Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-02-14
a Dangerous Remedy.

The Edmunds bill for the government
of Utah and the suppression Of poly
gamy having failed to accomplish the
objects promised, it has been supple.
mented with proposition from Senator
Hoar for far more rigorous and com.
perhensiye measures To be enacted by
Congress. The newspaper OF the country
and other influences which help TO
make public sentiment-all unmindful
of what Grote calls constitutional
morality, to a very large extent join
in approval of Hoar's bill, because it
proposes more drastic legislation against
the aoeursed Mormons and the twin
relic of barbarism," polygamy, which
may conceive to be the only dis.
tinguishing characteristic OF their faith
and practice.
II will be well for thoughtful, patriot.
ic and Christian people to pause and
consider this new anti.Morman bill, be-
fore they give their assent to it. 1t pro.
poses to 90 much further than any leg
islation against popular rights ever be
fore proposed in the American Congress.
The Edmunds bill overturned the local
self government OF Utah and sought to
deprive the people OF that territory Of
the rights which have never been de.
MED the people of other territories,
aud which it has never been shown
Congress has any right TO deprive
territory Of but the Hoar till proposes
10 do all this and great deal more
Conspicuous features of its cxtraordi.
nary provisions are the clauses under
which the president is 70 appoint four.
teen persons TO act as trustees OF the
Mormon church, for two years, and pro
yiding for the anuulment Of all laws
creating or continuing the corporation
called the Perpetual Emigrating Fund
company, an escheat OF It's funds to the
United States. This proposed high
handed usurpat;on OF the control Of r
church corporation, which it is not
alleged has violated it, charter. and
the sequestration OF private property
that the lIoar bill contemplate, involve
doctrines so monsirous that
the contemplation OF what
they would lead to. If tolerated, dwarls
into insiguncance the re,ults that
would ensue from turning loose lot Of
average territorial appointees to plum.
der the Mormons and appropriate their
fat possessions.
Mormonism Is difficult problera to
deal with: polygsmy is practice re.
pugnant to modern civilization aud the
decent sense Of mankind but nothing
connected with or resultiug from either
could work hundreith part Of evil
that would en.ue from the congrcs-io.
nal enactment ani Judicial affirmation
Of the Hoar bill.
Polygamy il the prime evil chsrged
against the Mormon, and h o.. the hope
and should be- the sim Of eli good people
to eradicate It but the existence. ioler.
alton aud encouragement OF one social
evil in Salt Lake City BE- no more tgfi.
cieut Jusiiheation for the brea h Z ,-.n.
stilutiCual morality and the sabv,rsirn
OF all lsw. now contemplated in wash
ington to spppres. IT. than there would
bs for ike legislation aga ia, Eastern
communities became prostitution :
prevalent In Phila. or drunkenness
IN Cincinnati. An eminent divine has
charged that the sysleul OF divorce in
New England tends ~ much to social
lRxiiy there a. pol, gAmy iu Utah aud
IL has long been the heli.l oi fuany wise
and devout men that miscegeus tion--ol
which Washington has recently ex-
hibi;ed two such striking examples was
more dangerous and disgusting THAI
Polygamy; aud yet no such radical
measures as those projected for Utah
have ever been directed at Connecticut
or the District Of Col nmbis.
Polygamy must eventually 20: but
there are cases in which the remedy is
worse than the disease - Lsznsastc,
IHisiigeHccr