The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-15
MANLY ACT.

The non-Mormons of Ogden have done
themselves great credit. Without regard
TO party politics, local or national, the fore
most Gentiles of the place to the number
Of several hundred, have signed protest
TO Congress against the passage of the
CULLoM disfranchisement bill The sign
ers include bankers, merchants, business
men, officials, lawyers, and so on, and their
action in the matter is the result of intelh-
gent, thoughtful consideration. The rea
soning was in this line: There are laws
Tor the punishment Of those who practice
polygamy or commit other offenses; the
statutes are enforced with a degree OF
celebrity and certainty which does not
characterize the application Of laws else
where; there is a practical cessation
OF polYgamous marriages and a ceas-
ing to live together by those polyg-
amously married years ago; the
federal government is supreme here in
theory and in fact; the proposed law is
contrary to the spirit of the republic, in
that 1t contemplates the imposition of
punishment on account of belief; it is un-
republican and viii inaict hardship and
suffering upon thousands who have never
offended and never thought of violating
any law; it would antagonize the great
majority of the community and cause them
TO feel that the general government was
their enemy, bent on their destruction or
driving them out; that the effect of the
law would be to paralyze business and in
dustrial enterprises, discourage progressive
men, and reverse the onward march which
everybody notes with pleasure.
Having considered the matter as intelli-
gent men familiar with the situation, their
minds being free from the prejudice which
actuates and controls SO many people here
abouts, the Ogden Gentiles entered their
solemn and manly protest against the con-
summation of the contemplated outrage,
and are doing what they can to prevent the
success of the Infamous scheme. We
heartily applaud these men for their praise
worthy action and for the courage which
they have shown, knowing as they must
have done, that they might expect to be at
tqet-e47 .,s some of the fanatics with whom
they had trained in local political contests
And now what are the Salt Lake non
Mormons going to do in the matter. Are
they going to give consent, by their silence,
TO the passage of the wicked Dill. Are
they less courageous and less manly than
the Gentiles of Ogdenl Is there lash in
this vicinity which they fear so much that
they dare not speak out lest they offend and
lay themselves liable to castigation! We
know how good many of the non Nor
mons of this city feel in regard to the bill.
They deprecate ii, and frankly say that it
is wrong and would bring terrible disaster
upon the territory, checking if not destroy
ing industries, running business and further
embittering the ill-feeling which I'M
happily exists to q greater of less
extent. II the Salt Lake Gentiles
who talk in this way privately viii ex-
press themselves publicly and do as the
Ogden non Mormons have DONE it is be-
ieved the bill will be killed. But whether
or not this result would follow, Go not the
leading Gentiles of this city owe it to them
selves as men familiar with the people of
Utah and with the local sentiment ana
situation to place themselves fairly and
squarely on record as opposed to what they
regard as an outrage We think they do,
and we also think they cannot afford, as
American citizens, to quietly note the
movement to disfranchise quarter of a
million American citizens who have been
guilty Of no offense.