The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-11-18
TO SAVE SOMETHING.

TO SAVE SOMETHING.
The HERALD doesn't profess to know
anything about the law by which Judge
Zane seeks to enter the church suits as
aD attorney for the trustees of the dis
trict schools; we know nothing of his
employment, and nothing of the right
of him or his clients to intervene and
be heard. But this much seems plain
enough to TIE HERALD that the equi-
ties appear to be with the cause which
Judge Zane is trying to represent.
The Congressional act providing for
the con6scation of the property of the
Mormous is q piece of as Vicious legis-
latiop as can be found in the national
statute books. Highwaymen and
brigands may justify such law, but
civilized men never. To take the prop
erty &C it is being taken is,simply legal
lied brigandage, the government being
the highwayman which clutches the
throat of its weak and helpless victim
while it despoils him Of his substance
and possessions. The government
having Set out to plumber, and
giys1 itself the same license
to proceed which the knight of
the road takes when he meets
the defenceless traveller, it is only to be
expected that individuals regard it as
a sort of grab-game, and plunge in
with both hands, clutching all they can.
1t ought not to occasion surprise that
men consider the property which has
been taken as subject to the rapacity
and greed of all who can get at it.
There is IN the law something which
was put there as saving clause. The
Congressional conscience sought to ex-
cuse itself for the outrage that WIS be-
ing perpetrated. by decreeing that the
stolen property be given to the schools,
Just as the highwaymaR sometimes
seeks favor with heaven by giving lib
orally of his iu-gotten wealth to the
church. But private greed, inspired
and encouraged by the law itself, is
about to defeat and nullify even the
saving clause. 1t is only about a year
since the work of taking possession of
the church property began, and the re-
ceiver and his two lawyers put in q
claim for t55. 0O0-$10 900 each for
the attorneys and per cent. of 500, 600
for the receiver. 'Isit any wonder that
those who are interested in the public
schools and who hoped that some of the
confscated money would be devoted to
educational purposes, are alarmed?
Are they not right, in equity if not in
law, in asking the privilege of trying to
save some of the money which Congress
desired should be devoted to a praise
worthy use?
Ths first dash at the pile is painfully
suggestive that long before the suits
have been tried and final determine
ton reached, there will be nothing to
quarrel over, the whole having been
gobbled by the hungry receiver, the
greedy attorneys, and the flock of COM
missioneTs, examiners, clerks, copyists,
and SO on who are fattening on the
spoils. Uncommon schools will have
a homeless skeleton to pick.
Themora sympathy and support of
the community, of all shades of polit-
ical and religious opinions, will be with
the cause which Judge Zane is trying
to represent If the Mormon Church
must be robbed and plundered, all fair
minded people will say that it is better
that the money be expended for the ed
ucation of the youth of Utah whose
parents gave the property that has been
seized, than that the cash be appor-
toned among handful of lawyers and
officials. The HERALD hopes Judge |
Zane will press the matter with all his
energy and ability, and that he will be
able to save the people something from
the wreck.