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Show i UNITED STATES MUST GRAPPLE WITH POLYGAMY- " j UNIFORM MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE LAWS. J (Philadelphia Inquirer.) Did you read what Senator Dubois of Idaho had to say in the Inquirer yes- " . terday concerning Mormonlsm? Let us repeat here a few pungent sentences: , , "The South has its negro problem. Other parts of the country have local! . questions of their own, which they consider of far-reaching importance. But let -me tell you that the solution of .the Mormon problem must be made here and 1 now, or, the whole country will suffer and the foundation of its Government be weakened. Before this hearing is concluded the country will learn that the States of Utah, Idaho, 'Wyoming and, to a large degree, Colorado and Oregon. are threatened with a terrible curse likely to spread beyond the "West and Southwest until it is checked." Now that the subject of Mormon ism is up in official form, it wlU be better for the whole country that It should be gone Into most thoroughly. The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections, which has the case of Senator Reed Smoot before it. thus far has given a. wide latitude to the line of inquiry. This Is well. If State laws are set at defiance and there is no remedy, then It is time that the United States should step in, even if a Constitutional amendment becomes necessary. Apparently, it will become necessary, for the United States today has no power to cope with polygamy. ' The doctrine of plural marriages is a cardinal one of the Mormon church. It is the testimony of the president of the church, Joseph F. Smith, that polyga-ny polyga-ny is of divine revelation. It is his claim that another revelation, coming at an opportune time, suspended the former one. But while the church may not technically approve and connive at plural marriages, it is apparent the fact that polygamous unions have not ceased, J and ample proof is to be given the committee. In order to Join the Union, Utah had to adopt a Constitution acceptable to ' Congress, and the new State of Utah subsequently passed laws forbidding polygamy. polyg-amy. They are drastic enough. They are spread out on the statute books that all may read. But of what use are they? The political power of Utah is in the hands of Mormons. President Smith lives with five different wives, boasts that he does so, and declares that his conscience is above all law. And the law does not . i touch him., Out of the mass of testimony that is to be produced, is it too much to hope that Congress will at last be aroused to the sense of danger to which Senator Dubois refers? Polygamy cannot with safety be left to the States to deal with. The authorities au-thorities of Utah have shown that, for they directly uphold the evil, because they refuse to take action against it. Let it become- grounded in other States where Mormonlsm already has a strong foothold, and we shall have the same conditions prevailing there. It is apparent, therefore, that the States cannot be trusted. Therefore the United States must step in. . . And how can this be done? By the adoption of a Constitutional amendment giving Congress the power to establish a uniform rule for marriage and divorce, and to punish the offenders. . Why not? Have we not been discussing for years the desirability of a uniform uni-form law concerning divorce? Very grave efforts have been made, to secure something like uniformity among the Legislatures of the different States, but so long as some States. South Dakota, for Instance, grant divorces that Pennsylvania Pennsylva-nia and New Tork refuse, there can be nothing but laxity. If there Is immorality in plural marriages, how much more moraUty is there In a couple conniving at a separation in order that both may marry others the next day? Haven't we seen this happen over and over? Is not New Tork- society so-ciety full of Just such scandals? It would seem as if this were the time to bring the whole subject of the twin evils of polygamy and of easy and scandalous divorce to a head. A Constitutional amendment requires to be adopted first by a two-thirds majority in both branches of Congress, and next by the Leglslaures of three-fourths three-fourths of the States. If the States will not adopt a proper amendment now they never can be depended de-pended upon to do so. Is the story of Utah to go for nothing? That is for Congress to say. |