The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-17
BAsKIN's MISSION.

4
done something to pay for the board
and lodging with which he is being
provided by rabid Gentiles who have
more money than intelligence and
more venom than reason. He has ap-
peared before the House committee on
judiciary, and for two mortal hours
bored that body with a relation Of his
ideas regarding the proper method for
dealing with Utah. OF course he
interspersed the usual quantity OF
anti Mormon rot and sensational
stories, which are hardly worth con-
sidering. for they will have no effect on
the minds of the intelligent gentlemen
composing the committee, nor does 1t
call for even a word in reputation OF
the false assertions made by the gentle
man such as that one-han the Nor
mons are polygamists, inssmuch as 1t
is u matter OF record, demonstrated by
the enforcement of the Edmunds
election law, and reasserted by the
officials of the Church themselves that
only about two per cent. of the male
Mormons are polygamists. Mr.. Baskin
pleaded for the disfranchisement OF
all Mormons, for a legislative COM
mission. that foreign-born Mormons
be refused citizenship and the land
privileges OF the country, and that the
penalty for unlawful cohabitation be in
creased. To these matters and requests
will the committee give consideration.
and to them alone, Baskin's blackguard
talk and mAnifestly false statements
being cast aside as having nothing TO
do with the real question. Now that
Mr.. Baskin has shown his hand. and
declared the objects and purposes of his
mission, We are heartily glad he was
sent to Washington, and the people o.
Utah will regard him as really an ad-
vocate IN their behalf In that he is tax
ing the course to defeat unfriendly legis-
lation. Not one thing for which
he has asked is it possible to OBJ
tain from this Congress, and three Of
his requests would be denied by the
President in the form of a veto were
they to be presented to him in bill for
approval. A legislative commission is
simply out of the question. A majority
OF the members of the judiciary COM
mittee have said as much. the Pres
ident has set his face against il. and
many influential Senators and Repre-
sentatives have declared that they will
oppose it. That proposition might as
well be abandoned at once and for good.
Congress has never gone so far as to
disfranchise any citizen, except for
cause. and we do not believe it ever will
do so. 1t hesitated, when the Edmunds
bill was under discussion, to adopt the
clause DISTINGUISHING polygamists before
conviction, and it certainly will not de-
prive men of citizenship who are guilty
of no infraction Of the law, and
whose offense is no more than
admitted membership of the church.
The suggestion that foreign-born Nor
mons shall not be nataralized is akin to
that in reference TO Acknowledgement.
and is no more likely to receive the |
sanction of Congressman. And it is not |
probable that the penalty for unlawful |
will be increased until it |
has been demonstrated whether or not
the present law will be effective in &C
complishing the purpose for which it
was intended. So far the law has SEEM
ingly done its work as well as could be
desired: at least there has been no sec
ond conviction or man who has served
one term for the offense, nor indeed has
there been any indictment for unlawful
of one who has been once
sentenced. The sole purpose of the law
IS to stop the practice, and If a penalty
Of six months imprisonment and
1900 fine, or even: less severe pun
shment attains the object, in
telligent Congressman will ask
the reason for demanding a harsher
infection. When il shall transpire that
men convicted for unlawful cohabita-
ion come OUT of the Penitentiary and
return to their former way Of living in
open defiance Of the law, an appeal to
Congress to increase the penalty will
stand some chance Of receiving consid-
grafton, but while matters continue as
hey are it seems almost an insult to
the intelligence and humanity of Con-
yressmen TO ask them to impose addi-
ionAl penalties when those now pro-
rided seem ample.
Altogether the Baskin mission must
'e regarded as beneficial to the cause Of
light and justice in Utah. 1t will ex-
bose and make palmer to the judiciary {
committee and to Congressman gener-
lily, the wickedness OF the anti. Nor :
non schemes. and the true motives of
he men who are urging them.
THE STRIKES EXTENDING.