The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-30
OFF THE SCENT.

OEE IRE SCENL.
It appears that the Rev. NJ. T. Lamb
a Baptist missionary N this Territory
has made a rather unusual report u
the religious body Jhat employed hin
u come out 70 Utah. He says tn,
great body OF the Mormon people ar,
not hypocritical. and while he think
TIE leaders may be frauds, he says tn,
average Mormon is more religious than
the average Christian, and ready Il
make any sacrifice for his creed. H,
says that polygamy is one of the
smallest difficulties the missionary
meets. How TO reach the honest
Mormons IS the question of question!
in the mind OF Mr. Lamb; as he holds
tina. not until the Mormon is made
inhdel TO his own faith can he be
brought to listen to the teachings Of
Christianity.
Commenting on the report made by
Mr. Lamb, the Atlanta Constellation
says:
In dealing with the Mormon problem.
polygaIny is all that our law can take hold
of. The religious system back of IL the
government will have 70 let alone The
Mormon who is satisfied With one wife. and
makes q good citizen, may believe in the
inspiration Of the Book of Mormon" and
regulate his life by its precepts. Our gov
eminent cannot interfere with him.
To reach the honest Mormons describ ed
by Mr.. Lamb, We must rely upon the Jealous
work Of honest and discreet missionaries.
Repressive laws are out OF the question.
We cannot make man a criminal on ac-
connt of his religion, unless he engrafts
upon the rel gion some immoral practice,
such as polygSmy This view Of the case
vii require the attention of our law makers
IL The near future.
The CoHstit ton has evidently fallen
so far behind the pack that is bounding
the Mormon people, that it is altogether
of The scent. The leaders of the pack
Will give an angry snarl at the dog in the
rear who stops TO howl: I'm dealing
with the Mormon problem, polygamy is
all that our law can take hold of. The
religious system back of it the govern
ment will have to let alone.
We cannot make a man a criminal on
account of his religion, unless he en-
gratis upon the religion some immoral
practice. such as polygamy." Longer
than several years ago such cries as
these were abandoned by the dogs which
kept the scent. That the Constitution
may again catch the scent, and unite in
the proper cry against the Mormons
whom the religious hounds, the political
hounds. and the mongrel lecturing ours
of nearly every variety that thirst for
glory, have marked for their prey, we
repeat the baying hound from Nevada
that has just joined the pack to the
great delight of the red-mouthed and
sore footed pack that have followed the
trail 10, these many years; and to
whose sinking courage the newest yelp
has given renewed life. The hound
which bays from Nevada is William n.
Stewart, the Republican candidate for
the senatorship of the Sagebrush State,
and his howl floats out on the stiffness
Of the desert air for political effect. In
q communication to the Tribune of this
city, contained in Sundays issue, after
saving that the Mormon Chuch is in
hostility to the government OF the Uni
ted states, he says:
an in favor OF stopping short the growth
OF this conspiracy. No person who holds
opinions hostile TO or inconsistent with the
laws of the United states, should be allowed
70 vote or hold Office. l am in favor OF eX-
GLIDING every person from the privilege OF
the elective franchise who Is q polygamist,
or belongs u or affiliateS with any asSo-
ciation denomination or organization which
Is hostile 10 the Government OF the United
states. or which sanctions or tolerates pOlyg-
amy.
able organizations have no faith in half
way measures. The growing rebellion in
Utah must be crushed while il can be done
without bloOdshed. The first and necessary
step is 70 deprive every Mormon end every
syrnpathizer with MormOnism of all political
rover ard treat them a. they have elected
10 be treated-as alien enemies located in
our MIDST. only entitled 70 the protection OF
the law so long as they refrain from Yiolat-
ing it, but subject to the seEerest penaItles
when they place themselves in opposition 70
the government which tolerates their pres
cnce.
marks OF Mr.. Stewart, and so may the
Constellation, leaning toward Whist is
known as the Idaho plan of dealing
with the Mormon problem, that is, to
disfranchise every Mormon regardless
as 10 whether he is a transgressor OF the
laws of the United States or not, max
ing faith in Mormonism the polilca'
shibbo'eth The crusaders against
Mormonism have cast aside as child
ish thing the idea that only those men
who are guilty of allowing their rel
gious belief 10 break out into acis IL
violation of the laws Of the United
States. That would fail TO give 70 The
political adventures Of Titan the can
troll Of the Territory, and any result
falling short OF that would be u them
very unsatisfactory. Therefore, men
who are guilty Of 10 crime, who have
broken no law, must be stripped OF tie