Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-08

The senate bin aimed AZ polygamy IN
Utah did not get through the House. IL
viii have 70 take its chances next winter
There Is no doubt that the sentiment Of
Congress : against femDOrIzing with
polvgamy. The only question -, how to
deal with il wisely and efIecsuallT. There
Is 10 disposition 70 interfere with the
Mormon Church only in 50 FAR as il under
takes to protect and encourage poly gamy-
The Normons are at liberty 70 entertain
any religious belief that they please, but
they are not az liberty % DEFY
the laws Of the country. In weak way
the government has attempted 70 prevent
polygamy, and II has only succeeded II
increasing1t. The failure Of the govern
ment TO enforce the law has encourages
the M0rmons to believe that they are BENG
prosecuted. and that they are strong
enough 70 resist al attempts 70 suppress
their chief institution. For a Coca
manv vears'the favOrite idea Of a class OF
statesmen has been that the only sue
cessful way to deal with Polygamy was
70 expose Mormons 70 the Influences OF
the Christian religion, and 70 the
enlightened teaching Of the high
est civilization. Many years ago
il was said that the advancing tide Of IN
migration toward the West would soon
destroy p0lygzmy- That was a mistaken
idea. Prom Utah the MOrmons have car
ried poivgaEly into Montana, Idaho, Wyo-
ming and View Mexico. The missi0na-
ries Of the Mormon Church are more deep
II in earnest than the missionaries
Of Christianity. The Mormon Church not
only holds al It has with a firm grasp.
but il Is al the time gathering new re-
eruits from Europe and the different parts
Of this country. II does not appeal 70
the enlightened and intelligent but TO the
ignorant and immoral. II wants human
beings. and il doesn't want them refined
to a point at which they viii view with
horror its revolving practices and teach
ings. Il Is all vel enough opOint out the
immOralitIes that are exposed BY the
divorce laws in civilized communities
but the existence Of one wrong does not
Justify or excuse another. immortality IN
Christian communities is not surrounded
By a religious balo,and is not practiced as
a right and in open defiance Of law The
Mormon Church is in open rebellion
! against the government through
whose suTerance il exists II is
itself a government and is mimi
/ cal 70 free institutions and an OBJ
struction 70 civilization. Its corner
stone Is polygamy. Without polyga-
nv it would quickly fall 70 pieces.
| The aim. however, is not 70 destroy the
Mormon religion, but the institution Of
poIygamy. It Is evident that Congress
must do something. but there is lack Of
| agreement as 70 what that something
shall Be. Lately Bavaria passed a law
| prohibiting Mormon missionaries from
making proselytes within her borders.
Doubtless other European States viii
adopt like measures when they are
! aroused to the horrors Of polygamy. This
| government could not very well re-
fuse to allow Mormon immigrants
to land in this country. 1t might shut its
| ports 70 p0lygamOus MormOns, but as a
/ rule MormOns only become pOlygamists
/ after they reach Utah, or one Of the terri
| tories where polygamy fourishes. 1t is
| evident that the forces that have thus far
| been depended upon TO prevent pOlygamy
/ are impotent. The institution can be de-
| stroyed only By the enactment and en-
/ forcement OF the most stringent laws.
| The sooner such laws are enacted the
/ better il viii be for the country.