Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-03-18

From the Chicago Courier. 's 4
THE MORMON PROBLEM.


There is great commotion in the
kingdom of the Latter Day Saints
concerning the probable action OF
the federal authorities with respect
to polygamy. There is much anx
iety in the halls of Congress with
regard to the measures necessary to
the prevention of the incipient
Mormon rebellion. In Utah there
prevails spirit of resolute defiance
and lawlessness, the more danger
Gus from the fact that the Mormons
are mostly aliens to our soil, and
are entirely unfamiliar with our So
cial system, its customs or tradi-
tions. The United States auth ori
ties have demanded return of in
come from Brigam young and have
been refused. They have assessed
the income of the Church them
selves, and have been shot at. How
best to lay the axe at the root of
the Mormon evil is one of the most
serious questions for the considera-
ton OF Congress.
Representative Cnllom has intro
duced a bill, which if put into exc
cution would certainly destroy po
lygamy and Mormonism together.
1t is equally true that his bill can
not be enforced without an expen-
sive war. The practical question
is, is the present destruction of po-
lygamy worth the cost Of a war ?
There are various answers to this
question There are many who
insist that Mr.. Cullom's bill would
quire too large an expenditure of
men and money for its enforcement.
neither of which the country can
now well spare. Besides, they be
lieve that the desired end can be at
tanned by simpler and more mex
pensive, if slower, methods. It is
mot an absolute question whether
the government must be ruler in
the land or Brigham, but whether
Brigham may not the mole easily
be destroyed by peace than by war.
whether the disorganizing elements
of which this incongruous polyga-
nous system is composed, with ad
yancing civilization, the. iron raj
that binds, and all that, will not i'm
perceptibly assert their mutual indie
pendence, and thus destroy the pa
triarchal unity of the Mormon flock
Pagan province that it is, they be
lieve it will be destroyed by it's OWL
idols. In the conflict between the
Pacific Road and it's attendant inf1u
ences and the Mormon Church, it is
insisted that the latter must yield
And in support Of such view tht
facts are cited that already a very
dangerous schism has arisen in thu
Church, that tbore are those who
tdeny the prophets and argue tha
1polygamy is not the chief corner
stone, and that these several fac
tions hate each other with the very
hearty hatred which hitherto ha:
alone been reserved for the Gel
tiles. To foster these schismati,
chickering's, to encourage the con
tentions of Morn ons orthodox an(
Mormons heterodox, is deemed te
be the wisest governmental policy
The Cullom bill would re unite th'
divided house and create a sole
front, where else the governmen
might only have hostile bands O
1skirmishers to deal with. Besides
| it never will do to let these heather
believe that the blood of their mar
,ttyrs is to become the seed of thei
4 church, and thus to persecute then
into a more vigorous existence
And to Increase the force of thi
opinion, it is urged that the fey
Gentiles in the territory are Opposes
to Mormon war for the very nat
4ural reason that they would be th
first to be butchered, and they pre-
fer if possible to let the Pacific roa
batter dowd the stronghold of pc
lygamy. For the rest, there ha
been one Mormon war the onl
fruits of which were the death of
good many soldiers, useless eS
} penditure, and a triumph of an Ell
emy that now believes itself invir
cible. Accordingly they tell Cor
Igress- hold its peace and allo'
the attrition of civilization to wes
away the Mormon rock.
On the other hand there are thos,
having no less the interests of ecor
omy and peace at heart, who ure
that the government cannot broo
such outrageous violation of its al
thority, and that little none
lspent, and blood. shed, if need b
now, will prevent greater sacr
fee hereafter. The scorpions ep
should be crushed, The mum ero!
:, attempts to solve the Mormon prol
lem heretofore by legislation ha,
failed. and the laws still rema
dead letters on the statute book
because there was no power 10 e
% force them. By the territorial la
of Utah polygamy and increase N
to-day a crime, but, so impote
are the laws, that they might
le well be deemed the chiefest virtue
Legislation without adequate pro,
sion for it's enforcement is wor
4than futile. 1t increases h