Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-01-30
Y.ancaster !N,telltgenccr.
a1rnNrspAY EvENrNo, JAN. go. 1884,
ADangeraus Kennedy.


az Utah and the suppression OF poiygamy
having failed to accomplish the oplec.s
promised, IL has been supplemented WIN
a proposition from Senator Hoar for far
more rigorous and comprehensive meas
nres 10 he enacted by Congress. Thenews
papcrs OF the country and other influences
which help to make public sentiment
Ali unmindful of what Grote calls "con-
stitutional morality,"-to very large
extent Join in approval Of Hoar's bill,
because It proposes more drastic legisla-
tion AGAINST the accursed Mormons and
the twin relic of barbarism," polyga-
nv, which many conceive to be the only
distinguishing characteristic OF their
faith and practice.
1t will be we'll for thoughtful, patriot
ic and Christian people to pause anu
consider this new antiMormoh pi,',
before they give their assent 10 H. IL
nroposes 20 20 much further than any
legislation against popular rights ever
before proposed in the American Con.
oress. The Edmunds bill overturned
the local self.government OF Utah and
sought to deprive the people of that terri
tory of the rights which have never been
denied the people Of other territories,
and which it has never been shown Con-
gress has any right to deprive a territory
Of but the Hoar bill proposes to do all
this and great deal more. Conspicu-
Gus features Of its extraordinary provi.
sions are the clauses under which the
president is to appoint fourteen persons
to act as trustees of the Mormon church,
for two years, and providing for the an
nulment of all laws creating or contin-
uing the corporation called the Perpet'
ual Emigrating Fund company, and an
escheat of its funds to the United States,
This proposed high handed usurpation
OF the control Of a church corporation,
which 1t is not alleged has violated its
charter, and the sequestration of private
property that the Hoar bill contemplate
involve doctrines so monstrous that the
contemplation Of what they would lead
to, IL tolerated, dwarfs into insignihcanct
the results that would ensue from turn
ing loose lot of average territorial
appointees to plunder the Mormons ant
appropriate their fat possessions.
Mormonism is difficult problem Il
deal with polygamy is practice re
pugnant to modern civilization and th
decent sense Of mankind but nothing
connected with or resulting from eithe
could work hundredth part Of the evi
that would ensue from the cOngresslona
enactment and judicial affirmation c
the Hoar bill.
Polygamy is the prime evil charge
against the Mormons, and 1t is the hor
and should be the aim Of all good peop
to eradicate it; but the existence, tole
alton and encouragement of one socii
evil in Salt Lake City is no more sui
cient justification for the breach
constitutional morality and the subvel
sion of all law, now contemplated
Washington to suppress it, than thel
would be for like legislation again'
Eastern communities because prostt,
ton is prevalent in Philadelphia
drunkenness in Cincinnati. An eminel
divine has charged that the system
divorces in New England tends as muC
to social laxity there rs polygau
iu Utah and it has long been Il
belief of many wise and devout men tn
miscegenation--of which WashingtC
has recently exhibited two such strikir
examples was more dangerous an
disgusting than polygamy and yet
such radical measures as those project'
for Utah have ever been directed
Connecticut or the District of Columbi
Polygamy must eventually go; b
there are cases in which the remedy
worse than the disease.