Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-10

Ing and Refining Influence-Inter-
view with a Commercial Traveller.
St. Louis Nesrs
Very few people who have not travel
ed in the Far West have any correct idea
of the condition of the Territories, more
particularly the Territory of Utah,
looked at from a moral or religious
standpoint, and aside from the beastli-
ness of Mormonism. Recently a re-
porter of the News was introduced to
Mr.. II. G. Simpson, a commercial trav-
eler of this city, who had just returned
from a trip combining business and
pleasure in Utah, and adjacent Terrific
ries. The present efforts of the clergy
and others to wipe out Mormonism was
the topic of discussion for a time, and
then Mr.. Simpson gave some particulars
of the country.
Gambling, he said, is the prevalent
vice, and 1t is made attractive by the
most elegant and luxurious surround
ings. In fact, there are no such rich and
sumptuous apartments to be found any
where in the West as the gambling sa
looms. The furniture is the costliest that
money can buy, and the heavy carpets.
brilliant lights and other accessories of
these apartments are on scale of mag
niflcence altogether unequaied even in
the mansions Of many millionaires. In
each of these saloons there is, of course,
bar; and it is not an unusual thing for
young man to squander $500 of his
earnings in the gilded palaces on Satur-
day night. In the little town of Haley,
in the Wood River country, Mr.. Simp-
son said he once attended religious SER
vices in tent. and during the evening
the noisy revels of an adjoining gam
bling hell were distinctly heard, as well
as the voices of the ballad sing
ers in another haunt of pleasure near
by.
81 suppose there is very little atten-
ton paid to religious matters among the
frequenters of such resorts, said the re
porter
mo, indeed" replied Mr.. Simpson.
There is not day school, church, a
Sunday school or minister in the Wood
River country. Between Ogden and
Reno, in Utah, although there are thirty
seven railroad stations, they have only
two small Sunday schools-not single
minister or church; and this state of
spiritual neglect is the same in at least
six Territories, and to great extent in
the State of Nevada. One min
lister to every 1900 people, or to every
1000 square miles, would be about the
average"
do the people read much? What
sort of literature, if any, do they chiefly
buy?"
well, that is question that suggest :
ed itself to me. and l propounded it to
newsboy or peddler on one of the
trains. What do you suppose his answer
WASP"
II have no idea," said the reporter.
'Ingersoll's lectures command the
readiest sale, and the COWBOYS of the
West are the most Unsuitable readers of
every thing from the great infdel. There
is boldness, and looseless too, about
him that catches their fancy, and of
course those whose business it is to sup
ply them with papers and books soon
learn their tastes and choice Trashy
novels and lives of border heroes sell
like hot cakes, but few works of real
value are ever disposed of. l think, to
speak seriously, that the churches do not
60 to work among these people in the
right way when they do work at all.
Their tracts and namby-pamby, goody-
goOdy books arc despised, while a stand
ard novel, written by a clever author,
and with the moral, if it had one, left for
the reader to discover instead of being
paraded and dwelt upon every page.
would be read with avidity and would
have an influence for good"
''What sort of creatures are the COW
boys, as a ruleS" asked the reporter.
They are of all sorts. Some of them
are honest, gOOd-natured fellows, full of
mischief, it is true, but not malicious;
while others are the lowest of the low.
Sometimes they come into town for a
spree and while under the influence of
liquor ride up and down the streets
shooting at men, women and children, as
their inclination prompts, and then ride
away and are seen no more until another
spree is planned. But then it is not to be
wondered at that they are dissolute and
ugly. They are surrounded by no re-
filming influence of any kind, and
of Christianity they are totally igno-
rant"
DO the MormOns anticipate any Sc
rious trouble nOw2"
"They are very shrewd people. and
their President John Taylor, has vast in
fuence over them. Mormonism is one
man power, and Taylor is their leader.
Ii he selects man to found a colony
anywhere, no matter what business the
man is engaged in, he must obey the
head of the church, sell his goods or
farm, or whatever he possesses, and do
the bidding of his master, who is never
disObeyed. The worst feature of Nor.
mon rule is that the United States Gov
eminent is not recognized, and if any of
its laws are ObPyed it is only done as
matter of policy. The laws of the
country should be enforced in Utah as
well as elsewhere, and it is the duty of
the President and Congress to see that
they are"
"HOw do the Gentiles in Utah get
along with the Mormons2"
"The Gentiles or Christians are mostly
timid people who take things for the
most part easy, knowing they are power.
less to remedy the existing state of af-
fairs, and many of them are afraid of
the power of the Mormon Church, which
can be used to their disadvantage in
many ways. Then there are so many So
called Christians among government of
ficials-gambleTs. whisky guzzlers, ire
ligiOus and licentious men-that the
Mormons are really saints in comparison.
1t is not an infrequent thing fer a church
ball in Ogden-and they have such things
every two weeks-to end IN a drunken
row. Just think of John Taylor preach
ing on the 'Corrupting Influence of the
Gentiles, and proving his words by well
known comparisons, and you can form
an idea OF how strong a hold Mormon
ism has upon the people. tell you it
is time for action in Utah, for the on
ward march of emigration will be slow
to eradicate the evil of Mormonism I'M
less governmental interference comes to
the rescue. The country is rich and
paradise to live in, but it belongs
to the United States and United
States laws should be respected, en-
forced and obeyed in every corner of
our country. Those are my senti-
ments.