Show I A STRANGE COMPARISON That the political condition of af fairs in Utah te anomalous all admit ad-mit that the laws against polyg amy have been defied and broken so often as the violators of them have chosen all will admit AVe believe that with the exception of the common and notorious breaking of the laws against polygamy it will generally be admitted that the people of Utah have not been a lawless but on the contrary 1 they have beena sober hardworking i f and thrifty people The only justification justifica-tion of the practice of polygamy which they make is that it is a part of their re F ligion In j I this they are as sincere as tho majority of the religion world is in its professions of religion That professing I t I the teachings and practices of Christ does r not raise them to His unapproachable t standard life in all things cannot bo t1 brought against the Mormons any more ban t against other religious communities That a person or people claim the right to do as they choose under the belief that they are but following the course prescribed pre-scribed by their religion is no more reason for according them that right than it is for according it to a person or people who t claim the same right on grounds entirely secular In the matter of the relation of f husband and wife and all that that implies 1 im-plies there should be but one authority to regulate it and that authority the State If people under any claim whatsoever what-soever interfere with that authority and L If I r i break the laws which it has passed for the regulation and protection of tho marriage f mar-riage relation they should be punished I but they should bo punished for their acts and not for their opinions The f practice of polygamy is tho thing that the law condemns and that alone That tho L obedience of tho Mormon people to their j it ecclesiastical leaders is almost absolute t fpv5f any will deny But is that obedience 1 obedi-ence to church authority when it does not infringe upon the law sufficient justification i I justi-fication for carrying into effect many of the drastic remedies that are proposed 1 I f for its cure That is the important question I ques-tion in Utah after tho question of I po1 J Ivcamy I I t Such being the question we were somewhat surprised that oven the Tribune Tri-bune should make the comparison between be-tween the case of the Mormons in Utah and tho Poles in j oe Germany History records i re-cords no more infamous transaction than that of the partition of Poland and tho I cause of the Poles and their oppression by Germany Russia and Austria I L has aroused more sympathy than I p the wrongs of Greece under Turkish Turk-ish rule ever did The Tribune lauds I Bismarck and condemns the Poles Bismarck I Bis-marck is a great man one of the worlds I I j greatest men out liismarcK is also a Dad F man That in the decree banishing the Poles from Germany our Mormon friends I may find food for reflection is true There is food for reflection in thatdecrec but tho t reflections which it induces are that the r t Poles have been a wronged people I wronged not that right might be but wronged for greed and gain Germany is great and is becoming greater but though I she wore to dominate the world and her word were to become I law throughout the universe yet she could never live down tho shame of her conduct toward tho Poles It is a strange sight to see an American paper commending the example of Bismarck to I I Americans and justifying the conduct of j I r Germany in banishing the Poles The l Tribune says t The order simply menus that Germany is I to ho at nil times ready at nil points 101 war I and that men shall not remain upon German Ger-man soil occupy German lands and receive German protection who cannot be relied upon for help and sympathy in the event of danger That order simply menus that Germany I Ger-many IB governed by a military despot jamand tho only inference Jo be drawn I from the Tribunes remark is that it would wish to see the same despotism 4 established in Utah It speaks in these j t t terms of the Poles i They are but a little band and it is butt j j t but-t petty work for a great empire like Germany I to proceed against them and banish them w l but the act shows how sacred Bismarck F holds tho covenant of citizenship and how i I impatient he is that any residents of Germany < Ger-many shall continue to refuse to be Gel < I mans j To talk about Bismarck holding the j i t 1 covenant of citizeiiBhlp sacred sounds like I 1 irony The aCt banishing the Poles S r 1 IiTiiiii1id > shows Bismarck to be a tyrant a tyrant even where the weak are concerned The Tribune seems to regret that the Mormons I Mor-mons have a Cleveland to deal with and not u Bismarck It will be an evil day forAhe United States when such men as Bismarck arise and sway our destinies for the contemplation L I of such men as Bismarck contemplates Bisraarckian methods Ii the United L States over deal with the Mormons as I Germany has dealt with the Poles the United States will have clone a great and I I ineradicable wrong the shame and disgrace I dis-grace of which they can never hope to outlive |