Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-03-15

This IS the question that is now be-
ing asked, discussed, and answered to
the satisfaction, At least, os sach OF
the several Idaho journals that have
come to the front TO offer ! solution.
The last legislature snscted ! new
law calculated to defne the political
status Of members Of the Mormon
church, and it is more stringent than
any Of it, predecessors. The Law in
force before this one was enacted dis
franchised all members Of the Nor
mon church, but after genuine with
drawal from the church the law could
not reach them. The wiley leaders
of that church sought to defeat the
law and partially succeeded, BY ad-
vising members of their Aocks to
withdraw just before election, in time
to register on tho strength Of ccrti6-
Gates Of withdrawal, and this many Of
them did. After election thay proved
to be as faithfulto their peculiar creed
Is before. Of course these withdraw
ais were . sham and delusion. The
Legislature last winter enacted Law
to the effect that al who, after pass
ing the age Of eighteen years, and
since the first day of January, 1883,
are or have been members of an or
ganization that practices or teaches,
or has practiced or has taught biga-
my or polygamy. are disfranchised
whether or not they might with
draw after that date. Whea en-
acted there were doubts as to whether
this law would be sustained by the
courts If its constitutionality were
tested, but to make sure that it
would not, the Saints devised scheme
to give it death blow, and if they
did not succeed in killing it COM
pletely, have crippled it so badly
that it is about powerless. The Nor
mons have been implored to publicly
proclaim that their church has aban-
doned polygamy as = doctrinal rite
and has ceased to preach treason
against the government and its laws
This was a condition on which the
: war against the church should cease
: and the members thereof be restored
to all the rights of citizenship. a
counsel was called and held in Sal,
Lake, attended by $4,000 member.
of the Mormon church, and by 4 unan
: imous vote of all present = public
} declaration was made that the prac
sice and preaching of polygamy shoulc
E cease from that date. This, of course
did not convince any one of chang
$ of heart, but simply change of atii
= tude toward the government and it
o laws under the pressure of circum
i stances not at all to their liking. Lead
: ing Mormons of Salt Lake have &C
e knowledged, before the courts, tha
a they we're forced to cease their oil
i practices and teachings, not froI
IS choice, but from necessity. 1t
= their hope, which, however, can nevs
l. be realized, that with the help of Ii
Almighty they will sometime regal
their lost power and that Mormonis
will again be what it once was. How
" ever, they have Done all they wei
. asked to do. They have ceased pra
ticing crime and violation of Law, ar
- that is sufficient. If they continue {
In their present course the polyg
~ NOUS doctrine will die a natural dea
= and the power of few leaders W
" never be potent enough to resurre
it. No matter what ones views mi
be in regard to what is defined
law IS criminal, so loag as oppositi'
' TO that law is not shown either
precept or practice, no punishme
can legally follow. 1t is not que
" ton of whether or not an individu
or an organization looks upon ii
which is forbidden by law as rig
.ro or duty, but whether that law }
srs been violated. There was a qu'
ey tion in regard to the consti
IN tionality of the Idaho law disfrs
in chising those who belonged to an
on ganization that practiced, advis
all others to practice, or taught the d.
'on trinal right of polygamy. This
ng was sustained by the Supreme Co
of the U. S. But after both ceasi
to practice and teach polygamy, q
~ publicly proclaiming that fact, We
"e not see how, by any principle of
y" or Justice, they can be prevented fir
o"' exercising all the rights and pr
ON leges of citizenship. Even with
flu. this public remuneration of unlaw
Sol. practices and teachings, we do