Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1886-01-08
| pOral matters, congress should tear up the
Organizations root and branch

|
organization, root and branch.
Mr. Call did not believe that congress
had right to destroy the religious estab-
liShments of the MOrMOnS. The practice of
polygamy, unholy though it was, did not
authorize congress to violate the constitu-
ton by legislation in regard to an estab-
lishment of religion or to take private
Edmunds' point, that it was not the relig-
ious, but the temporal, concerns Of the
church that were to be administered by
trustees provided by the bill, Mr. Call in
qnired what would be thought of congress
il it should undertake to administer by
trustees, or otherwise, the. property and
temporal affairs, for example, of the Roman
Catholic church. The Christian sentiment
Of the country and the ordinary laws, if en-
forced, were amply sufficient to deal with
polygamy. He, therefore, opposed the
Mr. Edmunds said that the bill does not
affect the religious affairs of the Mormons
1t would only affect the temporal arrange
,ments OF the Mormon church so far as the
arrangements contributed to the perpetual
ton Of what the people OF the United States
regard as crime.
Mr.. Morgan did not feel that we were
dealing with an establishment of ssrelig-
ion" 1t might pass as religion" in
China or the valley of the Congo. It was
az 1HOooouiiHlillClU. uOG VI ltllSlOl1, DuL OI
vice. The sentiment of the whole people
OF the United States was against it. 1t was
an establishment opposed to the spirit of
our national constitution.
Mr.. Teller said he was as anxious as any
man to see polygamy extirpated, but
wanted to see it done under form and un-
der color Of law. Polygamy was a crime,
greater crime than rape. Mr.. Teller was
willing to "put the knife in" but wanted to
| do it in the MANNER authorized by our con-
| Stltution and laws. He believed the old
| law had enough authority in it to enable
the government to complete the end in
view, but for fifteen years the government
had made practically no effort to enforce
the old law. He regarded Joseph Smith as
an arrant knave, and his system as an obi
Gus oligarchy und despotism that must be
| wiped out
/ Mr.. Cull1m inquired whether Mr.. Teller
would favor a commission for the gov
ernment Of Utah.
away from the Mormons all legislative
| authority and vesting that authority in
congress. He hoped he would have ac-
corded to him honesty of purpose in what
1 he had said in defense OF people who
were without friends. He could bear tes-
timony to their virtues without indorsing
| their vices. :f> 4as-
Considerable debate ensued as to the
legal effect Of the provisions relating to tes-
timony to be given by husbands and wives,
4 and some amendments Of detail were made,
but Mr.. MOrgan's amendment was lost as
were some amendments offered by Mr.
Brown, to one Of which chat certain por
tons OF the act should apply equally to
claimed, sotto voce: aOh, don't put any
such provision as that into statute of the
United States" [Laughter.] Mr.. Edmunds
said the laws of the United States applied
to every body in the United States.
The following are among the bills Of
fered in the house today:
BY Mr.. Voorhees, Wash. Ter. For the
admission Of the state of Washington; also,
to forfeit the unearned Northern Pacific
land grant; also, to secure more efficient
civil service reform. A
By Mr.. Clifford Dakota For the admis-
sion OF the state Of Dakota; also, for the
appointment Of two additional Justices of
the supreme court of Dakota.
By Mr.. Haley Idaho)- the appoint
lnent of an additional justice OF the SUI
preme court of Idaho.