New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-06
MORMONISM And RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

NORNONISN And RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
No political party in this country favors the
practice of polygamy or the disloyal spirit
which animates the Mormon hierarchy Not
one-oualter of the Democratic voters would and
or countenance either if they could decide
on that subject apart from tho supposed in
terests of party. Yet few Democratic man
ayers caring more for success and the offices
than for the public virtue or welfare, have
placed their party in the attitude of a bulwark
Of Mormon deprayity and dlsloyaty. Against
the wishes of the Democrats as well as the
Republicans of Idaho for both desired that
Territory admitted with a constitution eXclud-
ing Mormons from suffrage, these leaders have
resisted the admission on the ground that the
Constitution of Idaho persecutes Mormons for
their religious beliefs. The evident object is
to secure the political support of Mormon
voters scattered over far-Western States.
Whether there has been any secret bargain or
not, as some evidence indicated two years ago,
the Democratic managers expect that the heads
of the Mormon Church will control the votes of
their followers and help the party which helps
Mormonism.
This is not a religious question. The Nor
mons are not disfranchised because they hold
certain beliefs or have certain forms of worship,
but because they are lawbreakcrs and enemies
of the United States The testimony taken not
long ago in the United States court in Utah
showed that the so-called Church had been for
thirty years nothing less than a dlSoyal con-
spiracy against the authority of the Govern
ment; that it had perpetIated crimes without
number in its resistance to the Government
and in maintaining its despotic power over the
lives and property of residents in Jtah; that
its practice of polygamy in defiance OF law was
but one of many forms of systematic and per-
sistent disloyalty and that the spirit OF hos
tility to the Government had not abated in the
least, but was constantly fostered by the So
called religious teachers. The United States
refuses 10 admit the ayOwed and sworn enemies
of the Government to participation IN suffrage.
1t refuses to deliberate and persistent law
breakers as worthy of a share in the govern
ment of the Nation.
Religious belief is free in this country, but
men of all shades of belief are required to obey
the laws Whoever chooses to hold religious
belief that requires from him acts which the
laws of the United States forbid is entirely
free to leave this country, and to find res
those acts But it is no new thing 10 ma
Democratic leaders fostering hostility to tho
Government by appeals to religious ieehng'
That is precisely what they are doing ut tins
time in Wisconsin. The settled policy OF the
Government from its earliest days has been TO
uphold free public schools as necessary TO the
safety of popular suffrage Since the laws OF
the country are framed and its Official buSi-
ness transacted in the English language, cduca-
ton in that tongue has been required III all
schools supported at the public expense inc
Germans Frenchmen or Italians who come to
this country to live, if they wish to take part
in its government, should at least suffer their
children to become able TO read the Constltu-
ton and laws of the United States in English.
But bv appealing to the prejudice against Eng
lsb and non sectarian schools, the Democratic
managers are hoping to capture state
The tendency Of these acts is to push out OF
the Democratic party men who believe IN
American freedom For American freedom
does not mean license to everybody to break
the laws. or to disregard the established policy
of the Nation, as his own notions or beliefs
NAV prompt 1t means faithful obedience to
the laws and loyal fidelity to the institutions
which have been established and iound neceS.
sarv here for the defence OF the rights ana
welfare Of all No other form OF disloyalty
is more dangerous than that which, in order to
cain some partisan advantage, strives to array
the adhcrcnts Of th; or that religious bcllef
against the Government and its established in
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