| Show WHAT THE SXVTE MAY DO The state gives sftcutity to the weak against violence and oppression from the strong It prevents might from becoming right by tho punishment of act that infrInge I in-fringe upon the rights of other people and do them injury Itis a keeper of the peace and has nothing to do until the peace bus p been disturbed or broken It is a powerm formed by combination among the people to protect themselves from injustice and L I oppression its chief function being to restrain re-strain and punish violence and crime It is a government of for and by the people and has no powers except those delegated to Itffty the people themselves It may act as Judgettr arbitrator between contending parties anli compel them to settle their differences dif-ferences by arbitration at law instead of by feud ortuch It may also do some SOlflL necessary things that would be but poorly done if left to the people promiscuously promis-cuously It may mako public roads establish and maintain schools armies fleets and fortifications the benefits of which are distributed somewhat equally among all the people But it cannot right filly do much more than this It cannot become a missionaryXo labor for the propagation pro-pagation of religious doctrine since the religious duties of man are not owed to the state but to the Creator Civil government govern-ment cannot define the duties of a man to his MaKer and was not instituted for that purpose It can only determine tho duties a man owes to his fellowmen and enforce obedience no further tiian simply to regulate regu-late the civil relations of those who are its subjects The state has no spiritual duties and its acts are strictly limited to tho temporal tem-poral welfare of its citizens guaranteeing f to each one freedom to do as it seems to him best provided that in so doing he Infringes in-fringes not upon the same freedom of others or does them no injury The constitution y con-stitution of our country declares this absolute separation of church and state and r prohibits the government from having anything any-thing to do with establishing any religion I or with any religion already established It might seem strange to some that we feel constrained to state from time to time such elementary and well known facts respecting human government as are contained con-tained in the foregoing paragraph Yet it is necessary for in Utah a majority of those charged with governmental functions regard it as a first duty to labor for the conversion of an unorthodox body of religionists reli-gionists Governors judges postmasters surveyors and even government contractors contrac-tors in Utah have been known to work mainly for the overthrow and oppression of the Mormons often by illegal acts and unusual un-usual proceedings while regarding their duties as public officersas simply incident and subordinate to their chief duty of oppressing op-pressing an unoffending class of people Some day historians will blush to record that in one particular instance the government govern-ment of our country turned aside from its traditional and prescribed path in order to labor like MOHAMMED as a missionary zealot with a sword in one hand and the awful conglomeration of warring Christian doctrines in the other saying to a handful of helpless unbelievers Choose which you willlI |
