The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-11-26

squarely opposed to the enforcement OF
the law, and with them is the faction
thIt is fighting the Mo-mons, and Is
newspaper organ. The United States
Marshal Is represented as doing all III
his power to extricate his deputy from
the latter's unhappy position, and
assistance to Yandercook is aid and
comfort to every one IF the accused.
dr. Vandercook rushed frantically 10
Jne Chief Justice Win an appeal for
rescue. His prayer is not based on
the ground of innocence of the charge.
out is an appeal to His Honor to exer-
else his power and defeat justice
Zoe newspaper which is the
recognized mouthpiece and champion
of the accused and those who are inter
estlng themselves in their behalf, vio
leltly assailS the police for having made
these arrests, charging fraud. dishonesty
and lack of good faith, and even asser =
ing the innocence of the defendant,
some of whom are manly enough TO
confess their guilt.
All of this shows deplorable lack OF
honesty, sincerity and integrity. There
is but one question involved in this
matter with which honest law-loving
and laW-abiding men can deal at pres
ent, and that is the simple question OF
the enforcement of the law. There Is
city ordinance declaring lewdness and
righteousness a misdemeanor, and Tx
ing a punishment for those who are
found guilty. While that ordinance is
on the books and not held by q com
petent tribunal to be invalid and void.
it is just as much a law as any act OF
Congress, and its observance and enforce
ment are as binding upon individuals
and officers as any living statute by
whatever legislative body enacted. The
police, in obedience to their oaths and |
in the performance of their duty, claim |
to have learned that certain men have |
violated the ordinance and made them |
selves liable to the punishment pro-
vIded. is not the affair Of others how |
the information was obtained nor in
what manner the evidence was secured,
so long as the business was done lawfully /
and in the line OF police duty; but it is
the affair of every honest man, of what
ever party or faith, that the law be en-
forced. To say otherwise. is to argue in
favor of lawlessness and against putting
a check on criminals and evil-doers.
Nor is it something against which the
honest men will protest, that the &C
cused have protested love for sexual
purity and been active in waging a war
against those charged with SHINING
against the moral law. This is the
affair of the defendants themselves. with
which the officers and the public can
nave nothing to do. All that the
officers must know in the enforcement
II the law is that it has been broken
he social position OF the violators. and
What their professions have been are
matters of which the law takes no
ognizance.
Why IS it that these officials and j
are setting themselves so :
trongly against the enforcement of an
ordinance that all admit is q necessity
n the community? Do they desire to
e understood as being advocates of
Ion-restriction Of such vices and offenses
S are charged against the men who
ave been arrested? Unjust be that the
bove is their position, or they assume :
worse one-that crime is no crime
Then committed by a man who pro-
esses a hatred of the Mormons. This /:
alter is the true attitude of those who
re so much exercised over these ar
ests. They cannot deny it. If instead
{ Marshal Yandercook, some well
nown Mormon had been arrested |
n the charge of lewd and {
asciYious conduct, the men and the
ewspaper who are bending all their
nergies IN an effort to save the hypo- {
ritical deputy from the prison or chain Z
ing, would be doing all in their power {
, convict the accused and bring him
, punishment.
1t is deplorable that this factional i
'ndition Of things should exist.in the
but it does exist, and often
efeats justice, as it threatens to do in :