Show DANGERS OF CONFISCATION SINCE the passage of ot the Ed- Ed Ed Tucker munds-Tucker act which contains a clause directing the confiscation of the property of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Latter Saints the sen sen- sentiment sentiment sentiment in favor of seizing for public uses the possessions possession of other religious religious religious ious bodies has had a rapid growth This is a natural natural effect of the un- un unconstitutional unconstitutional un unconstitutional constitutional statute Malignant measures beget their likeness F En n of a like nature intended to apply to t other than the Mor mon mon- mon people have already been conceived in the public minds mind an anti u unless uless the evil genius as a whole is is wiped out their delivery is inevitable inevitable inevitable table The rapid growth of skepticism which too often excludes all aU respect for religion of any kind renders the situation more a and nd more dan dan- dangerous dangerous dangerous As a result of the flagrant innovation upon human rights per per- perpetrated perpetrated perpetrated in the enactment of the measure named and the growth of skepticism combined we have been heen enabled to quote in these thew columns at different times expressions from prominent journalists and publicists f- f favoring the confiscation of the property of the Catholic Church inthis in inthis this is country coun lY some BOme going so far as to toad ad advocate the seizure of the posses posses- possessions possessions possessions of all religious bodies Asa As a pointer in this direction we weare weare are enabled to present an e tract from a letter received from a gentleman gentleman man in New York by a friend in inthis i this city city YOU have beve little HUla idea how rapidly rapid radical views are spreading in rela rela- relation relation relation tion to religion politics and sociology We are rapidly ra idly nearing the precipice Nor do dof I f think it possible for tor the world to check cheok its d career peaceful There are many who hope for a peace peace- peace ful tul solution of all social difficulties difficulties- difficulties but I think that impossible Already there is talk of confiscating the im- im im immense mense wealth of the Roman Homan Catholic church in the United States And why should hire lre Episcopal church be exempt Trinity church alone owns This confiscation buss bus business ness nesa is going to be a big job before it is J through I 1 heard beard a prominent lawyer here say that European nations had hadj j been obliged as 88 a matter of self self- self defense defense to con confiscate the immense wealth of the Roman Catholic church and he thought the same thing woid wo have to be done in the United States I heard Hugh O 0 Pentecost lately a Baptist minister advocate in public publio the overthrow of all existing political and religious institutions deno I rich rioh men landowners and politicians as 88 thieves and oppressors Had a aI Mormon talked ashe as he he dide did ae ne would hI have ve been prosecuted fok fOi for treason and inciting to riot He ha has a large fol- fol following following fol following lowing 1 4 Such special measures as the one aimed at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Latter Saints are aIe unconstitutional in two prominent prominent prominent nent particulars They are viola viola- violations violations violations of the clause which provides that private property shall not be betaken betaken betaken taken for public purposes without due compensation The law re- re referred referred re referred to takes the property of the Mormon people without any ny r compensation whatever It is also al o of the first amendment to the Constitution which inhibits Congress from making any law re- re respecting re respecting an establishment of re- re religion religion re religion ligion In other words that there t shall be no established religion or a religIous system preferred legisla legisla- legislatively legislatively legislatively above others by the State T To the extent that the Tucker Edmunds-Tucker Edmunds- Edmunds Tucker ker act is a special measure aim aim- aimI aimed ed I ed at only one religious body while all th are exempt from its pains and aud operations to that degree are the others preferred and mad made the State religions Should the views of the Catholics anti-Catholics prevail and aid that religious body also be sub subjected sub sub- subjected subjected to the confiscation it I process it would be but a step in advance toward making the more favored systems the religions of the State Y and so 80 on until there might be but butone one remaining which would be an ane e establishment of religion by preference preference pre- pre ference exhibited by non noninterference noninterference noninterference ence Whether the confiscation process i is extensive or limited it is a dan- dan dangerous dangerous expedient andone and one that must inevitably lead to disaster |