The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-09-30

The Mormon Problem.
Recent occurrences in Utah indicate vigor.
GUS policy on the part Of the federal officials there
and ''polnt moral" to the Mormons. Owing
to the assumptions Of the saints and the appa-
rent Indifference Of the government the nation
has had very little practical authority In Utah.
The Mormons have been permitted to assume
political attitude antagonistic to the national
supremacy, to maintain system Of govern
ment foreign to the genius Of American insti-
buttons and to practice social system destruc-
tive Of the true idea of family relationship.
Politically Mormonism is theocracy in the
midst of democracy, a kingdom In the heart
Of q republic, and, Of course, cannot be much
longer allowed to assert itself within the terri
torial limits Of United States authority.
Socially Mormonism makes woman . con-
venienoe instead of companion and crucifes
the affections Of her heart instead of cultivat-
ing them. From whatever standpoint it is
viewed the whole system is retrogressive. and,
hence, incompatible with the increased intelli-
gence Of our times and the march Of modern
progress. But q happy change is being
wrought in Utah by the irmness of the federal
officials, and ''the peaceful revolution Of
IDEAS" inaugurated by schisms, the railroad
and closer contact of the rising generation
with the Gentiles.
The decision of Chief Justice Mexican trans
fers important judicial power from the Nor
mons to the United States courts in Utah;
and the order Of Governor Shaffer prohibits
the assembling of the militia except by his au-
thority, and directs that the arms in their pos
session be handed over to the Adjutant Gen
eral. The latest despatch from Utah states
that on Friday last forty United States SOL
diers made raid on certain houses in Provo,
fifty miles south of Salt Lake City, and that
physical force was used by them. No reason
Is assigned for this interference Of the troops,
but it is probable that the Mormons refused
compliance with the Governors order to de-
liver up their arms and that the soldiers were
called upon to execute the order.
The Mormon leaders, and not the masses of
the people, are responsible for the attitude Of
Utah towards the United States and for the
immense amount of misery that exists among
the saints themselves. Under the plea Of
divine direction they have assumed to set up
system of government where the will of the
people is ignored and the ''one man power" is
supreme system of government with which
they claim no human authority has the right
to interfere. Under the same solemn assump-
ton they have morally coerced the women
into the acceptance Of social system which
they constantly compare with prostitution,
asserting that their ''peculiar institution" is
better than the social sin Of Christendom.
Polygamy personi6ed promises to woman as
the reward of her temporal debasement
throne, q crown, celestial exaltation in the
eternal world. It takes her up to the highest
pinnacle of its imaginary temple and shows
her-not the kingdoms Of this world, but the
kingdoms of the world to come ''and the glory
of them," and says to her, CAN these will
give thee If thou wilt fall down and worship
me-" Woman is safe in following the example
of our Saviour. There is but one answer for
her to give to this polygamic tempter, and
that is to repeat the scathing sentence of our
Lord and Master, ''Get thee behind me,
Satan; )" and hardly have the withering words
of this just rebuke escaped her ere angels will
come and minister to her.
There Is but one opinion throughout the
United States and the whole Christian world
concerning the system which the Mormons
claim as their religion, and that is that it is
a sacrilegious monster. The only question
which individual people ask is, "What is to be
the end of 2" The question for the nation to
decide is, ''What is the best way to remove
it9" Some people are Of the opinion that if
let alone the question will soon solve itself
that its social popularity especially will at no
| distant day work out its own destruction.
| Some believe that it will soon succumb to the
potent power of the march of civilization.
Others say that a sweeping policy like that OF
the Cullom bill, backed up by bayonets, is the
| only efectual way to clean the Augean stable
| of Mormondom. In our opinion neither plan
| is desirable in itself. If let alone the Mormon
leaders would become more arrogant than
ever, and would continue to play the part Of
the spider to the fly as long as there were
| simple and ignorant people to be caught. The
Mormon male polygamist with his affections
withered and his conscience scared, is the
| Mephistopheles Of the marriage covenant /;
and he would continue to break the hearts
and destroy the lives Of unsophisticated
girls so long as they could be charmed into
his embrace by that siren song of Zion whose
everlasting refrain is that if they are ''sealed'
the Mormons alone would be to aggravate, not
to eradicate, the evil. Brigham Young begins
to see that the civilizing influences Of the age
are advancing on him. The Church records
have already been removed to secret hiding