The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-24

| Va ooooSioLiCu Luluh UOL. i am not q law
yer, but hold such interference to be a viola
tlon OF the constitution because prohibiting the
free exercise of religion. A man who is dis
franchised is not free in the exercise of any
| thing
The speaker then referred to the efforts made
by the non-polygamous Mormons TO place them
! selves in harmony with the rest Of the nation
He showed that the constitutional convention
OF Utah had placed an anti-polygamy clause in
| the constitution which the people ratified The
marriage law passed by the legislature and the
resolution OF the same body favoring the en-,
forcemeut OF the anti-polygamy laws as other
laws are enforced, and that all such offenseS be
prohlblted.' He quoted statistics which showed
mat only SIX convictions for polygamy or big
amy had occurred IN the whole territory of Utah
during the year of 1889, which included non
Mormon bigamists as well as polygamists, and
this, too, notwithstanding the fact that the
Jur1es are especially charged to use great dill
gence in making inquiry into the offenses
OF polygamy and unlawful cohabitation Thus
United States marshals and their deputies re.
sort to all means, legal and illegal, to hunt up
Mormons suspected Of polygamous orenses.
Many arrests OF innocent people are made, and
though the marshals fail to secure convictions,
they never fail to secure the fees or course
no rights and they have few friends, SO they
become an easy prey to the fee-fends.
Gentlemen" the speaker said tear from
this proposition the vail of pretense 1t is not
to punish polygamists for every such offense
suffering all the pains, penalties and disabilities
intended to be inflicted by this measure TIE
only persons affected by it are those who have
ooeyed every law of their country, who have
subscribed to every required test, who have
given and are daily giving evidences Of their
love for this government. The title Of this
bill should be changed to read, A bill
to punish loyalty for it seeks to
condemnEto.. perpetual serfdom class of citi-
zens who have trangressed no flaw and whose
political fault if any, has been trustfulness in
the national government. When this era of
prescription for Utah commenced the loudly
proclaimed intention was to bring the younger
generation into accord with the government
In good faith they accepted the governments
regulations. They subscribed to the oaths and
obeyed the laws and Acknowledgement is the
proposed reward. 1t is breaking faith without
the poor excuse, doing evil that the good NAV
come. Mormon prisoners when before the
courts charged with polygamous:. offenses have
repeatedly been told by the Judges that all the
government requested was that they shonld
promise to obey the law, that the government
did not desire to wreak vengeance upon
then but to correct their morals; that if they
would promise TO obey the INV in the future
they would escape with nominal punishment.
how different the spirit of the measure under
consideration! Not only are men to be dis
franchised who have never broken any law but
who have registered an oath they would not do
so hereafter.
An astonishing element in this matter is
that the measure is seeking enactment without
the endorsement of any party in Utah or the
other territories. Who wants such legislation
Who asks for it? No one who has auy direct |
interest in this question. few days ago in
quired of the governor of Utah, who is here. and
he stated emphatically that he was taking no
part and would do one way or another.
Prominent men here from Utah equally are re-
Icent-''
AT this point Delegate Dubois interrupted
the speaker and said that Governor Thomas
Ex-Governor West and members of the Utah
commission who were here all favored the bin
ans thought it should become a law; that Gov.
ernor Thomas had made such statement be
fore two or three members of the committee.
Mr. Game replied he would only repeat what
Governor Thomas had said to HIM that he
Thomas, had talked the matter over and had
decided to take no part either for or against the
bill and then remarked: THE committee have
now both statements before them and can
judge what kind of a man Governor Thomas is.
Il have heard this bill originated with GER
tain Utah Liberal whose hatred for the peo-
pie of that territory has doubtless been in
creased because his own party, now partially in
power there, has seen fit to ignore him. It is
said that ne contemplates leaving Utah and
wants to fire this poisoned arrow that he NAV be
remembered This man represents no otner but |
himself He has been recognized for years as a
bitter, bigoted and fanatical enemy of the Nor |
mon people. Is this q proper source from
which to receive inspiration for legisia- |
tions Would you strike down whole
people at the suggestion of their most pro- |
nounced and bitterest enemy? For over forty |
years the people of Utah have enjoyed popular |
self government. VIII it not prove a great |
damage to the territory to emasculate the bone |
and sinew of its Inhabitants? To deprive man |
of the franchise dries up his aspirations; he has
little left to excite his ambition; he becomes |
political eunuch. Can a state, the majority of |
whose people are in rel alton of serfdom ex-
pect to achieve any brilliant future? All past
experience answers no.
During the delivery of his argument Mr. |
Game was asked by the chairman, Mr.. Struble |
II the Mormon church had not been declared by |
judicial decision in Utah to be criminal organ
zanon, remarking that it was not because of |
their religious belief that it was now proposed |
TO dlsfranchlse the Mormons but because they
were members of a criminal organization
Mr. Game answered that the time allowed |
him would not permit him to explain the cir |
which led to that socalled decision. |
1t was charged that while passing through the
Mormon endowment ceremonies certain oaths
were taken against the United States
and disloyalty to the government was
inculcated in the endowment ceremonial. He
said he had been through the endowment cere.
monies and could testify as a man of honor and
truth that no such oaths or teachings of the
represented were included in the Ger.
emonial, and that the decision was founded l1non
a basis of falsehood and rendered for political
purposes. he presented the Official declaration
recently issued by the leading authorities of the
Mormon church from which he read extracts
caring upon the points raised by the chairman.
In conclusion he said: L cannot believe that anv
gentleman OF this committee who is honest and
in all the relations life who would
shrink with horror from proposition to par
uclpate IN the robbery of any mans money or
property, who would spurn as a dog the man
who dared make such a suggestion, 1 cannot
believe that you will condescend to rob a people
Of that which is far more precious to them than
gold or silyer-their liberty
Mr.. Game spoke about an hour and was
listened to with marked attention. Even so
nide-bound Republican as Mr.. Dorsey. of
Nebraska. characterized the speech as a strong
md able presentation of the case, and aided
hat the proposed bill was far too sweeping in it's
provisions The hearing was continued till Sat
lrday when Judge Wilson will make an areu
nent In opposition to the bill.