The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-28

How about the Mormons? When there
was no law against polygamy in Utah they
practiced plural marriage. The United
States made it crime, but did not enforce
the law agaist it. The Mormons continued
TO practice it, Oh the ground that the con-
stitution gave them that right. 1t was
finally settled that the constitution gave no
such guaranty. The practice has gradually
subsidized until now it is dead; that Is, the
church has declined to solemnize
plural marriages, in obedience otto
the law. Polygamy was the only
''crirne'' charged against the Mormons.
That dead, there is nothing more to do.
But the attack upon them, now that polyg-
amy is played out, has changed ground ana
asserts that the Mormon church is danger
GUS to the government. Well, the Mormon
church is the only christian sect that &C
cepts the constitution as it's, the only sect
that is satisfied with it, the only sect that
claims for it divine origin. The Mormons
have condemned the administration of the
laws, but not the govern ment. The Nor
mon church claims that in the future, In the
resurrection, God will become the ruler OF
the world Protestants and Catholics
want it now There is, consequently, no
disposition on the part of the. Mormon
church to interfere with the government,
whifS there is strife between Catholics
and Protestants to see which will control
it first They want the Mormon church
destroyed because they know that when
strife arises to save the government 1t (the
Mormon church, will be found in the
breach fighting with the freeth1nkers and
the Jews for life, liberty and the union
Therefore, by his own logic, the writer of
the editorial, from which l quote above,
proves that the Mormons are the only
Christians in the world who are 'tt to have
the privilege of casting ballot or holding
an Office under the government Of the
United States.' Such being the
case. / submit that 1t Is
high time to quit this snarling against the
Mormons They are here to stay. They
deserve all the rights that are accorded to
other sects They have just announced of
ficially that polygamy is no longer counter
anced or permitted, and that they viii obey
the laws. If the nation has no protest
against Catholics and Professionals in their
designs upon tAe government, it certainly
should have none against the Mormons. Ii,
now, the scheme is not TO drive the Nor
mons out, there cannot be even manufac-
tured any more objections to leaving them
TO grow, as they have been doing, into per
feet accord with the American idea of life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
One point more and | am at the end OF
the letter. Il voting as you are directed
to voten proves that you have given up
conscience into the keeping OF obnerS anu
for that reason you ''are not fit to have the
privilege of casting ballot or holding Of
! nee under the government OF the United
States.H then the logic of the editor whose
statement stands at the opening OF this let
ter would disfranchise the members OF tue
Liberal party, for never did Tammauy
hall in its zenith of power so utterly com
pei men TO vote at its dictation as few
rabid anti Mormons have whipped the Gen
tile population of Salt Lake into voting as
! they directed. We may leave conscience
out of the question here, but the rule has
| been as adamantr-"vote the Liberal ticket
or be damned!n The storm of abuse blown
upon the Independent workingmen'' VINO
bolted that party last summer is In evi-
dence of this fact.
Now, will the editor in question stand by
his own logicg If yes, then we may expec'
to see his organ demanding taat the Catho
| lies, the Professionals and the Utah Liberal:
be disfranchised as unit to cast ballot Of
hold Office under the government, and alst
to read his concession that the Mormoni
are among the best citizens of the whole
country But though he should thunder
this ''demand'' until the mountains fel
around the valley, the nation would no
grant it; yet, until it should be so, he would
have no solid ground upon which to bast
the same demand against the Mormons.
The criticism is made with due respec
and for fair play.
CHARLES ELLIS.