The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-12-27
TEE MORMON

l g## SEH4H |"S4TT0 H5#aHWEN
MOI question and lie sentiments in regard to
the pec,t liar iistitation are well understood.
The difficulties in the way OF reaching the
matter and curing the evil have also Keen rec
oguized and advsrted to. The Republican
psrty has been hamnering on this question
for the past twenty years, as its
peculiar hobby, and has been NEST Of the
time in power; and at this late day is forced
to the humiliating confession that Mormon
isn is spreading. Every Republican nation
al convention has adopted . plank against
this Swim relic of barbarism," and at the
it was but stuff to deceive. In view Of the
MINERS well known hostility to Mormon
doctrine aud practice, 1t is q little remarkable
that the Inter Mountain should intimat that
this journal is a Mormon a~pologist. Thu re-
tort could be made with far greater PLAUSIBLE
and manager have spent much of their time
in Utah, IS a covert and chosen organ of
President Taylor. 1t is not in itself q dis
grace TO have been in Utah; to have been
brought over frsm England in an emigrant
ship with Mormon funds; to have lived much
in Utah; or to have been in the hos m of the
Mormon church, if the persons SO unfortunate
shall show by the walk and conve sation Of
their after lives that the influences thrown
about their tender years and the ideas that
once threatened to shape their existence had
been thoroughly erAdicAted.'
The Inter Mountain does indeed subject
itself to the suspicion that Pre- ,ident Taylor
has commissioned it to laber for the CONVEX
sion Of the deladad residents of Montana.
This hierarch Of . polluted system has
shrewdness enough to know that persecution
.ill strengthen it, and it may be a part of his
policy to labor for the destruction of the po-
litica! rights of his people and to bring about
such g condition OF affairs that man&cled
Mormons may be seen dragged through the
streets to loathsome dungeons. Intelligent
PEI pie realize that anything of this kind
would do more to strengthen Mormonism
than all the missionaries that Brigham and
Taylor have raked from the scum of Mormon
society have ever accomplished. The early
martyrs, chanting anthem. at the stake, and
enduring with fortituds to tho end, did more
to convince the world of their faith and sin
cerity than an ago of exhortation aud argu-
ne t could have done.
Tha MINER has at al times recognized the
fact that, while the discussion of the Mormon
question i'll Utah was largely theoretical and
speculative, the question in Montana was one
of the most important practically. When
the President sounded the note Of danger in
regard to the Mormon colonization of adjoin-
ing States and Territories, the Dan Ser was
enforced u son the attention of the people.
Here 10 the only place that We can fight the
Mormon question efficiently. 1t is important
that a public sentiment be educated in this
Territory that shall cause every ore with The
odor of Mormouism about him to take q back
~ternizes with people of that class, thrusts
them into}public position, invites them into
their families and into association with their
wives and daughters, cannot hope long 10
escape the horde that must inevitably fellow
the forerunners who have been sent to spy
out the land. Let this community imagine
for q inoment in what Estimation it would be
held by the civilized world, if it should per-
nit amy piu-headed priest of lechery, chosen
from q ward school of the Mormon capital
by President Taylor to go forth on a mission,
to come here ana instruct the people and
attempt to direct their action in public sflair..
10 permit anything Of this KIN would be
I" slavish and un-American." This feature
Of the Mormon question is one that the peo-
pie of Montana caunot afford to overlook.
Dare the Inter Mountain join in warni ing the
people of this danger?