The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-17
DlSERANCHtSEMENr

The Utah commission has been criminal
enough, it seems, to make the folio wing
recommendation to Congress:
| 1t Ohe commission) believes suffrage is n
privilege that would become so priced by those
DISTINGUISHED under such law that in time it
would be ought for by young men, who. either
from better education or enlightened views or
from motives of worldly ambition, would begin
| to question in their own Tainds whether be
profitable to adhere to superstition and false
doctrines at the cost of citizenship, and many
after doubt and reflection. would finally en-
brace the right to become good and loyal citi-
! Zens.
If the members of the Utah commission
had any conception of the worth of the
right of franchise they would not
make so cowarcly an offer to barter it to
those who would regard it .profitablen
enough to be bought, merely by renouncing
their religion
The proposition to make it profitable
| for young men to swear against the ,ligion
OF their parents, by Offering them the right
to vote as reward for such weakness or
perfdy, could only come from men who
have no adequate conception Of the worth
of American citizenship. This proposal en-
bodies the basest prostitution of power that
it would be possible for government to
exercise Undoubtedly some would find it
''profltablen to accept the franchise through
denying their belief, just as they might find
1t profitable or desirable to accept life or
property on the lme terms. And why not
insert the word ''property'' in place of
in ha si,;o %
sioners! Would not the same result fol-
low. Some would find it profitable TO
swear (perhaps falsely as to their belief if
their homes and property should be taken
from them unless they did so.
! Why not recommend at once that all Nor
mons who will not renounce their religion
and swear that they do not believe in il.
| shall be imprisoned until "they begin to
question in their minds ,phcther il be profit
dbIc to adhere to superstition and false doc
trines at the cost Off liberty. That would
also accomplish as much in the way of
faith dehials as the particular kind of Ash
attic despotism that is recommended by the
commissioners wou accomplish.
These commissioners pretend to be Amer
leans, yet they recommend disfranchise-
ment, q humiliating and hateful Punish
ment, because of the Superstition and
false doctrines" of a people they dislike.
Let it be thoroughly known, also. that
they recommend this punishment not for
acts nor even words, but for thoughts.
Disfranchisement is what they recommend
for a man who, they say, is superstitious.
Denial of citizenship is what they prescribe
for those who, in their opinion, believe in
false doctrines"
If the men who recommend such lnfamy
as punishment for belief are not themselves
''superstitious," and basely superstitious.
then the measurement of present day fana.
tics by the intellectual stature of old-time
4 religious tyrants, is a lost art.
If these truly orthodox and loyal citizens
have no "false doctrines in their creed
they should hasten to publish their true
religion" for the benefit of the warning
sects who are cropping after the truth
The patriotism of men who would op-
press others on account of belief, is likely
to pc Q sham. 1T were true (and it Is