New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-20
conviction that the world is hollow and dolls
are stuffed with sawdust
THE Utah BILE,

THE UTAH BILE.
The Senate has passed tho Utah bill In
shape which seems to afford some guarantee,
surprising the House agrees to it, that really
crucial test will be made of the power OF legis-
lation in dealing with the Mormon problem.
Thus far Congress has not been at all successful
in handling this subject. The Mormons have
been enabled to evade or override all the
measures aimed against polygamy, and after
many years of experiment the law-defylng
anomaly fourishes as vigorously as ever, while
the Mormon Church continues to strengthen
itself By a wonderfully energetic and success
full system Of foreign mission work. The new
law is unquestiOnably new departure. 1t ap-
pears to proceed upon the theory that only the
seyerest measures can succeed with a COM
munity which treats al concession as weak
ness, and which has hitherto taken lawless
advantage of the regard paid by Congress to
Constitutional doctrines. In the present case
no such weakness is exhibited. The Utah bill
comes near to the establishment OF martial law
in the Territory. 1t Overrides all considera-
tons of corporate rights and privileges virtually
deprives the Mormons of citizenship, annuls
their legislative acts prohibits legislation con-
fscates corporate property provides for the
transfer of the control Of the Church estate to
Board of Trustees appointed by the President,
and forbids all legislative action looking to the
bringing of immigrants into Utah.
In addition, the Territorial election districts
are abolished and provision is made for redis-
tricting under the supervision of the Governor
and other Territorial officers. Thus 1t is sought
to crush the political and ecclesiastical power
of the Mormons mt the same time, and to put
down polygamy with u strong hand. To facllI-
tate the latter object it is provided that the
lawful husband or wife may be compelled to
testify in prosecutions for bIgamy, polygamy
Orunlawful cOhabitatiOn; that marriages shall
be certified in writing and the certificates filed
in the Probate Court; and that prosecutions
for adultery may be commenced by third par
ties, in the same way as prosecutions for other
crimes 1t will be perceived that much care
has been taken to stop every loOphole of
evasion, and that the provisions of the new law
are stringent and comprehensive far beyond
any preceding legislation. The authority of
Congress to legislate for the Territories has
been. in fact strained to produce law capable
of coping with the case. The MormOns, how
| ever, are virtually estOpped from protest on
THIS ucaU, TOT tnOSe WHO llSlSL vi JHCll liShV
tolive outside the United States Constitution
have no ground for complaint if in dealing
with them the Constitution which they desplse
is somewhat exceeded.
1t may be safely said that no such drastic
measure has yet been tried in Utah, and it is
obvious that if this law does not solve the prob
lem nothing short of force will do so. Its
operation, therefore, If 1t pass the House, will
be watched with much interest and anxiety. 1t
has been apparent for some years that there
must come final grapple between the United
States and Mormonism and though there could
be no doubt as TO the issue, all sensible people
have hoped that the MOrmOns could be brought
to reason without the necessity for exercising
coercion or going beyond legislative remedies.
This, unquestionably, is the last experiment in
that direction. If through chicanery, fraud or
lawlessness the new bill should be nullited, it
is already certain that public opinion will toll
crate TO further temporzing with the question;
and in that event rOugher measures than can be
approved by the calm judgment Of the country
are liable 70 be urged with success upon Con-
gress. The new bill is fair notice to the Nor
mons that they have reached the limit of
national endurance. They will, ifthey are wise
ly counselled, accept the inevitable, andabandon
polygamy. And they can hardly count this
time upon Democratic assistance i'll thwartlng
the will of the American people.