The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-20
AN EXCEPTIONAL EDITOR.

Ia these days, when the popular thing to
do is to assail the Mormons without
gloves" never for a moment admitting
that there is anything virtuous or praise
worthy in the Saints; when it is almost
dangerous to disapprove of any measure
that may be suggested for marrying and
despoiling the Mormons, and when every
movement, whether or not it is lawful
or Just. is expected to receive the sanction
of the press, it is refreshing to find great
newspaper that has the courage and
honesty and independence to be fair and
reasonable in commenting on the Nor
mons. Such journal the New
York Commercial Advertiser seems to
be- At the risk of calling down
upon his devoted head the blows of
the unreasonable newspaper horde, the
editor of the paper named expresses the
opinion that it would be better to be fair
and just even to Mormons. He also thinks
that nothing will be gained by violating the
laws in order to prosecute people on &C
count of their religion. In the Commercial
advertiser of the 10th instant, the following
editorial appears under the head Let
Mormonism Die Natural Death. -
Whether or not the ism named will ever
die natural or other death is something
that only time can answer; but those who
wish it may expire should be willing to
give it chance to pass away:
Captain JOHN CoDMAN's letter from Salt Lake
city, published in the Commercial yesterday, was
as full of hard sense as it was of delightful
humor. The government has nothing to do
with MormoniSm as religious creed; Its duties
are limited to the suppression of polygamy
The Idaho law that Mormon believer cannot
vote, even though he takes oath that he never
has practiced and never will practice polygdmy,
is contrary to the spirit of our Institutions and
to the Interpretation which the supreme court
OF the United States has placed upon the guar
antee of religious liberty in our federal cOnstitu
ton. The proposal OF the Utah commission.
that national law to the effect should be en-
acted, is prominently foolish one. The only
effect of such an enactment would be 20
strengthen M0rmonisIn, by making mar
tyrs and embittering the Mormon popu
lation. POlygamy is fast dying out. 1t is
incompatible with the spirit of our
institutions: it is incompatible with intelligence
Intermingliug with Americans and popular
education-especially the popular education of
women-wil soon administer the death blow
unless the persecution is allowed to strengthen
the hands of the Mormon priesthood. The
measures already employed for its suppression
are drastic enough. They remind one indeed OF
the attitude of the English missionaries in the
east who refuse to baptlZe converts unless they
rid themselves OF their former wiveS-an atti-
tude which in one case II least (vouched for by
Bishop SELWYN) resulted in a New Zealand
chiefs fitting himself for this sacrament by eat
ing eight of his wives out of nine. We cannot
expect or indeed desire that all polygamiStS
should be so Jealous as this TO conform with the
requirements OF our civilization. The sensible
thing for the United States to do is to let Nor
monism die a natural death. instead OF attempt
ing TO strangle it outright.