The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-11
PROFIT OF ANTI-MoRMONISM.

The newspapers are still commenting on
the outrage which Congress proposes by
admitting Idaho with the unrepublican con-
stltution, and where party fealty is not so
strong as to blind judgment the editors
denounce the proposal as wicked and dan
gerous. In an able and elaborate article
the San Francisco Alta treats the matter
under the head, ''Profit in Anti Mormon
ism" The editor shows by citation of
instances and facts that it is party profit;
more than any desire to correct and pro-
tect morals which inspires Republicans to
oppose Mormons. As to the Idaho constitu-
ton the alta says that if it went further
than it does, and established equality
among the sects by providing that when a
member of any church is guilty of adultery
the entire church will be disfranchised, no
fault could be found with it. To show
the inconsistency of the party which cham
plons the constitution, the AltG says the
Republicans who supported the Idaho bill
and were passionate in their devotion to
monogamy and their hatred of polygamy,
and fiery in their design to protect the
region around Utah from the Mormon in
fection, betrayed none of this zeal when
they admitted Wyoming. 'There are
more Mormons in Wyoming than in Idaho.
From the Laramie plains westward the
Mormons are probably in the majority in
tie settlements. For aught we know they
marry and give in marriage in the plural
number there, but we do not recall a
single conviction for polygamy in Wyom-
i0n Tho aNr1Alapatinn
The territory has always been heavily Re
publican; the Wyoming Mormons vote the
Republican ticket and live in such peace as
they can with SARAH and HAGAR in the
same tent. Idaho has been politically
close and the Mormon vote has been
the balance of power frequently, and it
has usually been Democratic. The Repub-
cans controlled the constitutional conven-
ton and took the opportunity to disfran-
chise a section of the Democratic vote.
Whatever peril there is in Mormonism is
far more threatening in Wyoming than in
Idaho If constitutional Acknowledgement
be the sole safeguard, as the Republican
Congressman insisted, Wyoming needs it
more than her mountain neighbor But in
reality this consideration did not affect the
views of the majority of Mr.. REEDS House
The Republicans can elect two Senators
from Wyoming only by the help of the
Mormon vote. They can elect two from
Idaho only by DISTINGUISHING the Mormon
vote. Therefore Mormonism is a sin in
Idaho but 1t is a virtue in Wyoming. A
Republican in Wyoming may have as many
wives as viii take share in him, but a
Democrat in Idaho is disfranchised for
belonging to the same church as this Wy
oming Republican! 1t is singular legisla-
ton. 1t is the most outrageous partisan
use of the polygamy issue"
Our contemporary says that statesman
ship dictates the amending of the federal
forbids slavery. This would make it a
federal question in all the states and put
the Republicans of Wyoming and the Dem
ocrats of Idaho upon an exact equality If
in either they practice polygamy they must
answer in federal court, and for their
punishment, in part take disfranchise-
ment. Continuing, the Alta truthfully says
''With such an amendment Utah could be
safely admitted to the union, and her Nor
mon population would be offered, on the
one hand justice and equality, and on the
other punishment FOR violation of the fed
eral constitution. In this way the lndivid-
ual transgressor would be punished but
no offensive and dangerous disqualification
would attach to class on account of
its religious belief. The Republicans
find the Mormon issue very profitable
1t is notediu Utah that while they are the
minority of the Gentle vote, they contrive
to get into all of the offices which control
patronage or have fat salaries, and the
Democratic Gentiles go on pulling for
them these chestnuts out of the Mormon
fire. The property of the Mormon church
is under practical confiscation by the
EDMCNDs act, and the federal office-holders
are its trustees We do not object TO curb
ing the church in tithing and the acquire
ment of vast estates, out the trusteeship is
not proper one The same process may
have, in the interest of the public safety, to
be applied to other churches throughout
the country"
The admission of Idaho with its proposed
constitution viii be an act that viii always
trouble the Republican party. The advant-
age gained through getting three more
electoral votes will be more than over
come, for the people will never sanction
such outrageously partisan proceedings.
Meantime, Democrats who stand right on
this question can afford to wait. Their re-
ward is certain.