| Show RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE IN POLITICS A SPECIAL telegram to the pion pioneer eer press dated december irth says a petition was presented in the seng senate te on that day asking for an amendment to the federal constitution allowing congress to regulate by law marriage and divorce in the united states it also says that there are indications that the religious ioui strength of the body politic is prepared for united action at an ea early aly day looking to legislation which shall place upon the comm community unit greater responsibilities for maintaining the sacredness ot the marriage tie and placing greater obstacles in the way of divorce the past summer the councils and the governing bodies of various church organizations in the west and northwest gave the matter long and thorough discussion and as a general thing asked for some decided action by congress the influence ce exercised by religious bodies and religious dignitaries in the politics of the country is very power lul and often dominating it was a religious aurore that forced the passage in the house of representatives ot of the lin infamous famous senate sedate bill that goes by the name of the edmunds act religious pressure pies sure is ia exhibited in all anti mormon measures that have obtained prominence in congress and when this marriage and divorce question is laid hold of by the religious denominations in earnest the legislators of the country will be compelled to take action upon it in the desired di but why do not the declaimers decI aimers almers against mormon ormon I 1 influence raise the hackneyed cry of church and state and try to alarm the country on this mixing together of religion and polities politics tue domination of the clergy over legislation the opponents of the mormons cormons Mor mons are shifting their tactics because tile the 16 poly my cry has be come stale and nauseating to all sensible people and they claim to be fight lug the union of church and state stale in utah yet all the ground they have for pretending that buell suan a connection exists is the apparent influence that some leading mor mons have in local politics if a man holds holas a church position tion according to their notions he be must be dumb on political questions and must be tied up as to all movements relating to offices that affect him as well as other members ot of the community I 1 the influence such men have as respected and experienced citizens trusted arid and revered by their co assailed as a union ot of churell church and state and the great thing to be dreaded and suppressed at iby any and ever eveia y cost it if the Wf influence luence that churchmen exercise in the politics of 1 their locality is to be det destroyed troyed as daug dangerous erous and improper how much more should the pressure ot of the clergy upon national legislators legislator and their endeavors to direct national politics be denounced and oppose opposed dl if a mormon elder must not nob du anything to shape local affairs in utah why should methodist and episcopalian Episcopal iaD and baptist and presbyterian bishops priests pastors and deacons be allowed to interfere in national affairs or does it all depend on what form of religion a preacher supports Is that which is wrong in a mormon all right in a political parson of any other denomination our position is that ithac an apostle or other official in the church to which we belong or a dignitary of any of the capre churches ties and sects that are called orthodox has lust just as much right to a voice in political affairs as a doctor or a lawyer a merchant ora or a manufacturer or even a professional politician or an officer hunter and it if by powers and qualities law lawfully fally acquired he can influence his friends associates or hearers to side with his views or vote as he thinks will be lor for the public interest he be his has just as much right right t to 0 e exercise that in influence tience as any w whisky isky inspired stu orator or brawler against church and state As to the fa arrIage and alvoree question there has been trouble ever since it has been taken out of hands of the ecclesiastical power where it was vested for many centuries marriage is and must be greatly a question of religion while any considerable number of of people believe in a god abid an dinan in an organized church or in divine clerical authority and whatever laws may be enacted by afie civil power that question will remain under ecclesiastical control to a large extent unless infidelity succeeds in overwhelming faith it will take some time too and great exertion on the part of those who desire to centralize increased powers in the national government before the country is likely to so curtail the authority of the several states as to transfer control of the domestic relations from the latter to the former marriage and divorce so far as the secular power can affect them are regulated under state enactments and while there is no doubt that a greater uniformity in the laws a ws relating to those questions should be established it does not follow that all power to regulate them should be taken from the several states and vested in the federal government ern ment the fact that congress isow BOW no lawf lawful u 1 au authority thorit over cover the quest questions loUs of ma marriage ri r age and divorce vorce Is conceded as a affecting effect lug the states where it obtains t the he r right I 1 to regulate them in the territories r ri 1 t 0 r 1 es has not been made to appear there has been a great deal of assumption but no proof it cannot be found in the letter of the constitution and has been exercised by the force of might over right the movement to endow congress with the added powers contemplated tem plated in the proposed amendment pursued will cause general discussion of the important questions of marriage and divorce in every part of the union this will no ng doubt be pro of great good and the principles which underlie the mormon system will be sure to come in for their share of public attention some time masses of the people will investigate themi dispassionately and aad the result cannot fau fail to be of benefit to that system and its supporters |
