The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-25

working in a legitimate manner for the
interest OF their fellow citizens. can be
called a lobby" then perhaps the as
:. rtions that are made are true: but be-
vond erdeavoring 10 correct the false
| impressions that have gone abroad in
reference to Utah and her people, do
not know that said lobby" attempt
anv other work. There is an anti Nor
mon lobby in this city. The members
thereof make no secret of their mission.
They want more legislation for Utah,
and they are using all the known means
10 accomplish their object.
The other day Mr.. Baskin, as part of
his mission TO the capital, was granted
a hearing before the subcommittee OF
the judiciary who have charge of the
new Edmunds bill in the House. His
argument was by no means powerful.
From a gentleman who was present
am informed that he did not attempt
TO sustain the provisions of the new
Edmunds bill either by law or reason.
He essayed to show that the Mormon
people were living in violation of the
anti-polygamy laws of Congress, and
that their reverence for the constitution
was a myth. lie did not favor the ap-
pointment of trustees to manage the
church property. nor did he favor the
confscation Of church property, but he
favored the disincorporation OF the
church and of the Perpetual Emigra-
ton Fund Company. He also advo-
Gated the Acknowledgement of sll the
Mormon people not on account of their
belief in polygamy as an abstract prin-
ciple. but because of their adherence to
and support of a church, society or
organization which taught its members
-. ufnfafa IQu Nc nf the land III he had
his way he would stop the emigration
of foreign converts. and would debar al
foreigners, members of the Mormon
church. of the right of naturalization
and OF the land laws. He asserted
that he believed half of the Mormon
people were polygamisIs; recommend
ed that the penalty for unlawful cohab-
itation should be made to correspond
with the penalty Tor polygamy. stating
that out of all the thousands in the Ter
ritory who were in polygamy, only two
cases had been prosecuted to convic
ton, and not more than one hundred
had been convicted of unlawful cohabi-
tation. 1 am told that Mr.. Baskin's
argument made very little. If any, i'm
preston upon the members of the COM
mittee. The ball, however. is now
opened. and a further hearing on the
the meantime, Mr.. c. G. Goodwin, 1
understand. is engaged writing a reply
to the brief published by Mr.. A. NJ.
Gibson upon the bill in question. Mr..
Goodwin was present during Mr.. Bas-
kin's argument, but had nothing TO say.
| presume he prefers to write what
views he has upon the subject.
The past week in Congress was IN
eventfui. No unseemly wrangles took
place. The members Of both Houses
behaved themselves. The chaplain of
the House, however, must think that
he has a very hard crowd in charge.
OF late some OF his prayers have been
very pointed. The other day he offered
suPplication in behalf Of drunken
men, but its effect was like pouring
water on a ducks back; for, within
fifteen minutes after the prayer was
offered, thirty-eight members, by actual
count stepped up to the counter in the
restaurant and ordered "cold tea
which, in other words, means whiskey.
Chaplain Milburn has great charge IN
hand. He is, in fact. the spiritual dis
penser TO one Of the hardest crowds on
earth.
The tariff bill is now under discus
sion. What will be its fate il is hard TO
divine. 1t will occupy the attention of
the House for weeks, and as il involves
the interests of so many people some
lively times may be expected.
Emancipation day was celebrated last
Friday. /. is a great occasion in the |
District of Columbia. The white peO- |
pie simply step TO one side, and the |
colored people take possession of the /
town. They parade the streets in grand |
style and are as happy and contented a /
class of people as can be seen any day /
in the year. There are over sixty thou |
sand colored people in the city-one |
third of the whole population-and I
when it is their day out some of the /
funniest phases of character can be /
seen that It is possible to imagine.
JOHN IRVINE.