| Show DECIDEDLY UNPOPULAR suits under way against the church are not popular this being the case it must follow that portions at least of the laws under which they are brought are objects of ef the same me probably batly sentiment this thi s feeling is pro probably a little different from that manifested generally toward measures that are aimed against a rather unpopular community in tin ity it exists however its presence being indicated by the strong denunciations of public journals of 0 the country whose policy has been to swim with the popular current as the most profitable course in line with interest numerous private expressions pres of the same character emanate fro from influential sources throughout the nution even among people of exceed mely pronounced anti mormon hermon proclivities in this territory are to be found those who took look upon i the he legal assault on the property of the community as a any ny aning but proper it is not necessary to travel far to find potent reasons for this popular attitude upon a subject of great importance take the american people as a whole and there will oe found deep down in the national heart a strong disposition to honesty they have a conspicuous admiration for it and a proportionate repugnance tor its opposite having this proper feeling in their very nature it is not difficult for them to form a general estimate of the subject in question this can be done without the app application licati of any subtle process of reasoning OR ii is reduced to the ibe bare proposition of the ownership of the property involved with the rapidity of thought it is at once decided la in the public mind that it cannot possibly belong 1 under laws consistent with human rights to the p party tv seeking to seize and expend it ieli with equal speed it is decided before the bar of the popular tribunal that it belongs to those in possession the people ed it for charitable beneficent and religious purposes it the subject be followed to its legitimate conclusion it will at once be conceded that in seeking by special legislative measures to wrest the property involved from those to whom it belongs by every human right the government committed a grave blunder inconsistent with its own character and purposes P oses it must follow that the general thought will be that the sooner the mistake is rectified without detriment to the victim the better it will be lor for all around and the dignity of this great nation will not suffer but be signally enhanced by such an eminently equitable proceeding we believe we speak the square truth when we assert that the position of the government on OB this question is sot not even favored by the religious communities throughout the country many of them are doubtless tolerant and liberal in their proclivities but as a rule their love for the mormons cormons Mor mons as a people is not strikingly strong it is to say the least rather limited and even leaps the barrier of consistency by taking the form of a decided anti patny atily we will do many of that class the justice however to say that we believe this objectionable sentiment is largely due to prejudice en gendered by misinformation regarding and a misconception ot of the character of the latter day saints and their institutions but even the abst illiberal lib among the religionists imbued with a feeling unfavorable to tuis corn com muni ty are not so blinded by antip antipathy attly as to cause them to be oblivious to sell interest the sequestration que movement against the saints causes other religious bodies to sniff the effluvium effluvia of danger in the atmosphere they can see a measure that can be applied to one religious community involving serious rights to property can be applied to another otherwise other wisa the indestructible principle of the equality of all men before the law would suffer violence the feeling of when will our turn come is is not one that is specially conducive to comfort it is not surprising viewing the sub eject from this standpoint that even religious bodies view lesal legal measures and proceedings of the character now in application with strong disfavor |
