Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-24
DISFRANCHISEMENT BILL.
Delegate Game DsnounceS The Pro-
posed Outrage.
HE NAILS GOVERNOR THOMAS.
Dubois Statements About Ex-Goy.
ernor West and the Measure.


committee ON territories this morn
ing, Delegate Dubois opposed the
proposition to give Delegate Caine,
of Utah, aud Judge Wilson an op-
portunity Of being heard in opposi-
ton TO the Mormon disfranchise-
ment bill. Dubois said that this
matter and the whole Mormon
question had been fully argued be-
fore the committee both this year
and last, and they, the committee,
had all the facts and comprehended
the whole matter.
Delegate Game said he had never
been heard ON the acknowledgements
proposition. II a thief attempted
10 rob him OF a few dollars he could
go TO a court OF justice and get all
the time he wanted TO convict the
thief, but here was a proposition to
deprive quarter of a million Am
erican citizens Of their rights and
liberties, and this wide-minded
statesman would refuse their re-
preventative an opportunity to con-
Wet the robber. On motion the
committee granted Mr.. Game the
time desired.
Mr.. Caine, thereupon, in sub
stance, said: ''The bill under con-
sideration is intended to disfran-
chise all the members Of the Church
Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-iay Saints,
commonly called the Mormon
church, for, disguise it as you may,
this is the aim and object OF the
measure. 1t is useless TO say that
no such law heretofore has been
proposed to Congress in regard to
any religious body. II is un-Ameri-
can and subveIsive of those rights
OF representative government which
the author ofthe Declaration of In
dependence declared TO be o. inest-
Unable worth to them land formid-
able to tyrants.H From colonial DAYS
down 10 the present time govern
ments Of the people by the people and
for the people" express the American
idea Of republican government.
With the majority of 4 community
DISTINGUISHED such a government is
impossible. The government then
ola minority cannot be distorted to
mean a government Of people. Ii is
such an extraordinary thing TO
propose the total Acknowledgement
Of a whole people that l am amazed
that any man, claiming TO be an
American citizen, that any man
claiming to be n Republican or a |
Democrat, could be found to advo-
cate such mOnstrous proposition. |
Ifthis scheme should lie enacted into
law, the large majority OF the people |
Of the territory Of Utah would be |
DISTINGUISHED, their property, their |
domestic institutions. the entire |
machinery Of their local government |
would be at the mercy OF the minor
ity. In many towns and settlements |
throughout the territory men could |
not be found not members Of the |
Mormon church TO hold the local |
offices. Allciyil government would
therefore be destroyed and anarchy
run riot.'
He said carpet-baggers would have
to be imported TO fill the offices. PO-
litical floaters, men without occupa-
ton, tempted by the prospect of
plumber, herd Of unemployed poll
ticians would descend like the Goths
and Nandals to become petty tyrants
and enrich Themselves by pillage Of
the public treasures. Are such men
fit to hold important local offices. to
collect and disburse the peoples tax
T., issue bonds and borrow money?
The Mormon people were the pio-
neers OF the Rocky Mountain Terri
tories.
Mr.. Game recited the circum-
stances under which they went TO
Utah and what they had accom-
plished there and added: "The his
tory OF mankind does not afford an
other such example of n people
stripped OF all their possessions sue
cessfully accomplishing so marvel
Gus an undertaking. Those who
have made the journey across the
great plains, over the Rocky Mount
aims and through the great valley in
palace ears and seen the wonders
wrought by their persistence,
their Industry aud their thrift, can
have only the faintest idea of what
the transformation has cost the peo-
pie whom this bill deliberately pro-
poses to deprive Of all their political
nights. Are these people 10 be dis
iEanchised because they opened the
great transcOntinental highway for
the immigration OF the nations?
Because 500 Of their number helped
to conquer the territory they
now occupy, as well as that en-
braced in the State of California?
Because their pioneers took pos
SESSION Of the Salt Lake basin
and raised on the mountain
peaks the American flag? Because
they have by industry and co-ope-
ration in labor redeemed the desert
and made il blossom as n garden?
Bee fuse they have established a
great commonwealth, the wonder of
all who have seen IL? Because their
people are frugal, industrious and
honest? Because in the CONNER
cisl world their promises 20 pay are
worth one hundred cents en the
dollar? Is it because of these and
many other commendable works
and qualities they are to be disfran-
chised?
"This bill is a new departure in
anti-Mormon legislation and is pal
pably in conflict with the avowed
views OF those members Of the Senate
and House OF Representatives who
advocated the former anti-polygamy
act. All the objections TO those
measures on the ground OF their
violation either in letter or spirit Of
the fundamental freedom Of religious
opinion and worship invariably met /
with the emphatic declaration that
they did not interfere with liberty
OF conscience, that the actions Of
men and not their opinions or re-
ligious creeds were the proper sub
jects Of legal animadversion. But /
the spirit Of persecution, like jeal-
ousy, grows by what il feeds on, and
At length has assumed such mon
strOus proportions that would have
appalled, its projectors at the begin
ming so that according to the bard
of Newstead Honest aud devOut
Christians have burnt each other,
quite persuaded the apostle would
have done as they did,"
Mr.. Caine quoted largely from the
court decisions statements
made by Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress and from official
reports Of the Utah Commission to
show that the legislation Of Congress
was not enacted against the religion
Of the Mormon people but solely for
the suppression Of polygamy, and
that there was no necessity
for such palpable departure from
former methods.