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Show THE MORMONS' FRIEND ON MORMONS. MOR-MONS. If there is a man in the Union who has ever been a friend of the Mormons, that man is Dr. George L. Miller, editor of the Omaha Herald. He has always given them every credit for their virtues, and so friendly has he been that he has almost thought that e'en their "failings leaned to virtue's side." In his paper of Friday last he commented upon the cases of Hiram B. Clawson and S. W. Sears. Dr. Miller preferred the course taken by Mr. Sears to that pursued by Mr. Clawson, and said that Mr. Sears had followed the good example of Bishop Sharp. For the editor of the Herald, it is an impossibility impossi-bility to understand the reasoning upon which Mr. Clawson based his action, ac-tion, and he cannot but think that when men prefer to suffer fine and imprisonment im-prisonment out of respect and icgard for their families "and their religion, "such men as Mr. Clawson are guilty of great wrongs against their own children and people in the course they are pursuing." And so it must look to all men who are not blinded by religious zeal. If a man is convicted and sentenced to imprisonment imprison-ment and cannot avoid such imprisonment imprison-ment save by giving a promise of obedience obedi-ence to the law, and his family are dependent upon him for their support and for guidance, where can he give them such support and guidance best, in jail or out of jail? But th argument is made that if men promiso to obey the law they will necessarily neces-sarily have to cease living with those whom they have always treated as wives, and it is asked how those wives and their children will look ujKn such a husband and father. Are the wives any less guilty of breaking the law than the men, although there is no punishment punish-ment attached to the conduct, of the women? The children are innocent and blameless, and to them should be extended ex-tended all charity. If the children will look upon the conduct of the father in promising to obey the law and feel that they are dishonored in their father's act, is it not likely that they may feel dishonored dis-honored to see their fatl iers in fha ctrirvo.l j garb of the common convict, dressed in such garb because those same fathers j formed an illicit union, of which they are j the result, in defiance and violation of j l the laws of his and their country? j I It is a cheering and ennobling sight to I set? such sticklers for honor. They ' seem to think that a persistent violation ' of the laws will make the law wrong and them right. JIt won't. The people of Utah seem to think that they can bluff the Government if they shall but play their : game well. They are mistaken" again, i Dr. Miller says he "warned them of con- ' sequences that would be Inevitable as he 1 had done before when meeting them in Omaha." The people here know what that means. It means that the Govern-ment Govern-ment is determined to enfore the laws cost what it may, and that such measures ' j will be enacted as will accomplish the ', end sought. Dr Miller in his warning has told the Mormons that among the I things which are possible are disfran-. disfran-. chisement, 'legislative commissions, and confiscation of property. Perhaps the people peo-ple of Utah like the picture and desire to have it realized as soon as possible. It is only some two months until Congress meets, and when it does meet the people here may be certain that the President will make some recommendations on the Utah question, and they will not be milk and water suggestions, either. The people peo-ple here need not count upon any differences differ-ences between Democrats and Republicans Republic-ans in politics as a shield for them, because be-cause upon the Utah question they are substantially in accord. Why do not the people of Utah give to the suggestions of their friend, Dr. Miller, that calm and earnest consideration to which they and their author are entitled? It is always well to look before leaping. |
