Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-11-30
A MORE SERIOUS EVIL.

The Boston Herald IL one " the In
ilucntlsl journals Of the country that
has estimated correctly the agitation
against the Mormon" church. raised
ON AN Issue entirely outside that or
ganization. In IT. Issue Of Nov. 20. the
Herald says, cdl,orially:
ut seems probable that Mr Roberts.
of Utah. viii not be- permitted 10 take
HIS seat In Congress. and this because
Of an agitation which has extended all
over the country. We have not looked
upon this popular protest us having
material foundation. for the reason that
u has been much moro sentimental
than sensible. ~ the entraoe of Mr.
Roberts was to be the first step toward
the Generalization either of our gov
eminent or our home life. no protest
that could BE- made would be too We
hcmcnt Hut there IL not the least roa-
son for assuming that his presence In
Congress would be attended with such
results. There II absolutely not the
least probability that polygamy would
be- condoncd by Congress because he
was there. or that MI. political success
would load to the liberation of plurality
marriages In the various states Of the
Union. The owl which Mr. Roberts
represents II not one which has any
permanent or deep-rootcd hold on OUT
American methods OF thought and iiv-
Ing. The evil which IL threatening US,
alike In our political, Industrial, and.
to some extent. social life. an evil the
seriousness Of which no one who has
looked below the surface Of things can
think ~ Disgusting. IL the corrupt and
corrupting use ~ money for the pur-
/ pose OF obtaining political and indus
| trial results, The purchase Of seats In
Congress by wealthy men IL n th0uH-
| and times worse In ita eject upon the
American people than tho acquiring of
a seat In Congress by n polygnmist.
! The former constitutes n direct encOur-
aEcmcnt 80 rascality all over the
country. since II implies that IA con-
sclcncclcaa man who n rhrcwd enough
TO escape detection In his operations
can receive the highest public honora
At the hands of the American people.
! II petitions could be signed by mil.
| Hons. Co the eject that no senator or
! Representative should be permitted Ia
take seat In Congress who was aua-
| pectcd Of owing his election 10 the cor-
| rupt use OF money, public opinion would
| pronounce itself In a manner which
| might have some eject Ia maintaining
| the purity N our political Institutions
] Hut FOR some reason We fall Into tho
] Old habit " denounclng sins we are no,
likely to commit. while We pass over
! with indifference terrible offence
which IL constantly occurring and
which has the appearance ~ being one
OF our bcsctting sins
"a the Herald says; III the enirancc
Of Mr.. Roberts was TO be tho first stcI
toward the Generalization either OF ouI
government or our home llfc. no pro.
test could be too vehement" and III,
people Of Utah, ut least the "Mormons. 81
would be among the nrst TO protest
most omphntically. Here the nature OF
the movement. It's origin and the mo.
tiyes that prompted II. are thorough,
understood now, and some day the en-.
tire American nation VIII see II too
They Will read the story and marye
at the ingenuity that rc-enacted IN,
mockcry Of Dalzac'a Don Juan Belyi.
dcro. whom the crowd would cannon,
izc, although all his life he had been O
tcofIer and a hypocrlte. 10 not fact
sometimes oven more strange than nc.
I