New-York tribune., 1881-12-12

organization. believe all the members Of 1t who :.
through theEndowment House teke an oath Of bost,s
TO the Government, and have myself heard treasonah,s
doctrines preached in the Salt Lake Tabernacle In nv
judgment 1t VIII he necessary ultimately "a
deal with the question from this standpoint unless Con-
adopts Immediately eectua measures TO pre
vent the practice and spread Of poygamy for that Is tbe
OF the Church. Polygamy gives all VINO ou
the society community OF interest in crime And thai
too, ia why the priests insist so strenuonsly on
the practice OF polygamy. They know that
the interest In crime will strengthen
the Church. and make it better able to accomplish Its
''What footing has Mormonisrn gained in Tdahoi"
Bear Lake County is populated exclusively by Nor
mons. The last census gave SC population of 5000
Oneida County having the largest representation IN the
Territorial Legislature, Is controlled by the Mormons,
who have population of 1000 ont OF total OF 1900
In Cassa County they have number OF settlements and
are enabled by throwing their votes Tor ta9se yn9 are
as population Of about 10000, and TIRE Mormons num-
"What is the feeling in Idaho on the question !"
opirlon among the non-sIorpon population
and Repn6.ans alike are bitterly Opposed to Ia
Church and think there is very strong feeling among
adopt tho suggestions made last winter 10 break up the
practice Of poly gamy IN the Territory Previous TO my
by any OF my predecessors. Consequently the
Legislature was not elected on that Issue. think,
ton and that we will succeed in eecng majority Of
the OF the Legislature pledged TO deal wth the
question efecually Al present, under Onf Territorial
laws our courts pOweTless to deal with IT, under
the antipOlygamy law passed by CONGRESS IN 1852 Ou
United States Courts have no jurisdiction,
as all the plural marriages are performed
in the Endowment House. in salt Lake CITY, or III the
Temple ut ST. George Utah have not seen the text Of
the bill recently introduced in the Seuae understand,
however, its chief features the permttingo wives In
certificate OF all marriages performed IN Utah 20 re fled
Office of the Clerk OF the Supreme Court The first
provision Is wen enough, but tne iattef one VIII
amount to nothing, because all these marriages
are performed in secret and are religious, nos
Legal ceremonies. y Judgment Is that Congress shOnd
first do away with the present legislative power in
Utah and confer upon Commission TO be appOn ted
by the President ana confirmed Dy tne senate ILo
Commission should be composed OF cizeEs OF tie Ter
ritory Congress could OF course retain the power 20
approve dsapprove the legislation OF the Comrnis.
sion. The veto power should aiso he leit In the
Governor, but not absolutely ds: as ,,r,ai At
in Utah should aso be changed and made to conform 20
the practices in the states and other Territories at
present il is almost impossible TO obtain aJy which
not composed principally Of M0rmons.
81 very much pleased with the decided stand Presl
dent Arthur has taken, and II IL gratifying To those ho
understand the question to Hnow tnGt ne intends To make
IL prominent one In bis Administrator MOrlnonlsm
is opposed all industries particularly 10 mining,
which is the greatest interest on the faehc slope IL
the Mornons had the power tley woud no. permit an
Of 10 be mined, nor indeed, wond they allow
any hostile 70 their peculiar institutions to settle
a free country like TINS the Mormon priest
hood exercises 50 egpetsb burch 'ghG over over
of explanation The Mormon population is largely made
up OF the lowest and most sperstitiOus classes OF for
efgners In their countries they were accustomed
to submit 10 priestly domination or they lived under
despctic Government. When brought 10 America they
are nut on the NewYOrk and taken rapidly
possible O Utah, where they placed for setement
In exclusively Mormon communities. They have
scpn nothing and know nothing OF American
ideas and institutions, and permitted TO learn moth
ing OF them. They visited constantly by Mornon
presis their conduct is watched. and in fact there Is the
most complete system Of espionage that could possibly
he devised IL is not surprising then that they submit
willingly to that which they were accustomed
10 in the countries from which they came
And, again, before they came here they had
nothing probably which they could call their
Here after declaring their intention To become cifizen
they take up home on the Government land In thls
respect condition Is infinitely better than before,
and the Mormon Church receives in the minds OF these
ignorant people, all the glory and credit for this in
DrUYeMcnt in their affairs"