The New York herald., 1877-08-31
The Future of Mormoni.m.

The Mormon problem is simplifed by the
death of Brigham Young; and the govern
ment having at last, by the Southern policy
of President Hayes, got rid Of oil the ques-
tions which grew out Of slavery, the time
has come for giving the coup de grace to
polygamy, that other "twin relic OF barbar-
ism" against which the republican party
declared war in it's first national platform
in 1856 The more formidable and
strongly intrenched of the ''twin relies"
was the soonest extinguished, and it is
partly owing to the absorption OF the
public mind in the Southern controversy
that poly gamy has stood its ground so long
There is no excuse for its further tolera-
ton. Previous to the completion OF the
Pacific Railroad the remote situation OF
Utah. and the difficulty of supplying an
army which would have to approach that
Territory over long stretch of desert, may
have been a good reason for temporizing:
but it is disgraceful to the government that
it gave any quarter to Mormon crimes after
Utah became accessible to troops at mod
crate expense. man who marries more
than one wife in any other Territory or in any
State of the Union is promptly hunted down
by the law and lodged in State prison for
the crime Of bigamy. But in Utah lechers
with two wives or twenty have set justice
at defiance, as if crime were question OF
mere geography and as if laws against it
had no foundation in morals. The authority
of Congress is absolute in the Territories,
and if one of our State governments should
tolerate bigamy OF polygamy within its ju-
risdiction 1t would not be more inexcusable
than Congress is in failing to eradicate this
crime in Utah.
The death of Brigham Young makes it
easy for the government to discharge it's
long neglected duty. The duty was, indeed,
equally imperative while that individual
lived 1t did not beft the dignity of a
great and powerful government to permit
its laws to be treated with scorn and
trampled under foot because a crafty re-
ligious impostor stood in its way, with
resistance. Even that obstacle is at last
removed. The way is now open for
uprooting the second "twin relic of bar
barism," and visiting it with an irreversible
fate like that which overlook slavery, the
other twin relic. 1t is the duty of the gov
ernment to improve this opportunity before
the Mormons recover from the disorganizing
shock caused by the death of their chief.
Even if there were a man among them capa-
BILE of replacing Brigham Young it would
require considerable time for him to gather
up the reins. Congress is to meet soon, and
it ought to strike while the Mormons are
distracted and enfeebled by loss of the Wig
orous guidance which was the main element
of their strength. Polygamy may be ended
at once and ended forever if Congress is
equal to the occasion.
But whether Congress sees and improves
this great opportunity or not, the death Of
Brigham Young portends the early down
fall of Mormonism. A small population of
about one hundred thousand souls cannot
furnish another man Of equal craft, courage,
energy and administrative capacity. In
deed Brigham himself who was skilful
Judge of character, long ago perceived that
there is no man among the leading Nor
mons whose talents could give him title
to the successorship, and the worldly wise
prophet thought it safe to put his three sons
by his first wife in training for that posi-
ton Some twelve years ago, by the
ceremony OF laying on Of hands he conse-
Grated all three Of them as apostles, although
none of them had displayed such ability as
could stand against o strong rival after his
fathers death. 1t was because Brigham saw
that one Of his sons would encounter no
strong rival, it was because he had taken
the measure of all the prominent men in
the community and knew their incompe-
tence, that he judged it feasible to keep the
succession in his own family, notwithstand-
ing the mediocrity of his sons. Since their
consecration as apostles Joseph, the
oldest, has died q drnnkard Brig
ham, the second, has turned out to
be little better than nincompoop
but john the designated successor, is rep
resented to be man of good business tai
ents and considerable force Of character
But it requires great deal more than fair
capacity to transact business to WELD the
despotic authority Of Brigham Young
This son has none Of the religious feryor,
real or simulated, which was the strongest
hold of his father on q community Of fa-
natics. His influence, if he should prove
to have any, will be founded on respect for
a son Of the deceased prophet and on the
large estate he inherits. But vast
property coming into the possession of
man who has no fanaticism and no strong
thirst for power will quite unfit him
for playing the r6ie of the father.
He will care more for the inherited estate
than for the inherited authority. He will
be likely to make the same uses Of his
wealth that are customary among men who
inherit large fortunes, and to care more for
the sociI estimation il will hrinn him fhan