The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-09
A STRIKING CONTRAST.

A STRIKING CONTRAST.
: The action of the British Ministry
IN turning over the control Of the
! Transvaal to the Beers, and making
General Botba. late most efficient foe
in arms, Prime Minister of the colony,
has been received with favor by the
friends Of that ministry, and with bit
ter recriminiation by its opponents.
Botha has been in London, and was
there received with every mark of con-
fidcnce and approval 1t goes with the
saying that he is heartily in accord
with the action and purpose Of the min
istry, and at an official dinner TO the
Prime Ministers, he said:
The manly. courageous confidence
shown by the British in the people OF
the Transvaal is the best seed ever sown
in South AFRICA, We VIII prove by our
acts that we are worthy of this conf
dence. Our Government Is as jealous Of
the honor of the British Nag rs any other
the Transvaai is that she wants to
strengthen the bonds OF operation and
love and unity of the Empire
These declarations were received in
the most cordial spirit, and it was the
universal sentiment in London that no
mistake had been made in trusting the
Bocrs and giving the chief directing
power of the colony into tue hands OF
one of their own great leaders. As
an American commentator (rhc Inde-
pendcnt) puts the case: ''lt is with a
people as"with individuals; givingpthcm
trust makes them trustworthy. But
IL depends upon who the people are
that you trust, whether the trustworthy
results are sure TO be followed or not.
Let us take another case. There was
a people here in Utah, which had set
tied this region originally, and had in,
troduced certain practices revolving to
society and destructive Of the American
home. They had established theo-
cratic government that was TO rule and
forms of a popular government were
used TO confirm the desires of q ruling
priesthood, through the controlled vote
OF devoted and beguIlcd people. 4
church commercialism had been i'm
posed upon the communities that.
saPped their very life, and tithiug
system That swept into the Golfers of
the leaders all the surplus remaining
after the commercial oppression had
done It's work. But a time came when
the Nation was about to rcnd asunder
this combination Of dupIicity, greed,
and plundcr The leaders begged for
mercy; If the Nation would only en-.
rust them with the autonomy of State
mood, all would be well They be-
sought amnesty for past offenscs, pledg-
ng honor for themselves and their pco-
Die in obediences 10 the law and the
ooscning OF the hierarchical grip upon
politics and civil affairs. The prayer
vas needed, the pledge was accepted. !
What is the result? Do we find one
,ledgc kept, one promise fulfilled! No. !
IN tho contrary. there is an unmistak- |
bile revival of polygnmy; "choscn YES
els arc reared to keep alive through |
mt Mormouism the "divine institu- |
ion. The political parties arc made
nere church agencies or activities. and !
'ictory is given TO one or the other at
will at the whisper Of the 'Fauthori-
les of the church; and these also are
he supreme authority in civil affairs,
ending their wishes To officials of ev-
ry grade and seeing them checrfully
nd instantly complied with. Their
paraIyzes the law against po-
rgamy and unlawful cohabitation in
he plural marriage Gelatiou; no coun-
y or district attorney dare proceed in
ny such case; and where a fragrant
fense is notorious, as in the recent
roceeding against President Joseph +,
NTH, the official zeal is cxerted TO
linimize the of'ense, and reduce it
rom the adultery that was quite pro-
rly charged, and which is n felony, 10
nlawful cohabitation, which is a mis-.
The court officials under
and perfectly that zenl in enforcing
ie polygamy statutes would mean po.
tical and official death to them. bv
'ason of the vengeance of the law
reaking hicrarchs, whose dictates are
Ipremc
And, while the British trust i'm The
1nor of the Beers is commended, as
le proper cBtrustmcnt of power that
axes the recipients trustworthy, it is
rule that doesn I work ont in Utah. ,
ldeed, from of old 1T has been a max. ,
n that all rules fail here; that what
meat elsewhere is rank poison in
Icse communities. The pledge of I
NOR, the plea in seeking amnesty, thc
'luntary, eager promise, the enactment
all into constitution and law; the I
edge to cease polygamous living.
lckcd by statute of the Mormons'
yn passing that polygamous children
'rn prior to a date set should be lie.
innate, but not after, (Which was as J
finite a pledge as could be asked that i
is sort of living was there and then !
cease, all have utterly failed, and.
far as the lawlcss hierarchy can $
We II so, the old polygamous cult,