Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-06-23
ROBBERY By ACT OF CONGRESS.

Az - AAA=AsA - AAAaa Va Ao-hNe-
T. TIE Edmunds bill for the distri-
button Of the property OF the ''MOr-
= mon'' Church AFTER it is conflscated,
AMI which the reputed author ''rail-
: roajed'' through the Senate on
SATURDAY, A. announced in the
DcsEREr NEWS Of the same even
Jag, WIS slightly amended from the
original. The full amended text Is
az follows:
BE it enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives Of the UnI:-
ell States Of America in Congress As
sem5leI. Tia; any and all funds or
OH property lately belonging TO or
in the possession OF or claimed by the
. corporation mentioned IN section l. of
. She act entitled An &c; 20 amend an
. net entitled An act 10 amend section
51l2 u the Revised Statutes OF the
/ United States. in reference to bigImy,
and FOR other purposes" approved
March -, Iss2,' n, before, or since
ius taking effect Of said act,
4 ezccp; So far a. il shall appear
E u r.-ura- thereto tina: there Is a
. Lawful. private right, shall be devoted
/ 90 che use and bensi!- OF public com
mon SCHOOLS in the Territory Of Utah:
; and tine Secretary Of the Interior shall
take and receive the same and dispose
thereof 20 the uses aforesaid in such
manner - shall seem to him, with the
approval 81 the President. 70 be most
. eSpeiieut. And the supreme court Of
. said Territory j. hereby invested with
+ power aug authority to make all ne
. rcs-ary aai proper order, and DEGREES
f1- The purpose hereinbefore men
toned"
/ Tine amendments are not import
ant excrpc as tc-hnicalities, the
original object being maintained,
that as % take certain funds from
the people who contributed them
/ for specified purpose, and devote
Them 10 another and different
Parp2se. ami for the benefit 0f indi-
I viluals WHO never contributed one
cent thereto and wao have no claim
whatever upon them.
Bya species Of hocus pOcus known
d a class II lawyers commonly
styled p-ttifoggers. this sort Of
manipulation Of that private prop
erty which tie Constitution SAYS
shall no: he turned TO public uses
without just compensation, may be
maze 70 appear within the power OF
.he national legislature. But TO
ordinary minds, cast in the square
m5a!- oc racti,ul, and justice, it
viii SAVIOR very much OF robbery by
Actor Congress.
The amrudnIen: offered by SEN
a:Or Es,1er can only he assniled 10y
s.haidly ana that sort Of ahu.e in
which malignant Embellishments
iuiuI-e in tlu absence Of argument
ana sound sense. He recognized
the GLy. ,Ha, this property, by every
rule OF right anu every president
known TO American jurisprudence,
# i4ibe condition claimed Tor it by
sne promoters and supporters Of tie
disiuc0rpgration act, belongs TO TIE
unincoTporated body or association
for whom the former corporation was
but the agent. But seeing it had
been claiIri that the funds were
likely TO be used for an unlawful
pGri.a-e, lo proposed to restrict their
use 90 purposes that could not he de-
uiarya or deempi unlawful.
Vow, PREJUDICE, passion and thiev-
e=y aside, i Bot this PROPOSITION Of
Senator Buffers in accordance with
sound law, unbTUken precedent in
this country, straightforward homes
IS AMI simple justice: Granting for
Arguments AXE al that i
alleged against the 'AIOr-
mou'' Church much Of which.
however. is lie most unmitigated |
fal-ehnoiE. what right or reason is /
therein taking fun---personal prop
erty. luss-->ion Of which 10 any
amala; IS not limited Ivy law, from /
"a religious association, ami devOtinv /
them % q secular use and for the |
beUoft Of persons who make 10 (
claim upon them and who cannot /
Toe shown to have any right or title |
{. q dollar Thereof:
In plain, blunt language the pro-
cess aad the purpose of the pro-
motors o. this measure, as exhibited .
in the Senate on Saturday, We're
these u high-handed robbery and |
Of might over right.
Taa attachment Of this dishonest
provision 10 a law enacted against
gi-lmy. is part OF the scheme to de-
egivg Congress and induce members
strongly ave-sc TO polyganly TO sup
port the supposed amendment to
that Law. The truth Is, it has not
the slightest real connection OF as
ISOLATION with the matter. 1t has
no bearing on higamy CO poly
-amy, and those who pretend
that It has are either wofully
ignorant or wilfalIy mendacious. It
is simgly bill to take private prop
city from 4 religious society and de-
vote it to a public use, without any
compensation, for the purpose OF
gripping a religious body that is
murla0Gox anu unpopular.
The TN now goes to the House.
Eherr,it i to be hoped, viii be found
sufficient men Of honesty ami indie
leuien-e TO 10 what is right, free
rom the influence which Is ezer-
Used 10y a bitter p7rtizan in the
upper House Of Congress.