Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-10

IDc REMARKS OF senator EdmunQS At d SOCIAL
reunion in Montpelier, Vermont, last Thursday
evening, bore on a question that has been get
ting some share of attention of late; namely, the
use and the future OF the United States Senate.
OF course, Mr.. EsImunds takes strong ground in
support OF the upper chamber. De asserted that
Its moderation and indifference to local and
passing ciamor had saved the Union from dis
solution, and that Ii furnished one of the great
safeguards for the future. Comparing our SEN
ate with the house of lords, Mr.. Edmunds said
that during his recent visit to England he had
been told by a member of that house that feel
Ing was growing in England in favor OF remod-
cling the house of lords on the principle of our
own body. Said the Senator on this point:
al think that we who are the cousins, not the
descendants of the present British people, may
rejoice that after the lapse of less than a CEN
tury OF the great American experiment of self
government, an important feature of our scheme
OF government has proved itself to be valua-
BILE that IL Ii likely at distant day to be aop-
ted by the empire from which we separated in
order 10 found our own.
Mr. Edmunds, in the course of his remarks
observed that he was now the patriarch of the
Senate. Only one member, Mr.. Sherman, pre-
coded him In entering the body, and that men,
Der has not served continuously. ~ have seen,"
said Mr.. Edmunds, "every member from the
other thirty-seven states OF the Union come into
the Senate and go out of it, The great mon of
the states Of this country have marched upon
ana stage OF their great duties In procession and
disappeared New men have taken their places
with equal powers, equal splendor of intellect,
equal patriotism, of all parties and creeds."
The knotty problem of poly gamy, which has
bafded and defied the people SO long, seems to
be nearing a solution at last. So far, the Ed
munds bill Is working to a charm. The highest
tribute to its efficiency Is the fact that for the
first time In their history, the Mormons, under
its operations, are becoming frightened and
disorganized. Several of the leading saints
have declared in favor of submitting to the
laws and discarding polygamy. Others hold
fast ~ the faith, and counsel resistance. 1t
looks as If the Mormons would soon be reduced
to the alternative of monogamy emigration.
II they choose the latter, where can they go?
Canada will not tolerate them, and Mexico
looks askance- Meanwhile 1t ought to be
derstood on ali sides that it is not the religion
of the Mormons which the United States is OPP
posing. They are as free in the matter of wor-
ship as other religious sects. 1t is merely the
incidental feature OF bigamy that is attacked,
as happening To be against the law of the land.
The Normons will not be able to enlist sympa-
thy on the plea of religious persecution. In this
country any doctrine is permissible which does
not lead to violation of the law. Hindoos
might worship idols with impunity in New
York, but if they introduced the car of Jugger-
naut they would be arrested murderers. In
like manner the Mormons are legally arrested
and punished adulterers They claim that
polygamy Is part of their revelation" and
that they adhere toit on conscientious grounds
That may be, but at all events they are legally
guilty and must take the consequences.