The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-02-08
ZEE IEAp1Na editorial article in the

The LEADING editorial article in the
Continental GGSstte, Paris, of Janu-
ary 18th, treats the Mormon question
in its present political place, and for
9 wonder, the writer seems TO have q
very fair idea of the subject and stu
alton. 1t seldom occurs that Euro
pean editor, and particularly one on
the continent, has anything like an
intelligent or CORE ct idea of America,
or any Of her institutions. The
Gazette writer evidently knows more
Of America and the Mormons than
the average among his brother edi.
tors. We reproduce the article:
At last, according to the newspapers,
the doom of the Mormons is sealed. The
necessity that they shall be deprived Of
political power; certain members of Con-
gress are occupying themselves with pat
riotic devotion to measures for their
humiliation, division and coercion, and
the admission Of the territory Of Utah
into the Union. One of the most chart
table propositions that ia now being pro-
mulgsted is to divide Utah among the
neighboring states and territories, and so
turn their influence from q unit into a
number of fractions. This might, ct first
sight, appear rsther bard on the Nor
mons, but upon further consideration the
haf
would control each state to which they
were Joined, each fraction becoming q
unit? On the other hand, this seems
| like q most efficscious method Of GRIP
! ping the power Of q couple Of hundred
| thousand obnoxious citizens, and might
have the same effect as looping oil s
mans legs and arms, only that these are
| not likely to become men, while the clti-
zens, wherever placed, continue to act
and TO increase. Let the splitters think
of this. There are some wise people who
protest that the opposition of the poll
ticians against the Mormons supplies the
element that is most wanted TO perpetuRte
| their religious Institutions. These re.
mark: "Give religionists martyr, and
some good spirited persecution, and their
success is assured" However this may
be, it would be an interesting, if not an
amusing study, to see the reception of the
news at Philadelphia or at Boston that
Congress had formed q conspiracy to
divide up the territory of Pennsylvania
| and Massachusetts among the adjoining
stRtes. But the inhabitants of these states
have rights that others are bound to re-
spect; with the Mormons it is different
They receive more attention from the
outside world than any society in Amer
lea. Their welfare and Happiness are con-
SANITY being inquired into By philanthro.
pists like the Rev. Joseph Cook, and
others Of similarly charitable intention:
and disinterested motives. That they
should be reformed, or even killed with
kindness, is not at all surprising when
one considers the vast amount of care
and affection lavished upon them by th'
preachers, press and politicians. But Il
seems that they have disregarded the
efforts of all, and, in their exquisite in
gratitude, have actually preferred to
manage their own affairs. No actor
could possibly be too rigorous against {
people who are beset with such astonish
ing depravity. All other great evils have
been suppressed throughout the Union
and the reduction of the Mormons from
political power will make the country
perfect.