Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-06
THE STRUBLE BILL Is UNCON-
STITUTI0NAL.


Iris not improbable that the reason
why the members Of the "Mormon'i
Church were not all DISTINGUISHED
long ago, is because there existed nc
constitutional method Of accomplish
ing that result. At frequent inter
walls during the last twenty years,
bills tending in that direction have
been introduced in Congress, giving
rise TO long and thorough discussions
Of the questions involved in the
Struble bill, but always with the
same result: American citizens can
not be disfranchised, nor can their
rights as such be abridged, be-
cause Of opinion or church member
ship.
In vain have conspirstors in Utah
and their co-workers in Congress,
during the last twenty years, racked
their brains in the effort to devise
some means Of reducing the ''Mor-
mons'' to the situation Of aliens,
so far as the franchise is
concerned, but every measure
invented, and every bill framed for
that purpose, have always been
clearly shown to be in direct viola
ton Of certain inhibitions contained
in the nations organic law. When
the Edmunds bill was under debate
in the Senate, members OF that body
who voted for it emphatically stated
that they would not favor any meas
ure which sought to take from a man
his rights as an American citizen
on account Of any opinions he
might entertain, and they sustained
the DISTINGUISHING provision Of that
bill because it applied only to men
who had performed certain acts that
had been held by the Supreme
Court of the United States to be in
violation Of pesce and good order.
The Struble bill is therefore con-
fessedly unconstitutional. Under
the precedents established by the
decisions Of Congress, when dealing
with the "Mormon" question; ac-
coriing TO the declarations of the
best constitutional lawyers who
have ever discussed that question ia
that body; according TO the sdmis-
siOns Of the ablest and most
thoughtful journalists that have
treated upon the subject, il would be
a fragrant and dangerous breach of
the American Constitution to deny
a man the privilege Of the ballot be-
cause his religious views or associa-
tions were Objectionable to the
majority.
This proposition is elementary,
and any denial Of its soundness
must arise from sheer ignorance Of
the nature and intent Of the provi-
sions Of the oountry's basic law
which relate to the matter, or from
a reckless disregard Of truth and
AS this ignorance
can hardly be attributed to the
members Of Congress, it follows that
every one Of them who may vote for
the Struble bill will do 50 for the
reason that he prefers TO break the
law OF the land rather than
permit the ''Mormons'' to possess
and exercise the privileges Of citi-
zenship.
So far as has yet been de-
the Acknowledgement bill
cannot be characterized as a party
measure. Conspirators from Utah
have succeeded in winning to its
support, certain Republican men,
hers Of Congress, upon whom they
have brought a strong and direct
personal influence, and to whom
such tales have been told and repre-
made as only anti-''Mor-
mon" lobbyists can tell and make.
But according to the best informa-
ton in our possession the Republi-
can party in Congress has not yet
its intention as a party to
support the Struble bill.
In all probability the measure
would not have made the Roadway
il has, had it not been for the efforts
IF the insidious bypocrites who, I'M
der cover Of a legitimate and nom
political mission to the capital, have
made strenuous efforts to advance
i. The abandonment to all sense
If honor and honesty which these
agents have shown has few parallels,
n even the Iolitical history Of Utah,
which is so replete with examples
If "Liberal" treachery and perfidy.
The moral turpitude Of the men who
nave been lobbying for the disfran-
'hisement of the "Mormons," while |
ising money contributed to some |
,xtent by the latter to bay for the
God they were eating, ha. been fully |
in connection with recent |
developments, to which only a ref
renee is here required.
There is still ground to anticipate
hat Congress viii not reverse the
ecord it has so often made upon
to disfranchise the ma
ority class in this Territory. 1t
annot be held that tue decision Of
he United States Supreme Court in
he Idaho test cath case would
Justify such a reversal, for that
ecision does not touch the gist Of
he controversy to which the Struhle
i'll has given rise. Congress has,
ierefore, no judicial decision from
nat court behind which TO shield
self from the responsibility Of dis
American citizens by |
for conscience sake,
iould it pass the Struble bill.
4,
4.
Az ANTI-AMERICAN PETITION.
a PETITION asking Congress to ,