The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-10-31
MORE IGNORANCE.

The Chicago Inter-Ccen begins its
editorial comment on the recent report
of Governor WesG with this statement:
The laws against polygamy rest like
swords within their scabbards. They
are sb arp enough for the exiirpation OF
the criue, if only there were arms to
wield them" People who read this re-
narkable paragraph will wonder what
the fellow is trying 10 get through him.
What will Governor West think of be-
ing told that the laws crest like swords
within their scabbards, g" when he is
mere TO see that the laws do not rest
ike sheathed swords, but are enforced 2
What do the Federal judges, the Fed
e-al marshal and the Federal prose-
cutor, who 90 not rest night or day,
from their labors of enforcing tbs laws,
think of being told that the laws are
permitted TO rast for want of applica-
uon?
And again, how do these same men
enjoy being told that swords are sharp
enough for the extirpatiOn of polJ e.
amy IF only there were arms to wield
them" Can this be interpreted in any
other way than as meaning that West
and Zane and Boreman and Dickson
aud the others who have imagined
from the large number of men they are
sending to the Penitcntiary that they
were enforcing the laws, have really
been doing nothing; that while they
have thought they were welding the
swords gaIlantly; they were in fact
merely dreaming of a slaughter?
And still again, how do the shriekers
and howlers for more laws like to be IN
formed that there are plenty Of laws;
that further legislation is unnecessary;
that all that is required, is men capable
Of administering the statutes already
in the books2
It seems among the impossibilities
that an editor outside of Utah can
get into his head any knowledge
of Utah. To admit that he
can and does is to brand him
as a knave or fool, because he will
not use that knowledge. AS a matter
of fact, there is plenty of law against
polygdmy; and also as a matter of fact
the law is being applied and enforced
as laws in no other part of America are
enforced. A prosecution rarely if ever
fails; the little formality of producing
conclusive evidence of guilt is not al
ways observed as it is not regarded as
essential with jurors selected on account
of their known anxiety to convict. In
nine cases out of ten, all that the prose
cution has to do is to draw a COM
plant charging man with living co l.
trary to law, and send the Marshal out
with a warrant of arrest. The accused
comes in, admits his offending, humbly
listens while the judge pronounces SEN
tence, and goes to prison 70 endure the
penalty prescribed. Is there law in
Chicago enforced more certainly or more
severely than the laws against polyg-
amy are enforced in Utah2 Hardly If
there were, the Chicago prisons would
have TO be enlarged, and the taxes raised
to provide for the support of the con-
Yicts.
Whenever the Inter- Ocean talks
about Utah it becomes wild and reck-
less. 1t is deplorably ignorant as to
matters out here, and exposes its ignor-
ance on all occasions. 1t knows it is
the popular thing to do, to say mean
things about the Mormons; hence, it
slasheS away regardless of making an
ass of itself.