Arizona citizen., 1877-09-08
THE CITIZEN.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER s, 1877
BRIGHAM YOUNG'S DEATH.
TrOuhIOus Times Ahead for she
 Mormon Church.

SALT LAKE CITY, August 29.-Brig- ham Young died at four o'clock this afternoon, of inflammation of the bow els.
 There is no disgusting the fact that his death will materially weaken, If not destroy, the Mormon Church. The litigation and complications which must immediately arse from the finan- cial troubles his avarice has entailed upon the church, can hardly be surviv- ed.
 IL is conceded on all sides tonight that the successorship to the position of the Presidency will be bitterly con tested by the friends of John W. Young and Brigham Young, Jr., the prophets sons, George Q. Cannon and John Fay Tor. The majority of the leading Nor mons will oppose the succession of the Young family.
 The division, if not disIntegratlon, of the church, is predicted by the most in- telligent and best posted citizens. The removal of Brigham Young will be the emancipation of thousands from the rule of the priesthood, The opposition to the succession of either John w, Young or Brigham Young. Jr., to the Presidency of the Church IS outspoken, and in very many cases most bitter, John W, who is the only one al all fit- ted, by natural or acquired ability, for the position, is financially bankrupt, and has, until the last six months, been suspected of apOstasy. He returned | from an eastern residence last fall en- barrassed, and imposed heavy losses upon the Prophet, upon whose credit he had been operating. He was made First Counselor to President Brigham without passing through the subordl- nate grades of promotion, contrary to the usage of the Church, in order to- place him in a II re of succession, and since that time he has been very ac- tive, with Brigham's assistance, in working his way into position to fill the Prophets place when the tune came. The appointments have been. made and wires laid with that end in view; but there is a strong, outspOken and rapidly organizing opposition toI the Young dynasty, based upon the per sOnal untltness Of the candidates, as well as upon the determination on the i part of the Church leaders to rid them selves of the pecuniary embarrassmentsI that Brigham's avarice and selfish man agemenJ has entailed upon the Church, and to be exempt from the censureI which the developments of the last few months have made of the murders and blood-atonement doctrines of the | Church, which are claimed 10 be Brig Aamism and not legitimate Mormon | ism. \ strong party favor the reten- | tion of the succession in abeyance, al- 1 lowing John Taylor, who Is President | of the Quorum of Twelve, to act eX-of- ] lClO ACSluCul Ol lllC 1Aui Nu. dl lOl is not only ambitious, but entirely un- scrupulous He was with Joseph and ! Hyrum Smith at NauvOO at the time of l their assassination, and was filed with ! bullets on that occasion. He Is not al business man, but Is, Tn every sense of | the word, religious fanatic, with more ! brains than the Prophets son. \ strong faction iaYOrs George e. Cannon, who has been a great fayOrIte of Brigham's He is a smooth, cun-I ming, well-spoken man, and popular with the masses, and present Delegate in Congress. He has been a member of the Presidents household and has oc- cupIed position of confidence which he must, in a great measure, betray, to- the weakening of John w Young's |. chances, by being candidate himself. l There are many who not only believe, but openly express the opinion, that the Presidency should be taken from the family of Joseph Smith, and this class do not hesitate to apply the words |" intruder" and usurper to Brigham Young, and declare that the succession shall not pass to his family.
 The contest will be bitter one. The crimination and recriminatIon that will accompany thlS contest will be gathered up by outsiders as legitimate fruits of a warfare in which they have no other interests than the total ami hilation of all belligerents.