The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-02
THE MESSAGE.

President HARRlsoN's message to Con-
gross upon it's reassembling for the fifty
FIRST session. is lengthy document, Gov
ering variety of subjects.
The question OF revenue is briefly
touched upon, with the significant remark
that the surplus this year, including the
amount applied to the sinking fund, is
sos, 344, $685.
Speaking of silver, the President re
marks that 1.-The present depreciation in the
price of silve- has been observed with re-
gret' He seems to favor an international
agreement in regard to the use of silver as
monaghan agreement touching the full
use of silver for coinage at uniform
ratio" He says further: "Our very large
supply of gold will, if not lost by impulsive
legislation in the supposed interest of sill
ver, give US position of advantage in pro
noting permanent aud safe international
agreement for the Tree use of silver as q
coin metal" This seems to indicate that
the President believes with the mono met-
allists that free coinage of silver by this ma
ton alone might cause tie gold to be re-
placed by silver as the circulate ng medium
of TIE country.
Toe reference 10 Utah is so short and so
ambiguous, that we reproduce the whole of
it here:
The increasing number and influence OF the
non-Mormon population in Utah are observed
with satisfaction. The recent letter of MILFORD
Woodruff, president OF the Mormon church, in
which he advises his people to refrain from con
tracing any marriage forbidden by the laws of
ha bac MI Mid md r iC
hoped shat its influence Will be highly beneficial
IN restraining infractions OF the laws of the
United States But the fact should not be over
looked that the doctrine or belief CT the church
that polygamous marriages are rightful and
supported by the divine revelation remains un-
changed. President Woodruff does not renounce
the doctrine. but refIans from teaching ii, and
advises against the practice of it because the
law is against it. Now it is quite true that the
law should not attempt to deal with the faith
or belief OF any one, but this is quite another
thing and the only safe thing is 10 deal with
the territory of Utah so that those who believe
polygamy to be rightful shall not have the
power To make il lawful
We take this to mean one of three things,
that Utah should not be admitted until the
non Mormon exceeds in number the Nor
mon population; or that the Mormons
should be disfranchised forthwith for what
the President says they believe 10, and
Utah admitted at once; or that there should
be clause in the constitution of the pro-
posed state making it an impossibility that
the state should ever legalize polygamy.
II the meaning of the President is en-
bodied in either our first or third surmis Sc,
wehave no objections to his solution of a
~.
not actually exist.
Utah can afford to wait out of the union
as long as the nation can afford TO let he1
wait. Nor would the people of Utah have
any objections to the steps necessary to be
taken in order effectually to prohibit poly
gamy in the state. But il the President
means the disfranchisement of the large
majority of the people OF Utah OF
the ground that they believe polygamy
to be supported by divine revelation. ;
and that so believing, il is possible that a
some time they might attempt to make i
lawful, then we decidedly object We OBJ
iect for the same reason that we should
object to the disfranchiscment of Presiden
HARRISON himself on the ground that he
being believer in the Bible, which teaches
the divinity of polygamy, should therefor
be disfranchised, least at some time II
should endeavor to carry into practice
doctrine contained in a book he believes t
be inspired.
The President apologies for the present
tariff law, saying that every tariff SEIZED
is subject to objections;' endorses at som,
length the reciprocity views of Mr.. BLAINE
he Of
ply for the arid lands of the west; and las
but not least, he endorses the enactment o
o federal election law.
The pratical endorsement of the fore,
bill is, perhaps, the most important par
Of the message. The President argues
with d certain JUNCTION and much learnin.
upon the necessity for the passage, an,
the constitutionality of this importan
measure. Many Republicans, and we sup
pose nearly all Democrats, will be surprise,
at this decided stand taken by the Presi
dent upon measure SO recently advise.
against by many Of the most inluentia
men and papers of the party The fore
bill is still an issue. The warning of tn
vote of three weeks ago is UNDECIDED. Tn
party in power will no doubt attempt by
desperate expedient to retain its hold upol
the government after it has been repudi
ated by the vote of the sovereign people
Now will come a test of the patriotism an
endurance Of the Democratic Senators
Allthat men can do in that position, the
will have to do, in order to save the ne
ton from its impending dishonor.
We advise all citizens to read the fu
text of the message for themselves.