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Show STRAINING AT GNATS: SWALLOWING CAMELS. Side by side two suggestive editorials appeared in the Tribune last Sunday morning. One was a call to punish the men' who commit perjury in our courts, the other was a discussion of the Manifesto Mani-festo of President Woodruff of the Mormon Church with a striking dissertation upon it copied from the Kanab (Utah) Clipper, and evidently from the pen of a Mormon. After reviewing the scope and purpose of the Manifesto, the writer said: "Not that the Manifesto can- be construed to command, but that the Church covenanted before God and man that they would not contract any more plural marriages." That is a concise statement of the case so far as it goes, but there is more to it. The covenant was just as binding that this organization called a church and which is perpetually represented by fifteen presiding officers should take its political poli-tical hand from the throats of the people, that henceforth they should espouse whatever political principles they pleased to and cast untrammeled votes. It was not only a covenant on the part of the church voluntarily made berore God and man, but It was a solemn pledge to the Government Govern-ment "and people of the United States. More, It was an indirect pledge to the Gentiles of Utau that henceforth there should be a square deal on American lines in the politics of Utah. We have published the fact that one of the Apostles admitted to Judge Judd that the purpose was never to adhere to the agreement, in effect that the real Intent was to promise anything that would secure statehood, and this apostle treated he matter as a good joke upon the Government that had "oppressed" the Saints and especially upon the Gentiles in Utah that had been so long . insisting that the church should come within the lines of law and decency. Well, with such a record, and with the organ of this church counseling this people in effect that If the laws are broken it is none of their business, and, if questioned, the question being to unearth possible crime, to keep their mouths shut, what can be expected when witnesses are put under oath in the courts? When a body of men who represent a thing called "The Church H of Jesus Christ" deliberately conspire to secure jH a political point by placing the organization jH which they represent in the full light of a cove- JH nant breaker, what respect for law or the obli- jH gations of an oath can be expected on the outside? H When a so-called church can flourish on the ac- H knowledged falsehoods of its managers and grave H Senators can be made to rise in the Senate of H the United States and declare that after a watch H of thirty years they have never seen anything H in the manifestations of the Mormon church dif- H ferent from any other church; when other grave H Senators, sworn to uphold the laws, tearfully pic- jM ture the sufferings which the Saints in Utah have endured for their religion; when still another JM grave senator who has had the full vote of all j those Mormon in his slate, secured by contract, M for thirty years; never has heard of their inter- M ference in political matters; when a grave Utah H judge certifies that, from actual investigation, he fl knows that polygamy and the living in polygamy M have positively ceased in Utah, what can be ex- M pected of the herd, why should it be a matter of ' surprise or indignation if, now and then, a police- , man or the keeper of a dead fall, for a con- M sideration, commits perjury? M With the air saturated with falsehoods with a M purported organ of a church, with "Truth" printed 'M at the head of its columns, counseling the con- : cealment of the truth and with the chlefest of- fleers of the church living and prospering on their i'H falsehoods, without shame, and plenty of Gentiles patting them on the back and approving their H covenant breaking; what wonder if now and then !H a wretch with no reputation to lose and no soul il to save, commits perjury? And why talk about fil punishing the wretches while the greater mis- ll creants go free? tl |
