The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-16

QeI1Derate opinion is LnaL DeIOre many
moons the senators would be glad 20
have this legislature reconvened and
to re-enact this law. If a storm (lust
come, for Gods sake let it be a cy-
clone and don't let us have a cOntinu-
Gus gale, which will come if the Evans
bill fails. L believe the Evans bill would
probably have produced a cyclone, but
it would have passed over and we
would have had peace. I am not a
prophet, but L proclaim this to be a
fact. vote most emphatic aye.
Senator Tanners Position.
Senator Tanner explained that before
the first vote was taken on the bill he
weighed well everything that could
possibly have any bearing on it. 1t
appealed to me in this way" he went
on: rs it right? And in my heart of
hearts there was an answer that told
me it was right. Every senator agreed
that il was right to protect this peO-
pie from that most despicable of man
kiEG-the informer. Then 1 asked my
self # Utah had the right TO enact such
a law and the answer came back that
we did, but that it would take cour-
age. So long as the people of Utah
bow in slaviSh acquiescence to the
stornlstarters, so long will we be under
the ban of suspicion. But some day
we Will be known as we are and not
as We are reported TO be-" Here Sen
atOr Tanner praised Governor Wells
a man. Concluding. he said he stood
now as he stood before and would vote
TO pass the bill again.
Thomas Against Informers.
Senator Thomas said if he could have
had his wish the veto would have been
allowed to lie on the table until the
end of the session. He was sorry the
necessity for acting on it had arisen.
The statement had been made that if
the bill was passed u storm would be
raised Now it was said that tbs storm
would be aVerted. Il pray God that
it may" said the senator, fervently. Il
hope the methods that have been in
vogue in this state will now cease so
far as public i1fOrmers are concerned.
[ hope the people viii see to 1t that
present conditions viii not continue.
If We can't protect the people as a.
legislature, for Gods sake let public
sentiment protect them. SO far as the
governors message IS concerned, it has
lound the greatest sympathy within
my heart. / don't think that in the
position in which he has been placed
ne could say anything more calculated
TO harmonic the sentiment on this
bill than ne has said. ] feel it was "a
great deaf easier Tor the governor TO
veto than TO sign it. 1t is easier now
- vote no than to ave. believe
the passage of the would have
brought permanent relic y the people
of the state, and l am still OF that
opinion. 1 notice that the ministers
visited the governor. Now, l hope If
they are consistent they viii keep down
the informers- 1 don't desire TO vote
against the veto, for L am almost IN
sympathy with the governor, but L be
lieve the bill is proper and L vote aye"
Whitney Not Surprised.
Senator whitney said; Nothing that
has occurred since the bill passed both
houses of the legislature has surprised
me. 1 expected the governor would
veto the measure and expected to
hear him Iauded as a hero. L expected
TO be Stigmatized as a fanatic. L eX-
pected use to be made of this measure
to raise a storm against Utah; and
yet, in spite of these convictions, L
voted for the passage of this measure
| did so consistently and many of my
reasons for doing so have already been
stated. / care not whether be re
garded as q hero or as fanatic, so
long as L can stand as an honest man
before the bar of my own conscience.
Ny definition of true herOism is the
standing by ones convictions, regard
less of consequences and regardless OF
whether one stands with the majority
or with the minority. If l should point
out the man who has manifested the
most courage and back bone in this
matter / would point to our president,
for he knew when he introduced this
measure that the storm would burst
first on his devoted head"
Here Senator Whitney jollied Cover
nor Wells, saying he had known the
executive since boyhOod and had the
greatest respect and admiration for
him. He told the story of the old
guards fight at Waterloo and applled
il to the case in hand. Concluding, he
said Gentlemen of the opposition,
we met you and we oVercame you, but
Butcher arrived and saved you from de-
feat / say to you with CambrOn, The
Old Guard dies, but never surrenders.
Evans Closes Debate,
President Evans was the last speak
err he said he had listened with pro-
found interest to the remarks of those
who had preceded him. J desire 10
say" he went on, that l Sympathlze
with all my heart with the governor
l don't feel to criticise or censure him,
and what he says in that message
about the responsibility resting upon
him is the absolute truth. 1t was
question on the one side of right and a
question on the other side OF policy,
Incorporating with it q question OF
right under existing circumstances"
President Evans expressed great ad-
miratiOn for the governor. but pointed
out that there are hundreds of men
whose opinions should be entitled to as
much respect as his. Much of the
criticism of this BILL" said President
Evans. must fan on my head as its
introducer. but 1 want to say to you
that l feel as Henry Clay when he said
he would rather be right than be
president. / submit to you that my
soul speaks out as though 1 stood upon
the threshold of eternity. and says this
measure is still right. They say it
would create a storm. My soul ex-
claims. How long, o Lord, how long
must we be on probation before our
government Haven't we been loyal?
Haven't we been true? We have in
lcorporated into our constitution a
clause which is irrevocable without the
consent of the United States and the
state against polygamy- The law is in
conformity with this declaration and
my heart bleeds when have to stand
here and acknowledge that the people
of the United States don't understand
the true hearts that beat in unison in
Utah with the music % the nation.
Yet because we have undertaken to
put OF our statute books d law govern
ing us. and US alone, to protect certain
of our citizens in relation they be-
lieve to be sacred, this storm has aris-
en-. Yet though 1 may be ostracized
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