The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-06-01
I he Daily Leader.
BRIGHAM THE PROPHET.
A Plain Talk With the Old Sinner.

An enterprising newspaper reporter
gives the following account of an inter-
view with President Young:
After abusing his mistress No. 10,
the prophet led the conversation to
Utah prospects. The interviewer
asked:
"Why is not Utah State? L see it
has twice the population that Colorado
and Nebraska had when they were made
states
Because the government is afraid
to make it state. Here we have a
territory with 30 incorporated cities, ,250
school houses, 10000 school children,
near 100, 900 people, and we are still
left a territory with no school land, no
school appropriation, and without one
single fostering care.''
''If Utah were state, what then?"
"Why, we would have moral state.
The Mormons are in the majority.
We'd break up bar-rooms shut up
gambling houses and break up prostitu
tion every where. It's this territorial
law that brings all the whisky and
gambling into Utah. Make Utah a
state, let us have the control, and we'll
make Salt Lake City the city of Zion.
Well make it godly, religious city.
Our people number over 10000. They
extend from Ogden clear down into
Arizona. They are all good, hard
working, praying religious people-all
trying to make two blades of grass
grow where, when came here in 1S47,
it was leafiess desert. We increase
80 percent faster than any other copnmu-
nifty. We receive 1900 Mormon emf
grants from England, Denmark and
Germany every year. Our missionaries
are at work converting the heather in
England, Palestine, France, Germany,
Denmark, Hindostan, China, Sandwich
Islands, and in fact every nation on
the globe. We have missionaries in
the Pacific islands, and even down in
Mississippi and Arkansas"
"Now, about public improvements"
I'VE have 700 miles Of railroad, aud 1
have telegraph wire running into
every town in the territory. See the
wires," said the prophet, pointing to
dozen wires running into his private
office. "We have 226 school houses,
built by my people, and mines rich
enough to stock the world with silver"
He said that the Mormons were self
sustaining. They made their own iron,
silver, cloth, and everything but rice,
sugar and coffee. They have immense
cooperative stores, and thriving popu-
lation of 10000. The Mormons didn't
want to fight; they were q peace-loving
people, and the prophet preached the
gospel Of peace. An experiment on
the part Of the government was thus
alluded to:
1.-THE government fought you once?"
suggested.
Yes; Floyd and Buchanan wanted
to get the troops out of the way before
South Carolina seeded, and so they
sent them over the plains to fight us.
This was in 1859. General Harney. the
squaw killer, led the troops. They
marched over the alkali plains, through
Colorado, spent about 100000, ,0U0, got
so far as Echo Canon and stopped. We
supplied them with provisions. We
had to or they would have starved; but
good Lordl how that army stole from
the government. Why, we sold flour to
Ben Holiday for $40 a barrel, and he
turned and sold to johnson for S29. so,
and when the war was over we bought
it back for 50. We really made money
from this Johnson crusade. We bought
sibley tents at 81 apiece, and wagons
enough to last for years, at half cost in
New England