outvete the 'Gentiles,' and elect
the legislature" which the "Gentiles'
wish to control. Admit ss probable that
something less than 20 per cent. Of the
new anti. Gentle party would be po.
lygamista, that would not furnish any
guarantee of the legislative power
and the offices 10 the Gem
tiles. The Mormons, monogamists
and polygRmists, ''all stand ready 10 do
the bidding Of the church" says Mr..
Murray, and vote for the candidates re-
commended by the much elderg.
But that is hs=dly trait peculiar to Nor
mons. 1t has been observed that per.
sons attached to other ecclesiastical
establishments have stood ready 10 do tbs
bidding of the church and to vote the
wishes Of bishops, priests, deacons, and
preachers. 1t has been observed that,
not receiving contrary orders from the
church, the bulk Of voters stand ready TO
do the bidding Of party bosses, who, as
everyone knows, set up ss the high
priests Of On over-living church with
out 8 religion. Obviously, then, the
only sure way fcr the GENTLE minority
in Utah to get uppermost and keep
uppermosL is to get an act Of Congress
limiting the legislative Office, the cleo.
toral Office, and all the other Offices in
Utah TO themselves alone.
That is plainly What they desire. That
is the manifest aim OF Mr.. Murrsy's wise
recommendation to Congress. But ss
the plan he proposes would not be a
. means adequate to the end which the
GENTLE party aims at, he ought to enlarge
| and improve il in the manner suggested.