The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-11
DlSFRANCHIsEMENT OF MORMONS UN-
JUST AND UNNECESSARY.


franchised for the following reasons:
What has already been done in the
way of the suppression of the Mormons is
A-Sufficiently harsh, the following re-
suits having been accomplished:
a-Polygamy has been made a crime
punishable by heavy fine and imprison-
ment;
b-Cohabiting (holding out as such) is
made with polygamous wives mis-
demeanor, punishable by fine and imprison-
ment;
c-An polygamists are disfranchised and
do not and have not attempted to vote
since 1882;
d-Womad suffrage has been abolished
in this territory:
e-All registration and election officers,
including judges of election, are appointed
by federal and anti-Mormon commission:
Am obnoxious test oath is applied to
all voters;
g-The right Of trial by jury is destroyed
by permitting the probate judges and
clerks Of district courts (all federal ap-
pointees and non-Mormons) to select at
their pleasure all iurymen;
h-The carpet-bag governor has an abso-
Lutte veto on the acts of the legislature:
1.-THE Mormon church has been disin-
corporated;
5-And its property has been largely con-
fiscated by act of Congress and devoted to
the public schools of the territory:
k-The President of the United States
appoints the probate judges, whose duties
outside of probate matters, relate solely to
spending the money of the citizens of the
county, who have no voice IN their selec-
ton;
THE Mormons enjoy no federal
patronage, not even as postmasters;
m-No Mormon alien is permitted to be-
come naturalized in the courts of this ter
ritory:
1.-The territory is without representa-
ton in Congress, except by delegate, who
is permitted to sit down but not to vote or
hold office in the House of Representa-
tives;
O-The territorial school superlnten-
dent is Federal appointee:
p-Pretty much all of the federal of
ficials Of the territory, executive and jul
dicial, are strongly anti-Mormon in their
nympathies; and
3. Ought to be satisfactory to any reason
able and conservative man, for the result
of these measures, most of which are
harsh, excessive and unrepublican, has
been that polygamy, if it is now being
entered into or lived at all. is of far less
frequent occurrence than when, only few
years ago, the enforcement of these laws
was begun; that if it has not been extir-
nafe0 tho laws prioiuiuer II bov-a NJ Iaoe+ %
complished all that in reason could have
been expected by legislators and expert
enced men. Why then. If polygamists do
not vote and only those Mormons exercise
the franchise, who, having violated no
laws, swear they will violate none, and
who, judging from the history and ex-
perience of the Mormon church, must be
conceded to be honest in their intentions,
should 1t be deemed necessary to pile
Pelion and Ossa, and treat successful legis-
lation as though it had signally failed?
It is necessary only to the plots of political
adventures who hope TO satisfy the in
satiable appetite for Office and its spoils by
riding into power upon the tidal wave of.
prejudices. The situation is such that
statesman, acquainted with the facts.
would favor the repeal of much that we
suffer under instead of adding to what we
have.
2-It may be set down as a fact that to
deprive Mormon business men, property
owners. farmers and mechanics of q voice
in the affairs of territory in which their
interests are so great, win be to invite
commercial disaster by intrusti1g the gov
ernment of the territory to those who are
far less concerned in its welfare. The
feeling of commercial unity now develop
ing viii disappear; preiudices and class
feelings viii become intolerable, agitation
viii increase. there win be universal feel
ing of unrest that must result disastrously
TO the business interests of the territory
The Gentle part Of the community will
do well, now that it has the opportunity,
to speak in such language concerning the
inhunlan and unrepublican proposition to
disfranchise the Mormons that Congress
cannot enact the wrong under the impress
sion that the situation demandsit