New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-19
THE MORMON QUESTION.
voters.

The patience with which decent people have
| listened to the stories of despotism and license
at Salt Lake City for some years past was
founded, we dare say in great measure upon
| the conviction that before the food of light
which the opening of tho Pacific Railroad
would pour into the dOminions of Brigham
Young, the dark superstition of the Latter Day
Saints must speedily break away. The road is
OPEN and already the conflict has begun.
There is yet no direct rail communication with
the:MOrmOn capital, but there soon will be; and
meanwhile the locomotive traverses tho whole
breadth Of the territory of Utah, and
stations and GENTLE settlements are spring
ing up all along its path. 1t seems impossible
that polygamy and absOlutsm should long
withstand the great steam civilizer; but Brig
ham Young fights hard for his supremacy, and
even the Gentiles of Salt Lake City doubt
whether he will not succeed in keeping it.
The cornerstone of his system is popular igno-
rance and tho safeguard of ignorance is isO-
lation. A year ago, therefore, he began cru
SADIE for the purpose of driving out the Gentle
merchants and shopkeepers, forbidding his
people to have any dealings with them; but
the laws of trade were stronger than sermons,
and the prophets commands were never
faithfully Obeyed. A few months ago,
Brigham tried another expedient. This
was nothing else than the conversion Of all the
trade of the city into one grand cooperative en-
teTprise, in which of course mono but MOrmOns
were to share. The scheme took the form of
revelation, and was instantly put into practice.
Individual traders turned their stock into the
general cOncern-mOst of them of course losing
money by the OperatOn-and the organization
opened its grocery, dry goods, and hardware
shops all over the settlements. 1t is too soon
yet to judge of the success of the undertaking; but
trade is flowing fast into the new channel, and
competition is rigidly suppressed. Private per-
sons may sell goods as much as they please but
they must not sell for less than the cO0pera-
tive shops
The success of this plan would do more than
anything, else could do to drive Gentiles out of
the territory and prolong Brigham's lease of
power; but we must not forget that the dan
ger to Mormonism is not only in associa-
ton with more enlightened population, but
in the dissemination Of intelligence among the
MormOns themselves. The railroad may not
bring in shOpkeepers; but nothing can prevent
its introducing books and newspapers. Our
correspondent well remarks that "even
Nho IIdSlue5b Oh y6IlON covered novels
ARE dangerous enemies to Mormonism -
and, when the literature of the day is easily pro-
durable, as it is already in Utah, isolation is at
an end put these people face to face with the
opinions of mankind, bring them into sympa-
thy with the progress of the rest of the world,
and they will no longer feel that they are set
apart from all the race, and can submit to a
tyranny or reyel in loathsome practice at
which civilized nations lift up their hands in
horror. Perhaps it is upon the women that the
book, the newspaper the magazine will have
the quickest effect; and SO the first notifications
of the Mormon tyranny will spring
from their resistance. Yet, even with the de-
struction of the prophets supremacy, which we
can hardly think far distant, a sudden over
throw of polygamy cannot be expected The
man who has two wives is a slave bound for.
ever to the Mormon system. He cannot leave
the Territory, and he cannot leave the church.
lie must bear for life the burden of supersti-
ton which he has taken upon his shoulders.
With the woman, it is still worse. If she cuts
herself loose from the creed which she NAV
have learned to hate, every respectable door
is closed against her, and life is shameful and