A SPICY DISCUSSION ON MORMONISM.
Senator Brown Arouses the Ire of Sen-ator Hoar by Declaring that the Morals of New England Are No Better than Those of Utah.
WASHINGTON, May 27.—In the Senate reports were submitted on the Danville and Copiah in vestigations.
The bill granting the right of way through the Yellowstone Park to the Cinnabar & Clark's Fork railroad was taken up on motion of Mr. Sawyer.
Mr. Vest said if this system was commenced it would end in the destruction of the park for the purposes for which it was originally cre-ated.
Mr. Garland offered an addition to the amendment giving Congress the right at any time to repeal, amend or modify the act.
Mr. Logan also entered a vigorous protest against any railroad corporation being allowed to enter the Park to destroy the beauty, or subvert it from the purpose for which it was created. "I have been lobbied more in behalf of this bill," continued Mr. Logan, "by an official of this gov-ernment getting $5,000 a year than I ever was before in my life. I think it is in bad taste for an officer of the department entrust-ed with the care of the Park to become a lobbyist for its destruction. Whatever this gentleman may think about my remarks is immaterial to me. I have been friendly with him, but I must say that in a great measure I lose my respect for any man, who, being an officer of the government, be-comes a lobbyist for a corporation. That has been done persistently in the Senate, and in the House, day after day. Probably enough Senators have been button-holed to pass this bill to destroy the park, but I wish to put my-self on record against such action."
Mr. Vest said the Secretary of the Interior had issued an order prohibiting transportation through the park except by the Rufus Hatch Improvement Company. The park was as ab-solutely under the control of that company as if it was their private property.
"Do I understand," asked Mr. Ingalls, "that no person can go into the park except by means of horses and vehicles of this company's."
"This was the order," said Mr. Vest, "in spite of the fact that we declared by an act of Congress there should be no monopoly."
Mr. VanWyck said the country would rejoice that light was beginning to break in upon the Senate and revealing the grasping monopolists who were doing so much harm to our national interests.
After some further debate the bill went over. The Utah bill then came up as unfinished business. Mr. Brown delivered a prepared speech in support of his amendment, making adultery the sole cause for divorce in the Dis-trict of Columbia and the Territories of the United States. The speech was somewhat re-markable in differing from the popular opinions in regard to Mormonism. Mr. Brown recog-nized polygamy as immoral and vicious, but said an immense amount of cant and hypocrisy was brought to its consideration. People ab-horred it in Utah, but winked at it in other sec-tions under different names. He contrasted Massachusetts with Utah in regard to monogamy, properly so-called. The Mormons, he said, supported their wives and offsprings, but the libertines of New England de-nied all responsibility for the results of their vice and immorality. A nation of Mormons was impossible, but hosts of libertines were, springing up every-where. Prostitution was rampant, and the crime of foeticide alarmingly on the increase. He was ready to sanction all constitutional legislation for the suppression of polygamy and to suppress illegal divorce, prostitution and foeticide in New England and elsewhere, but he was not willing to violate the oath he had taken to support the constitution to gratify New England sentiment or suppress any sect or denomination, however unpopular. He could see no difference between the polyga-mists of Utah and the adulterer of New Eng-land, and it was unjust to pass laws to punish the one and let the other go scot-free.
Mr. Hoar replied to the strictures of Mr. Brown, which, he declared, seemed to indicate that the Senator from Georgia believed that Mormonism was right and that polygamy was better than the lawful marriage of one hus-band to one wife—that Mormonism was better than Christianity as the governing principles of a nation. That at any rate was the logi-cal result of the speech. As to the attack on New England he had little to say The facts and figures relating to marriage and divorce in that section were open to all; but he protested against a strained con-trast which represented that section in a worse condition than Utah. There were some pecu-liar conditions in Georgia, or how else could the presence of large numbers of mulattoes in that State be accounted for? He proceeded to enumerate the evils of Mormonism and to af-firm that provisions of the bill are strictly con-stitutional and absolutely requisite to stamp out growing iniquities which Mormonism promotes and encourages.
At 5:10 p. m. the Senate refused to adjourn by 27 yeas to 27 nays. A motion to go into execu-tive session was also lost by 29 nays to 29 yeas. In view of this equality of sentiment, Mr. Hoar consented to an adjournment, stating that he wanted to get the bill through this week.
Mr. Voorhees gave notice that he would to-morrow press the ‘Mexican veterans' pensions bill.
19th Century Mormon Article Newspaper Index
