Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-02
rIanrENLNa 1nE coLLH.

Mormonism " doomed. Not tie re-
llgion Of thc Mormon church, but tho
revolving practices that ARE covered and
sanctlncd by that church. The gathered
indignation Of half century is falling on
the heads oi The elders and deyotces ol
that institution. In win they cry for the
mountains TO hide them. They can find
no conccalmeni from the tirelcss federal
police. Their local laws, their bier.
arcby, their organization cannot protect
them against the severe but Just process
OF the United States conrts Conviction
succeeds conviction, aud there are now
few OF the prominent leaders Of the
church, who have violated the law by
plural marriage, but are serving out
periods Of confinement In jail With the
leaders broken, the followers are help.
less. The Mormon priesthood was every.
thing despotic. with the despots dc.
throned, their subjects, unaceustomcd to
act or think except through them, are as
powerless for resistance rs community
OF schoochlldren.
Yet the adhorcnts OF the Mormon
church In Utah are so many that all local
affairs that can bo controlled bymcmbers,
all Offices that are filled by popular cleo.
tlon ~ the territory, are In sympathy
with the elders Of The church, aud re-
spond 10 their advice and direction In all
things. The Gcntilcs, as all non-Mor-
mons are classed, are so greatly IN the
minority "a to he powerlcss, and are sub
jet to persecution and annoyance
by the spitefu 'saints." TO stu further
curtnll their power In municipal affairs, II
bill has been brought In congress which
II the most vigorous ever yet proposed
for Mormon restriction.
II this bill shall become u law, no man
or woman who practices polygamy ran
vote or SIT on iuries, re reach the priest
hood aud break their influence, 1t is pro.
vidod that no one who shalt council, en-
courage or ndvlse others TO practice pc.
lygamy shall be eligible TO any Office or
position OF trust in any territory under
the government OF the United States, nor
may they acquire title to any OF the pub
lie domain Of The United States, or sit on
iurles And the bill goes even further;
not only those who practice or advise po-
lygamy are thus disabled, but all who
contribute TO the support Of any orgaul-
zntlon that encourages It's members to
have more than one wife, or allows the
practice OF plural marriage, are likewise
disabled from voting, holding Office, OF
sitting on iurlcs. This latter clause 1,
the most stringent and far reaching of all.
a large number Of adhcrents of Mormon
islu, while encouraging others TO polygam.
GUS acts, and readily contributing to thor
strength and sustcnnncc, were yet unable
TO support more than one wife, aud there.
fore could not be renched by any law that
acted upon only those who engaged in
the forbidden practices The proposed
law win dlsfranchiso every Mormon, foi
II includes all who contribute 10 or nc
knowledge any organization that allows
or encourages polygamy,
Tie operation OF such law viii turn
over the entire local government TO the
few Genllles In tnh, or force HE Nor.
mons to abandon their church, or the
church 20 change its creed and repudiate
the doctrine of plurality OF marriage
Either OF these results will secure the oh
iectol the bill aud paplyle The power for
oyil OF the Mormon organization