New-York tribune., 1884-01-13
CONGRESS AND UTAH.

The debate upon MOrmonism has begun III
the Senate. There is no subject, perhaps, with
which Congress will deal at this session which
the people will watch with greater interest.
The workings of the Edmunds Act, and the
discussions that have followed it, have aroused
the country from the discreditable indifference
with which this question has been treated for
so many years. The only point upon which
there is any difference of opinion among the
law-rcspccting classes of the community is as
to how far Congress can go i'll striking at
polygamy without stepping over constitutional
bounds. 1t is evident that the discussion Of the
question will he embarrassed by the scarcely
concealed sympathy of many Democrats IN
Congress with the Mormons, such as led Senator
Brown, of Georgia, to say that the real trouble
with the Mormon problem is that the Mormons
are not as good Republicans as the leaders of
the Republican party would wish them to be-"
Party lines are not likely to be strictly drawn,
however. Senator Brown and Senator
Edmunds alike dispute the constitutiOnality
of the plan proposed by Senator Cullom and
others, substituting for the present government
by a helpless Governor and an all-Dowerful
Mormon Legislature a Governor and Council
of nine members to be appointed by the
President and Senate.
1t is evident that the debate will show a wide
divergence of opinion even among those who
are most earnestly In favor of thorough action
against pOlygamy, and it is by no means clear
what the result will be. Senator Edmunds,
who is quite as Jealous as Senator CullOm or
any other leader on that side, has already
warned the country againsU the folly of expect
ing the immediate extirpatiOn of pOlygamy as
the result of legislation, the operation of which
is necessarily limited. He has shown his belief
in the wisdom of continuing moderate measures
by introducing a bill to enforce publicity in all
kinds of marriage ceremonies, legal and illegal,
to compel the production of books, papers,
witnesses, ETC., and to suspend women suffrage,
which is { tower of strength to MOrmOnism.
The Edmunds law, which he framed, denies to
polygamous MOrmOns the right to vote and
hold Office. He insists that to go further than
this, and deny to all citizens of Utah the right
to vote, as the Council plan proposes, wodld be
to punish the innocent with the guilty, that it
would be unconstitutional to give the COM
mission any law-making power, and that the
change in form of government would not bring
the suppression Of pOlygamy any nearer.
1t would be interesting to know just what
effect the Edmunds law has had thus far upon
the practice of polygamy. Senator Cullom
asserted in his speech that polygamy has
actually increased since the passage Of the act.
On the other hand the Utah Commission say in
their report that they have the opinion of many,
both Mormons and non MOrmons, that plural
marriages have comparatively decreased. The
legislation proposed by Senator Edmunds with
regard TO publicity in marriage ceremonies
might give some information on this point, If 1t
could be enforced But it is more than likely
that the Mormons, with their complete com
mand over the minds of their fanatical
followers. could find ways to evade it. Con-
gress has a subtle force to deal with In