Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-06-17
INJUSTICE TO THE INNOCENT.

"THERE is such thing as justice
to criminals." So says the Denver
republican commenting upon the
robbery Of the mormon" Church
on the polygamy pretext. The
''Liberal'' organ in this city replies:
''There Is more than that, there is
justice TO the innocent, " and then it
goes on TO justify this robbery Of the
innocent and TO argue in favor of
stripping the "MormOn'' Church Of
It's funds and using the proceeds for
the benefit Of persons who have no
claim upon it under any pretext.
The same organ is vehemently in
favor Of depriving 'AIoFmons' who
have never broken the law Of the
elective franchise and treating them
politically In the same way as their
cO-religionists are treated who are
accused OF breaking tine law.
1t is strange how prejudice and
bigotry blind peoples eyes and befog
their intellect. What justice to the
innocent Is there in chasing
them with the guilty: What jus
tice is there On confscating the
property Of ninely-two per cent Of
the "Mormon" people who are not
even accused OF crime because Of the
alleged wrOng-doing Of the other
eight per cent: The figures are
those deduced from judicial find
ings and stated in the decree Of con
fiscation.
Yes, justice should be done, even
when criminals are % be dealt with.
And If it may he stretched at all in
relation TO them under peculiar cir
cumstances-which, however, We
DO not admit-it is infamous to out
rage it for the punishment Of the
innocent. Whether it ice IN taking
by force the property OF innocent
members OF the Mormon Church,
OF depriving them Oithe rights and
privileges Of the elective franchise,
it is a paIpable act Of injustice to
the innocent that even n .Li6eral'' I
ought to blush to apologize for.
The preiense under which the
robbery Of the Church Is under
taken, and under which it is pro-
posed TO disfranchise the "AIor-
mons" is that polygamy is a feature
of their faith. Yet it il admitted
that only n small portion Of the
Mormon" people practice poly
gamy. They cannot be punished as
criminals. The punishment prO-
posed then il the punishment Of
the innocent. This Is not justice,
but rank injustice shameful 10 every
one engaged in shameful to
those who favor it, shameful to all
who apologize for it.
II is this injustice 10 the inn0cent
which caused the supreme Court Of
the United States to hesitate before
Of the Mormon" Church
property declared 10 he forfeit and
escheat to the United States, and
10 state that the rights Of individuals
should BE- considered in the final
And it is this injustice
10 the innocent that Senator Ed
nunds seems determined shall lie
and that the Lib
,ral" organ in this city applauds.
What is the cause OF this mental
snd moral ohliquity: Auti-'Mor-
non'' hate and intolerance. 1t
'omes from beneath. II is OF that
Evil One who inspired Cain in the
and who has moved upon
prosecutors in all ages. 1t fired the
aCgOts that burned the Iyterodox
n the auto dd .fe. II turned the
and stretched the rack.
Il pillaged and plundere at various ,
lines and is now urging on the de-
polling and Acknowledgement Of the
Inohending because they are men, 1
'ers Of an unpopular Church.
The punishment OF the innocent
vas never perpetrated without retri- /
,ution. It viii come in this case.
Nations are responsible to the
supreme Ruler as wei a. individu-
Is. Those who suffer uDjustly
reed not Iep,ne. or desire vengeance I
0 fall upon their prosecutors. Its
S sure to follow the wrong rs effect
5 to follow cause, AMI He who holds !
II Ills hands the destinies Of all {
'eings and governments will not
all to DO justice both TO the limo !
ent and the guilty. 6