Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-03-03
DISCUSS AND ACETATE |!

The introduction OF Mr.. Woodbury.
anti-polygamy bill in the House OF Repre-
sentatives on Monday has resulted in
evoking considerable discussion over the
merits of that measure as compared with
the Edmunds bill now in the hands OF the
House Judiciary Committee, and in
which it is sought to incorporate the pro-
visions formulated by Senator Edmunds
since the bills passage in the Senate.
Under the circumstances, it may not
be amiss TO reproduce that portion OF the
proposed amendment to the Edmunds
bill which strikes directly at the great
evil here. As given by the Chicago
Times, it is substantially as follows:
IL is proposed to excuse every person from
participating in the Territorial government
unless he is registered hereafter; and to en-
title him to be registered he must take an
oath in writing that he is sincerely attached
to the principles of the Constitution of the
United States; that he regards the Constitu-
ton, the acts of Congress, and of the Ter
ritorial Legislature as interpreted by the
courts as the supreme law of tile land; that
he declares allegiance to the government OF
the United States. and renounces all allegi-
ance to any other power, civil or eccleslas-
tical; that he has no sympathy with the po-
litical aims or intentions of the Mormon
Church, and is opposed to any interference
by that church with the exercise of the cleo
tive franchise by debating to or counseing
voter how he shall not vote or how he
shall perform official duties;- that he de-
nounces as pernicious and holds not binding
upon him any such counsel or dictation; that
he il separated from the political party of
the church, and solemnly promises and
swears that he will not act or be in concert
with any political party acting or which may
hereafter act to carry out the political will
of the church or of any Mormon political
party.
This is u sweeping measure, and if
enacted into law, would doubtless fully
meet the expectations OF its author. As
pointed out in the DEMOCRAT last evening,
this amendment recognizes rs the basis
of disfranchisement, the fact that "every
Mormon is subject Of, or an officer in,
the Kingdom of God on earth, and must
therefore OF necessity be an alien, ii not
n traitor, to the United States, because
one and all OF these people are engaged
in conspiracy to establish by apparent
cratic empire"
On the other hand, the Woodburn bill
recognizes polygamy as the basis OF dis
franchisement, thus leaving in the hands
OF the priesthood means by which they
may escape the consequences OF the pre-
scribed oath by simply yielding, or pro
Tossing to yield, up polygamy. Withou
amendment in this respect, then, this
bill looks as though it might fail wher
the Edmunds bill would prove etficacious
1t is highly desirable that Utah shoul,
at once be given some such legislation a
is proposed in one or both of these bills
To that end the Gentles of Utah shoul,
not fail, through an accredited source,
make such suggestions in the prope
quarters at Washington as will result i
giving us just what is needed. And TIN
is q work, too, as we have heretofore SUI
gested, that should be engaged in b
all non-M -Mormons, irrespective OF politica
professions. If the Edmunds bill
deemed the proper measure, let it be
understood; ii it be deemed wisdom
supplement that by the Woodburn bill
let that be understood, 80 that q co
certed and vigorous effort may be mad
to get the legislation we need.
Any halfway measures at this la
day would work irreparable disaster
this Territory. The Gentiles should S
that none such are permitted to pass,
they can prevent it by making the prop
representations to Congress.