Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-07
OUR DELEGATE ON THE SITUA-
TION.


The Hon. John T. Caine, Delegate to
Congress, has been preaching at the
semi-annual conference at Logan. His
subject was the present condition Of the
Territory. The report of what he said
upon which we rely is the one published
in the Herald, Mr.. Gaines own paper.
1t should be remembered that Mr.. Caine
is member of Congress, and before all
others should be acquainted with the
laws of Congress, their validity, and the
purposes for which they were passed.
"Much was being said OF our present per-
secutions; but although the imprison-
ments our brethren were undergoing
might be unpleasant the result
would be glorious to them" To what
prosecutions did Mr.. Cane refer? Did he
refer to the prosecutions under the Ed
munds Act? Mr.. Caine well knows, as
knows every man in the Territory, that
there is not single man in Utah who is
suffering Imprisonment who is not under
going such imprisonment for the violation
of some law. If Mr.. Caine refers to those
who are suffering imprisonment for vio-
lating the Edmunds law, he must mean
that the enforcement OF valid law of
Congress is persecution; his remark can
mean nothing else. Those men have
violated law OF the United States and
are suffering the consequences; but Mr..
Caine says that in consequence OF such
violation of national law and imprison-
ment therefor, "they will receive the re-
ward OF their well doing, just as their
prosecutors will receive the reward of their
evil doing" According to Mr.. Caine,
then, the violation OF valid law
Of Congress is "well doing" and the vio-
lators OF the law are to receive reward
for such violation. This is not ALL though
The officers of the Government who are
enforcing this law of Congress twill re-
ceive the reward of their evil doing" 1t
is an "evil doing" according TO Mr.. Caine,
for an officer OF the Government to en-
force the law even when he has sworn to
do that very same thing. Ii it is right
eous thing to break the law, it must neces-
sarily be an unrighteous thing to enforce
q law. Mr.. Caine, the Delegate to Con-
gress from Utah Territory, is preaching at
Logan the very doctrine that we said last
Friday the people OF Utah wish to es-
tablish here. Last Friday we said: "The
people of Utah desire TO make lawlessness
law and law lawlessness." 1t is, in effect,
what Mr.. Caine said yesterday, for how
else can his remark that those who are
suffering imprisonment twill receive the
reward of their well doing" be CON
strued? 1t was very kind Of Mr.. Caine
TO say, concerning the Government
officials, eve can afford to feel mercifully
towards them, and instead OF wasting
anathemas upon their heads, leave them
to the care OF God, who deals with all
men according 10 their deeds" This
was an exceedingly wise thing to do, es-
pecially as Mr.. Caine and those of his be-
lief are not quite prepared to deal with
their prosecutors, who happen to be the
officers of the law. 1t is consolation to
know the principles OF "our Government
were great and all-wise !" but it is a great
sorrow to know that "itis the,administra-
ton OF the laws by corrupt and prejudiced
men which is at fault" "But they will
some day be called upon to account for
their administration OF this Govern
ment." Yes, in about three years. These
corrupt and prejudiced men should turn
their eyes to the administration of things
in this Territory. Ii they will but look
at the administration of affairs in this
county they will find such administration
a pure and spotless thing, filled with vir-
tue and clothed in beauty. In the ad-
ministration OF political affairs in
Utah, we only know of corrup-
tion and wickedness through reading of
the wicked ways OF the world.
1t is impossible to comprehend how II
man can be so blind rs not to see how
and why tits that those who are in prison
for breaking the laws are being perse-
cuted. 1t is perfectly plain to anyone
who is not filled with prejudice and error.
1t is thus; "The principles Of our Gov
ernment were great and all-wise. 1t is
the administration OF the laws by corrupt
and prejudiced men which is at fault; but
they will be called upon to account for
their administration of this Government. !"
You see the Government and the laws
made by Congress are all right, but it is
the enforcement OF the laws that is all
wrong. We trust that Mr.. Caine will
make this fact clear to the minds of Con-
gressmen and Senators when he returns
to Washington. The Peoples party
should have Mr.. Caine's remarks at the
fifty-fifth semi-annual conference printed
in pamphlet form and distributed at
Washington as campaign document If
the Government officials who are enforc-
ing the laws in Utah are corrupt
men, they should be removed; and
it is the duty OF Mr.. Cane,
as the Delegate from this Territory
to Congress, to expose the corr upton
OF Federal officials in this Territory, and
obtain their removal. Why did not Mr..
Game denounce the policy of enacting
the Eimunds law instead OF denouncing
its enforcement? Mr.. Caine has ample
opportunity in Washington to expose the
unconstitutionality OF such laws and their
injustice and harshness before they are
enacted, and why does he not do it? If