New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-12

false or not emphasizes the abnormal re-
lations existing between the Mormons and the
Federal Government. Or course the assertion OF
the Salt Lake City Council that there was no
ground for the apprehension OF a Mormon up
rising is entitled to little cicdence. since those
who make it are themselves MOrmOns. The
prompt dispatch Of troops TO the scene may well
have checked the turbulent tendencies OF the
acitators. but il is not to be denied that the
Mormon Journals have for some time been
cmploying tone we'll calculated to arouse the
acgressiveness of fanatics and to bring about
overt acts OF rebellion. one Inference which
this new evaporation of Mormon bigotry juoti-
Ges is that the Edmunds la" is producing the
effects hopcd from il. II during many previous
years the poiyglmists appcaicd indifferent 70
Congress iohal legislation, il was because al
such laws were dead letters. Now for the first
time it is found that an effective weapon
against polyglmy has been prepared, and Che
AMER of the Mormon leaders Is the measure o.
It's effectiveness.
II j. not reasonable to suppose that any
serious or dccp-uid purpose OF rebellion is
entertained i'm Utah. The heads Of the ChUich
are ,hrewd men, and know what manner
of force they would have to cope II they
dcicd the power of the United states. But
even if there b, no real danger of thi, kind, aud
even il il is safe 10 ASSUME that the Edmunds
Law or supplementary legislation vii. cytirpa'c
palvclmv. an end of the Mormon di'hculty viii
not have been reached. In such case there
would be- M external compliance with 'hc law
OF the country. but it cannot he doubted that
the Mormon Church would continue 20 employ
all it, great authority to intensity and prrpst-
uatc the hostile feeling now and from the ioun-
datiou Of the hierarchy entertained toward tie
Constitution and Government of the United
States. 1t must, therefore, be expected that IN
Titan, Montana and adjoining region, COM
pact and thoroughly trained organization Will
grow up, deeply inimical to American ciyl.la-
ton. Such an organization, vigorous both toy
numbers and extent of resources, constantly
recruited by immigration systematically con-
Quoted, directed by men cunning rs J',ult' ANA
uuscrupulou, rs professional dcmaGpEuc,. may
in no long time compass the political control "i
a considerable area, aud embaira.s the Federal
Government at length by tactics not the less
dangerous because defended by constitutional
forms.
President Cleveland in his Message suggest,
legislation to stop the immigration Of Mormons.
Certainly there is little wisdom in the magma
nimity which permits Mormon missionaries TO
scoui Europe for prOscytcs and welcomes 10
these chores every year thousands of aliens vino
bring minds carefully poisoned against Ameri-
can social and governmental doctrines. Sc
long as this iuilux continues the Mormon
Church will have mt hand an agency capable of
countcrbalancing the laws of Congress- and If it
cannot maintain POygamy IN the face OF FEEDER
al prohibition and penalties, it can keep alive the
hatred of United States laws and Institutions
which threatens more trouble in the future than
the peculiar institution has already caused
1t. is not TO be pretended that the stoppIgc of
Mormon immigration would be panacca for
all existing evils. It is only TO be considered
as a means TO IN end. Bat iuasmuch rs the
necessity of dealing rc50lutely and seriously
with the monstr0us anomaly called Mormon,m
j. becoming more obvious continually, this
measure should be regarded rs in the line ol
practical remedial legislation. We have
already, with far less excuse, undertaken to
check Chinese immigration. In this case it is
proposed to prohibit the recruiting of an organ
ization whose central social theory we hold 10
be immoral, degrading, destructive to the
family relation, upon which modern progress
depends mainly; while the general sentiment
of the polygamOus community is wholly alien
to American ideas and convictions. If self
protection is a right Inherent in the State, it is
surely justified in applying ligaturcs to the
channels of circulation which supply nOuIish.
mcnt TO this canccIOus growth within the body
polite.