Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-02
THEY ARE pERsBcuroRs.

The Tribune Is worrying about the
recent decision OF the Supreme court OF
Idaho. II It is true, that paper says.
that the Church members in the Gem
state are satisfied with the test oath
clause OF the constitution, why Is II
1.-THE "News''l making It's claim that
the people are prosecuted on account OF
their religion. or that anybody s. en-
gagged IN any raid upon the Mormons
as \ Church, as a society, or as indl-
yiduals?"
Tho answer to that is that no one
has ever claimed that the demand that
voters conform 70 the constitutional
requirements, Is persecution. That rs
one OF the foolish and malicious ale
cations originated in the Tribune Office
FOR the purpose OF nisrepresenting the
"Mormons."
But when the Dubois followers at
tackled Judge Bulge a man Of undis-
puted character and ability, and oskeo
the courts to Gust him from his offlco
because he is Mormon" then they
became prosecutors OF the same cali
bro as those ancient conspirators az
the court of Babylon. who caused
Daniel TO be thrown to the lions be-
cause he used TO pray TO Jehovah.
When they tried TO obtain u court de-
cision DISTINGUISHING every Mormon"
no matter how scrupulously law-abid-
ing, on the plea that the Constitutions
denies the ballot TO metf and women
who believe that their marriage cove
nants are eternal, that is Celestial"
then they engaged in persecution. They
sought TO deprive citizens of their
rights as citizens because of their alb
stract belief. They might as well have
suggested that their lives be taken.
The principle is the same. The Idaho
plotters are prosecutors. not because
OF their zeal for the constitution but
because of their attempt at perverting
the constitution in the interest of their
own plots
For a similar reason the Utah plot
ters are prosecutors. They violated
the general understanding on which
the Manifesto OF President Woodruff
was issued and sustained by the people,
that peace and harmony were to pre-
vail on the cessation OF plural mar
rlages with the sanction of the Church.
They broke the pledges and started n
crusade to deprive tho people OF Utah
OF representation in the United States
Senate. They told falsehood after
falsehood about polygamy and Church
,,,.
try aname, hoping that the Church
would be consumed in the general con-
Migration. They became prosecutors
Just az much as the inquis,tors who
consigned innocence to the flames. dur
ing the darker ages.
But TO say that they are prosecutors
on account OF religion would be to
ascribe to them motive that IL really
too pure Tor them, bad as it is. One
part of their following. to be sure,
Joined the movement because OF reli-
gious motives. These hoped to see
the religion which the Latter-day
Saints teach conquered. Lake the ser
| pent in the Apocalypse they hoped to
| drown IN q flood OF falsehood the
| woman ciotneu Win the sun, adorned
with the moon and walking among
the stars. Some OF them arc honest
enough. though woefully mistaken In
their purposes as we'll as methods. es-
peclaJly in their inholy alliance with
grafters and corrupters OF morals.
But this cannot be said Of the leaders
Of the crusaders They are simply
prosecutors. pursuing their course for
the money they can make out of 1t.
and tho offices they can capture. 1t is
not necessary to beat around the bush
In this matter. They are no better
than common highwaymen. as tie status
OF tho City's finances now prove. But
fool the people all the time.