The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-27
UTAH IS IN DANGER OF
LOSING HER STATEHOOD
Possible Consequences of Her Pact
as to Polygamy Dis
cussed.
NEW VIEW OF QUESTION

Washington Letter in Philadelphia Press.
Mr. Reed Shoots euphoniOus name Is
serving as a peg on which is being hung
a great deal OF conversation concerning
Mormonism and polygamy in general This
IS the most serious aspect of the present
avalanche of protests that are descending
on his Iuckless head-cOnsequences far
sraver than the seating or unseating of any
senator may ensue
There is now in this city perhaps the
best-posted man on Mormonism in Amer
fca outside of the officials Of the Norman
Church, Rev Dr. William VI. Paden, in
terview with whom was published in yes
terday's Press. DIT. Paden seems always
10 have fresh Mormon news or views on tap.
AS I listen TO his talk the words crowd
ing each other in eagerness to be out, 1
cannot help noting the self-restraint Of the
man. He has many kind words for Nor
mon people and for individual members Of
the priesthood. as one may meet them So
cially. but for the hierarchy as an institu-
ton he seems TO have only loathing and
hatred. but fear. 1 marvel at the latter,
especially as he recalls the old days of the
Noun tain Meadows massacre and other
crude exhibitions of Mormon temporal
power. and "a he told me Of the limits TO
which the endowment house oaths go.
Sometimes he would read from his volum-
nous array Of documents in substantiating
his statements-the judicial cast of mind is
strong within him-but ever he was careful
and conservative. 1 have heard bloodhound
ling statements from missionary leaders
concerning Mormonism and they evidently
were not half as well. posted as this soft
spoken man who looks much more like a
poet than a warrior. Something of this sort
was mentioned.
REASON FOR CAUTIOUSNESS.
"Ah, you see." he said. IT have to go back
and live right with these people The man
in Philadelphia or New York may utter all
sorts Of general condemnations of Mormon
ism without ever being called TO account,
but every word 1 speak in the East
through the press will go straight back to
Salt Lake, where I must substantiate IT..
i saw then why he dealt carefully with
the third general point which he made
against Apostle Smoot; II touches all Utah
ans. Mormon and gentle. and suggests
new possibilities in the relation OF the fed
eral government toward a constituent State.
So. lest should misquote even the small
est word. let me instead summarize what
Dr. Paden had to say on this point:
bargain was made between the United
States and the Territory of Utah when the
latter was granted statehood. This was a
binding compact to the effect that, in con-
sideration of statehood granted on the part
OF the United States. Utah, her part,
offered as a consideration the entire abolition
of the practice of pOlygamy. There were
two parties to this compact; If they had
the right to enter into 1t they had the right
TO enforce IT. Do you see where this leads?
1t Utah violates her pledge concerning polyg-
,fok, @t,.o do
a State. then the privilege of statehood
may be withdrawn from her.
This is rather staggering. IL true. 1t was
a new line of warfare to me, and l was
glad when DR.. Paden picked up pamphlet
and read from the argument made in be-
half of Utah by an emDloye of the Mormon
Church. Jeremiah NJ Wilson, before con-
gressional committee. when the plea for
statehood was being pressed.
CORE OF THE ARGUMENT.
Let me quote the core OF this argument:
The question L am now considering is
whether Congress can enforce such COM
pact If made If it may be made. then the
right TO enforce il follows by necessary i'm
plication IL is Idle to say that such a
compact may be made and then when the
considerations have been mutually re-
ceived. statehood on the one side and the
pledge not TO do a particular thing on
the other. either party can violate it with
out remedy to the other
But you ask me what is the remedy and
j answer that there are plenty Of remedies
and in your own hands
Suppose they violate this compact; sup
pose that after they put this into the Con-
stitution. and hereby inGuced you to grant
them the high privilege ana political right
of statehood. they should then turn right
around and exercise the bad faith which is
attributed to them here; what would you
do? You could shut the doors of the Sen
ate and House OF Representatives against
them; you could deny them a voice in the
councils OF this Nation. because they have
acted in bad faith and violated their sol
emn agreement by which they succeeded
I'm getting themselves into the condition
of statehood.
You could deny them the federal Judi
cary; you could deny them the right tC
use the mails. that Indispensable thing in
the matter of trade and commerce of this
country. There are many ways in which
peaceably. but all powerfully you could
compel the performance of that compact
l fancy that If DIR. Paden can make the
Senate committee see this point clearly
as he sees it, there will be another senator
TO cross the mountains TO Washington &c
take Apostle Shoots seat
PRESENT-DAY REVELATIONS.
OF all the thousand and one phases of this
Mormon matter, the one which most inter.
ests an investigator is the principle Of
present-day revelation. At first glance thi:
seems merely a matter OF doctrine or OF
church practices When 1 was told. in Sal
Lake City. of its practical bearings upon
SdyslAlt CONTAMINATION 81 justice, II ucCdInt
a different thing altogether Here is tn,
way a gentle business man put it TO me
and by gentle do not mean a member o.
Protestant church, for this man was no
such. In Utah everybody who is not
Mormon Is "A gentle. ParadOxically, Their,
the Jews gentiles.
Suppose" said my acquaintance "a Nor
mon is trial for a crime, with twelve
MormOns in the jury box, and in some parts
of this State the people are almost solidl,
Mormon. The evidence is clear. But alOnl
comes one of the priesthood who testifie
that he has received a revelation that TIT
accused is innocent That settles IL; tn
latter-day revelation is accented as final b,
a good Mormon, ana the guilty man gOe
free Do you not see how this peculia
tenet enables them TO nullify all laws an,
sacred pledges p
II tell you" continued the speaker, grow
ing somewhat excited IF the Mormon
get control OF the judiciary in thi
State-and they have everything else-I shall
hire a special train 10 carry me and m
family beyond the borders quickly a
steam make a locomotive go.
Take elections. We can never tell how
an election Will go: the Mormon Church 4
altogether bipartisan IN politics. and within
twelve hours OF the opening OF the votinj