Show tho mormon Quest question ionin in congress it the house of depre representatives is is running the lawmaking law making machinery at a high rate of bf speed on monday ib lt passed parsed the revenue bill yesterday under the lead of judge poland it passed a 11 for the red regulation of the courts in utah this bill raises the wh whole ole question of the proper treatment by the united states of the practice of polygamy and this though not in any sense a general question or likely to become one is certainly an imp important octant one the question naturally involves two consideration first what ought in irl justice to all concerned to bo be done and second what can pruden prudently aly be undertaken there is is no one who will not concede that poly pois polygamy rams gams is an offense and a very grave one against tile the standard of morality accepted by thug t eat vat body of the people of the united satte St tue lue tte it is forbidden and punishment provided for its commission in the territories by an act of congress by this act with thit th ordial approval of public sentiment congress lias lim declared ils its ts hi intention to put an end elid to the tile practice of polygamy in utah and ron for several years jells vigorous efforts have at intervals been made to that end theo thero efforts havo hato nailed railed and their failure allure raises the second d question 6 what Is id prudent to undertake in the premises prem leh ieh it is one thing to pass laws lawa against polygamy it ls is 14 nuite quite another to enforce them in a community where the major majon part of the members the wealth the social influence tile the local political power and the intellectual energy is with the offenders the bill passed by the house undoubtedly is intended to put it into the power or of the minority by the lid iid ild nid of the united states courts to prosecute polygamists and to secure their conviction by excluding poly from the jury box abstractedly edly this is right t asa aga As a matter of fact it is calculated to give rise to some gravo gravo grave doubts it is obvious that ucil such a power pomer if exercised at all should be exercised ly hy the purest and most disinterested men mell and with the greatest caution the institution of polygamy in utah cannot bo be wiped out by wholesale prosecutions we are not at all clear that this prudent and effective courso course would be adopted under the bill parted pasted by the house there are ugly rumors concerning the motives that havo hav 0 actuated the promoters of the bill in the mormon territory it is certain that there is a considerable num number ber of gentiles of m easy sy conscience who are in a position to pi profit alt by anything that should work a sudden change in the peels of the property owners the only check on this cia cla class should the bill become law would be the integrity and discretion of judge and dis brict attorney of the district court from reports that have reached the east there is room for doubt whether this check in the case of the present incumbents would bo be worth much the power of criminal prosecution however howe verj justified astl nned fled in lil theory is one capable of mon monstrous abuses nem new york rimes times nune jung 8 3 |