Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-03-02
WOODBURN'S BILL.

The DEMocRAT cheerfully affords space
for the following communication. 1t is
from the pen of gentleman who for
many years has been resident of this
Territory, and who has been close stu
dent of the means resorted to by the |
Mormon Church to firmly establish in |
this free country an institution so vile in |
its aims and objects that in any other |
civilized land in the world its precious |
head would have been Topped off ere the |
foul thing had attained three months
growth.
As to the motives which induced Mr..
Woodburn TO introduce his anti-polygamy
bill in the House yesterday, we know
nothing except what is to be inferred
from the measure itself. 1t may be, and
we are inclined to think that our cor
respondent is right in asserting, that the
new Edmunds bill, with the amendment
proposed since the measure has been in
the hands OF the House Committee, would
go much further toward "hooring" the
Mormon monster than the measure pro-
posed by Mr.. Woodburn, since Il close
reading OF the latter bill shows the omis-
sion OF many points fully covered by the
Edmunds bill, and without which it
would be difficult to successfully grapple
with the great evils existing here:
EDITOR DEMocRAT: 1t is pretty well set
tied in the minds of the Saints that some
thing must be speedily done for their relief
from the pressure now brought to bear on
them under the Federal laws, and for those
who may not know the fact, it may be we'll
to state that the Priesthood is not idle in
the present trouble. They have determined
not to give up polygamy; have determined
not to emigrate in body from Utah; have de-
termined not to let go their grasp as a
church-the Kingdom of God-on the State,
and yet they recognize the fact fully rs we'll
as the Gentiles do, that the people and Gov
ernment of the United States have decreed
that polygamy shall no longer be openly
taught and practiced in this Republic. The
policy of the Church leaders in this emer-
gency seems to be taking form, and ways
that are dark and tricks that are peculiar tc
the Latter-day frauds may be looked for
There is one thing, and one thing only
which these people have constantly in view
above all others, and that is the establish
ment of theocratic empire. They are full
of resources, as they have always been, ant
never relinquish point if they can help it
Equal to any and all emergencies, they now
under the pressure of the laws against po
lygamy, have a scheme perfected for thu
colonization of their polygamists in Mexico
The land there has been purchased, the.
have been exempted from taxes for ten years
and hold the promise of the Mexican govern
ment for protection against assaults by tn
Indians for a like period. They claim tohav
the YGqui Indians half converted to thei
faith, and by means of telegraphic lines
will, from the Mexican stake of Zion, wher
the polygamous head of the priesthood viii
be established, conduct the affairs of tn
Kingdom of God in two Republics.
The United States end of the Kingdom @
God will refrain from teaching and practic
ing polygamy, so that the Idaho test oat
will be of no avail, to the end of striiin
political power from the Church, and th
Kingdom of God will still flourish. The oil
lection to the Idaho test oath is that d,
cree of the Mormon priesthood at any tim
forbidding the practice and teaching {
polygamy in the United States, re-enfrai
chises the Saints to the last one of then
and still leaves the theocracy of Mormon
dom in political control of Utah and 9TH
Territories.
Woodburn's bill introduced in the Hou
of Representatives on Monday, smacl
much of Mormon ruse to defeat the mo
potent and efficacious measure proposed
Senator Edmunds as an amendment to h
own bill, now in the hands of the Hou
Committee, by which it is proposed to di
franchise every officer and subject of Il
Kingdom of God on earth who is now exc
oising the rights and privileges of Americi
citizenship to the ulterior and wicked end
establishing the sovereignty of the Morm
Church in the United States.
The Idaho test oath recognizes polygar
rs the basis of Mormon disfranohisemeI
and therefore leaves in the hands of the M,
mon priesthood means by which the chur
may escape the consequences of this oath
any time, by simply yielding, or seeming
YIELD up poygamy i'll the United States.
the olnef manu. the iIuihuhuh leAl od
recognizes rs the basis of Mormon disfri
chisement, the fact that every Mormon
the subject of, or an officer in, the Kingd
of God ON earth, and must therefore of
cessity be an alien if not traitor to
United States, because one and all of tn
people are engaged in Il conspiracy to est
lish by apparent republican forms O
methods q theocratio empire.
Mr. Woodburn, who represents Nevada
Congress, was elected over Cassidy, Den
orat, by Mormon votes, as Republic