Show i THE BEE IS RIGHT IT is refreshing phing in these times to find a newspaper that has the sour cour courage courage age to admit that the Mormons have rights under the Constitution that ought to be recognized and which st stands upon the indisputable ground that thit to treat them otherwise is dangerous business The of the rights that belong to anyone any one class dri drives Vt'S a wedge that leads to the splitting of the Republic A Among mong the Journals that take a correct and ind independent pendent stand on on this thie subject is the Omaha JBea Bea Bes which in speak speak- speaking speaking speaking ing of the recent proceedings in the Third District Court before Judge Anderson says The issues involved touch some of the fundamental principles of republican republican republican lican f forms forma of government and it is doubtful whether the Supreme Court of the United States would sustain a anew anew anew new departure that might establish a avery avery avery very dangerous precedent under the pressure of Mormon anti anti Mo rmon opinion and in the heat of a political contest the lower courts of Utah may have passed the boundaries that have been set by the founders founder of our gov gov- government government in the bill of rights th that t pro pro- prohibits pro prohibits hibits religious tests and guarantees to each man the right to be considered innocent of any auy crime until he has been adjudged guilty aft after r due trial by a jury of his peers Our naturalization laW laws law are uni- uni uniform uniform uni uniform form Con Congress ress cannot legally pre pre- prescribe proscribe scribe a different mode of naturalization naturalization naturalization for tor Mormon aliens it does for aliens of other creeds whatever their nationalities nationalities may maybe maybe be Any act that makes religious reli- reli belief a test for acquiring oiti- oiti citizenship would be unconstitutional on its face Treason against this govern government ment oa be presumed Men may mays s talk what tuey please and aud believe what they please tt It taking the en- en en endowment c makes them R 1 ft atom ator against g as a the Utah court declares declare they cannot be disfranchised as a ft body but they must mu each individually be placed on trial and De convicted by the testimony of credible witnesses If witnesses can can- canot cannot pot not ot be found with proofs of ot treason treason- treasonable treasonable able able action their right to equal treat treat- treatment treatment treatment ment with all other aliens alien cannot be lawfully abridged Mere suspicion that Mormons Mormon who apply for fl naturalization naturalization naturalization intend to be disloyal to the Government would hardly constitute proper grounds for refusing retiring them the same right to become American citi- citi citizens citizens citi citizen zens zen that is ia accorded other aliens alien The foregoing remarks remark have still stillmore stillmore tillmore more force when it is i considered that it was wa proved by competent evi- evi evidence evidence evi evidence dence that there th re is if nothing in the endowment ceremony that is an- an ant antagonistic an antagonistic t to t t the government The refusal of naturalization does doe not only extend according to the he recent decision to persons who have passed ed through these thee religious rites but to all members member of the Church emphasizing still more strongly the constitutional point made by the thet thel t l Bee which is ia a vigorous and ably conducted Journal I |