The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-07
PUT BEYOND CONTROVERSY.

The San Francisco Chronicle, which
! has been for many years opposed tc
the admission of Utah into the Union
on anti-Mormon grounds, now thinks
the way is clear, and the insertion in
the State Constitution of the anti
polygamy provision, it considers fully
competent to meet the objections which
have heretofore been entertained. Here
is the Chronicle editorial in full:
In the Constitutional Convention of
/ Utah the following amendment was Of
fered day before yesterday: THE act
( of the Governor and Legislative As
sembly of the Territory of Utah, en-
titled AN act to punish polygamy and
other kindred offenses,' approved
February, 1892, in so far as the same
defines and imposes penalties, is here
by declared to be in force in the State
of Utah." After 4 long discussion the
amendment was carried by a vote Of
Y to 16.
This seems to put Utah right on the
record, so far as the Constitution is
concerned. Polygamy, plural and
spiritual marriages and all the rest of
the illicit unions which prevailed so
long in Utah under Mormon rule are
forbidden by the organic law, and the
sentiment of the people will uphold the
Constitution. There is some of the old
leaven left, however, as the negative
vote on the amendment shows. There
were sixteen members of the Consti-
tutional Convention who were not
willing to have polygamy deemed a
felony, but it may be presumed that
they represented an outworn and OBJ
solete creed and that their influence is
not sufficient to affect the future of
Utah.
There is now really nothing to stand
in the way Of Utah's admission to the
Union. OF course after she is adj
mitted and takes her place as a sover-
eign State she may legislate for her
self in matters of religion, education,
and everything else which pertains to
a State. If the people of Utah want to
pass a statute providing for sun Wor-
ship, or for a revival of the celebration
of the mysteries of Baal or Juggernaut,
there is nothing to stop them, provid-
ed they adhere to Republican form of
government.
In view, however, of the vote in the
convention on the question of polyg-
amy, it is safe to assume that the peo-
pie Of Utah will be very much like the
people of other States. Some will be-
lieve one thing and some another, and
some Will not believe much of any
thing, but all will conform to what are
generally recognized as the canons of
decency and morality.
We assure our San Francisco con-
temporary that the opposition to the
insertion of the article, which has been
adopted as part of the Constitution.
did not come from the source it sus-
poets nor on the ground which il
imagines. Able lawyers who are not
Of the Mormon or any
other creed, considered that the simple
provision in the Constitution that
polyga.my should be forever prohibited. |
was ell that was necessary in the fun
damental law. They desired Iegisla-
ton to be left to the Legislature The
great majority of the Mormon mem
bers of the Convention voted |
for the article as it now stands, and
the ablest of them advocated it as
placing the matter beyond all reason
able controversy. The Chronicle thinks
it does, and that is the general opinion.
1t is time the dead past was buried.