The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-23
SECRETARY MURPHY, OF ARIZONA.

1t will be remembered that few days |
ago Secretary MURPHY, of Arizona, APP
peared before a congressional committee
and presented plan for the conditional
admission Of the territory into the union
as state. The condition was that the
Mormons should first be disfranchi sed.
1t has seldom occurred that a man
of intelligence has made such
a disgusting and disgraceful spec
tacle of himself. Being questioned by
the committeeman he admitted that the
Mormons were good citizens; he said they
were law abiding, so far as he knew; that
they did not practice polygamy, and that
they were respected by their neighbors
and associates; he even confessed that the
majority of the Gentle citizens of Arizona
were opposed to the disfranchisement of
the Mormons, and said if the proposition
were left to thepeople to decide they would
vote it down. Then why did he want the
Saints disfranchiseds There must be
some reason, and being closely pressed he
gave the reason-the Mormons were Dem
ocrats and he was Republican in politics.
Thin as was the excuse for his plea it was
the only one he could present, and he sub
mitted it to the committee THE HERALD
knew that Secretary MURPHY represented
no considerable element of the Arizona
community in this matter. We knew this
because few years ago a corrupt and spar-
tisan legislature of the territory passed dis
reimbursement bill, and for time it was
enforced, but the next legislature, without
dissenting vote, we believe, repealed the
law, the people and press having
demanded that the unrepubl'can
statute be taken from the books
and the Mormons be accorded
their rights as law abiding, indus
trious and progressive citizens. Since
then there has been perfect harmony be-
tween the Mormons and non-Mormons.
Certain Republican politicians, headed by
Governor WoLFLEY, have lately discovered
what they think will be fine opening for
wholesale plumber in a political way. If
the thousand Mormons who can vote and
who insist upon voting the Democratic
ticket, can be denied the polls, the Re-
publicans will have control; then the ter
ritory can be admitted TO the union when
the gang will have things their own way
for time, fairly reveling in the spoils
This is the scheme, and Secretary MURPHY
confessed it, if not in words.
But the trick cannot be successfully
played. AS we expected would be
the case, the newspapers of Ari-
IONA are denouncing the scheme
and also saying some severe things
about Mr. MURPHY. Some of these jour
mails employ frontier language in speaking
l., -
committee, while others treat him and his
scheme with dignity. Below we repro
duce entire the leading article in the
Phoenix Gazette, perhaps the foremost daily
in the territory We believe it correctly
voices public sentiment, and tells in what
esteem the Arizona Mormons are held by
the decent element of the population:
Religion is as old as the earth, and ad-
vances only as mankind progresses. II
was intolerant when it was dominant
or rather, when the church ruled, its rule
was that of a tyrant; but with civilization and
all of its accompanying and elevating infiuen
ces. religion endeavored to keep pace in the
procession. We do not mean to decry the civil
lizing and beneficent labors of the church, as
il has covered the world with its mantle
of love, and brought solace and relief to the
tired heart of mankind; yet, with all its virtues
the best minds contend that it is not proper
source in which to lodge civil government, ant
any and all legislation looking to this end, very
justly arouses the suspicion of the free people
of this nation.
The trainers of the constitution very properly
provided against religious belief being injected
into the governmental affairs of the country
yet, we see men-or partisans rather, using
their influence both as citizens and officials O
Arizona 10 have Congress overstep the bounds
of the constitution and the limits of decency
and disfranchise men because of their opinion
in matters of religion The Gazette has NJ
sympathy or respect for a church nor for mai
that teaches or believes in plural wives. witt
its disgusting and revolving consequences; ant
any man or men that practice it should be deal
with as law-defers and criminals; but when
set of demagogues, whose ideas of morality ar
measured Only by its results upon their party
and their ability to obtain office seek to dis
franchise men who do not practice or indulge i
the evil sought to be remedied-their motive
ought to be inquired into, and their objects e1
posed.
We see CAKES MURPHY before a congres
sional committee advising them to deprive tn
Mormons of Arizona of their right to participat
in the affairs of government in this territory
and knowing the gentleman well, we are force
TO ask why he seeks TO perpetrate this wrong
In the town of Mesa, sixteen miles from tn
capital of Arizona, is what is termed Mormo
settlement, and contains population of prol
ably one thousand souls, and more law abiC
ing thrifty little community does not exist i
the west. They pay their taxes, obey the laws
maintain public schools, cultivate the soil an
live as virtuous and honorable lives as does M
MURPHY any of his friends
They do not either practice or preach poly
amy, and as far as known. their only crime
that of being Democrats as a rule. AS que
tion of their standing with the people of III
county, we would be willing to wager their rigi
of suffrage against that of Mr.. MURPHY'S tn;
any one of twenty men of this reviled settlemel
can defeat Mr. MURPHY for any Office he ma
select, the Mormons to refrain from taking pa
in the election-in other words, any one
twenty men chosen from this settlement stant
as well in the estimation of the people of tn
county as does CAKES MURPHY, and the gentl
man is popular in our county also. We wi
challenge the gentleman to the contest ar
allow the Republicans and Democrats of Mar
copa to express their opinion as to wheth,
those people ought to be debarred from votir
or not; and leaving Mr.. MURPHY out of IL
question, no bipartisan thinking man deni,
that the STRUBLE bill now before Congress
which has for its object the DISTINGUISHING
those people. is unconstitutional
Under the precedents established by the d.