The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-14
DEBAsING CHANGE OF FRONT.

Inquiry has been made Of The Trib
une as to whether or not the Republican
party, in its National platforms, has
ever made declaration against polyg
amy; and If so, in what years, AS
briefly as possible the planks referred
to arc given IN the following:
Election of 1856. John C. Fremont
nominee; Resolved. That the Constitu
ton confers upon Congress sovereign
power over the Territories Of the United
States for their government and that
in the exercise of this power IL Is both
the right and the duty Of Congress 10
prohibit in the Territories those twin
relics of barbarism, poysamy. and slav-
cry.
Election of 1876. Rutherford r. Hayes
nominee; The Constitution confers upon
Congress sovereign power over the Ter
rltorics of the United States for thciI.
government, and In The exercise of this
power IT is the right and duty of Chm
eress to prohibit and cxtirpate in the
Territories. that relic of barbarIsm. po-
lygamy; and we demand such legisla-
tion as shall secure this end and the
supremacy OF American institutions in
all the Territories,
Election of 1884. James c. Blaine
nominee: Resolved, That IL Is the duty
of Congress TO enact such laws as shall
promptly and effectually suppress the
system of polygamy within our Terri
tories, and divorce the political from the
ecclesiastical power OF the so-called Nor
mon church; and that the laws as en-
acted should be rigidly enforced by the
civil authorities. II possible. and by the
military, If need be,
Election OF 1885, BENJAMIN Harrison.
nominee; The political power of the
Mormon church in the Territories as eX-
ercised in the past is a menace to free
institutions. danger no longer TO be
suffered, Therefore we pledge the Re-
publican party to appropriate legislation
asserting the sovereignty OF the Nation
In all Territories where the same is
questioned. and in furiherance of that
end to place upon the statute books legis-
latlon stringent enough TO divorce the
political from the ecclesiastical power
and thus stamp out the attendant wick
edncss of polygamy.
1t will be noted in the latter part of
the platform resolution of 1888, it was
recognized that polygamy was altoeeth-
er dependent upon the political power
exercised by the Mormon church. That
was true up to the year 1890: but the
situation has been reversed, for if now
the domination OF the polygamous
chiefs were withdrawn from the politi-
cal forces of the church, these would !
cease to be n menace on account of
their solidarity. After the election of
1888 came the manifesto of 1890, when
the Nation accepted in good faith tho
promises of the Mormon leaders that
oolygamy and political domination bv
hem should cease. That faith has been
most shamefully broken-the word of
lonor of Mormon polygamous chief
PRIEST has "been found to be worth no
more than the breath required to utter
t. And the Republican party has also
departed from the faith. trucking to
nd abasIng itself in front of the polya
mous hierarchy for votes.
But the point to be considered is that
he things complained of and resolved
gainst in the older Republican plat
Orms have been increased and are ap.
,ravated. until by this time the evils
re Haunted in our faces with the grin.
ing vindictivencss of anarchy RAMPANT
{ is high time that the Nation awak-
ned in new and final determination
o smash the criminals and their crimes
nee and forever