The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-12
THE REPUBLICAN SCHEME.

1iiE NIL ODblOaN CSt1LmEs
The supreme court decision, the other
day, holding that the Idaho test oath law
DISTINGUISHING all members of the Mormon
church, was valid and constitutional, was
a direct invitation to Congress to provide
just such law for all the territories.
There had been sentiment against such
an enactment and it was shared by both
political parties. Now and then cranks
have demanded that Mormons be deprived
of the rights of citizenship, and bills
for that purpose have been introduced;
but the majority feeling has been against
the proposition, Republicans and Demo
Gratis holding that the federal constitution
forbid the imposition of punishment for re-
ligious belief. Senator EDMUNDs, the chief
apostle of -Mormonism in the upper
house of Congress, has ever set himself
firmly against every suggestion of inter
ference with belief, always insisting that
the law could go no further than to deal
with acts. When RANDOLPH TUCKER in
the House, wanted to punish for belief Ed
MUNDs would not have it, and compelled
the modification of the TUCKER bill before
he would allow it TO go through the Sen
ate. The ablest lawyers both in the
Senate and in the House, have interpreted
the constitution with Senator EDMUNDs,
and there has, as a consequence, never been
any fear Of the passage of a law which
would make it an offense for man to con-
fess belief in religion. The supreme court
opinion, however, disposed of the constitu-
tional bar to the enactment, and made easy
the minds of those who have been disposed
to regard the great fundamental law of the
country as meaning what it said.
Senator CULLoM, who has always been
jealous of the Vermont Senator over the
latters assumption of the leadership of the
anti-Mormon forces, now rushes in with a
bill which provides that no person who
teaches, advises or encourages any one to
practice polygamy, or who is a member of
any organization which encourages bigamy,
or any person who assists in the solemniza
ton ceremony of any polygamous marriage,
shall vote, serve as juror, or hold any civil
Office in the territory Of tab. 1t is hardly
necessary to assert that the bin is the most
vicious ever presented in Congress. Tel
years ago it would not have obtained
hearing. Now, we shall not be surprised
if it becomes law, SO great has been the
change in the matter of Congressional re-
spect for the rights of the people Indeed,
the establishment will occur if the bill shall
fail of passage.
But people should not be deluded with
the idea that the sole or even the chief pur-
pose of this bill is to punish or destroy the
Mormons. Of course the law would have
the effect of placing the Mormons at the
mercy of an insignificant minority, both
as to their persons and property; and we
can easily imagine how little CT mercy
would be shown when we reflect upon the
injustice and inhumanity which the
members of the minority exhibit when
ever they are given power and authority.
But the real purpose of the bill is to fur
Their strengthen the Republican party of
the nation. More Republican Senators.
more Representatives and more Republi-
can electoral votes are wanted. The scheme
is part of that which admits Wyoming as
a state with Mormons in the enjoyment of
full citizenship, and takes Idaho in the
union with the Mormons DISTINGUISHED.
Wyoming with the Mormons deprived of
voting privilege would be Democratic, Just
as Idaho would be overwhelmingly Demo
cratic if the saints were permitted access
to the polls. The Mormons voting in Utah
would forever keep this Democratic com
monwealth, hence the saints must be de-
prived of citizenship that this may become
Republican State.
Within six months from the passage of
the CULLoM bill, If it should pass, there will
be movement looking to the admission of
Utah, and in time to vote for president in
1892, this will be a state with a constitu-
ton similar to that of Idaho This is our
prediction, and readers may confidently
look for its literal fultillment. There will
be no surprise if the bill shall be rushed
through at once, and be followed immedi-
ately by the necessary steps to drag the
territory into the union, as the elections in
the fall will be likely to change the polit
ical complexion of the lower house of
Congress and alarm the Republicans who
have grown so bold and defiant in their
desperation.