The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-12
CANNON CHATS.
With a New York World Reporter
And C0rrects Some Mistakes of the
Pulpit and the Press.

|
tel upon matters connected with tina
Territory. Speaking OF the agitation
OF the Mormon question now goipe
on throughout the country, and the
recent pulpit utterances against the
MOrmons in this city, AR. Cannon
SAT-
The real object of all this fuss
AID noise just at the present time il
to create q prejudice sgsins! us 10
the minds of the people, to arouse
the religious sentiment of the country
and thereby to influence Congress to
do an unjust thing. l an the real
objective point OF sll these attacks,
and the intention ia to Iorce Congress
to decide against my claim to seat
in that body. One OF the clergymep
who preached sgainet the Mormons
last night talks about the influence
of the Mormon bishops on their peo
pie. think it is no worse for Nor.
mon bishop to try to exercise 40
Influence over his people than it is for
a minister here to attempt to coerce
Congress and dictate to the Committee
on Elections what its decision shall
be. Now all this talk about my in-
eligibility is prevalent aud mislead-
ing. | have already served four terms
In Congress and was elected the fifth
time by majority of nearly 1900
over my competitor. At the COM
mencement OF nay second term in
1865 6, this same question was raised,
and after a thorough investigation
the committee decided unanimously
In my favor. Notwithstanding ali
these facts Governor Murray gave a
favorable decision on Campbell's pro-
test and granted him a certificate.
1t wal all put-up job, and the idea
was to seat my opponent and to force
nae to fight the battle on the cut
side."
what ia the general feeling in
Utah among the Mormons in regard
to this agitstion7"
The effect is to intensity their
attachment to their religion. It fur
nishes them an evidence of its divin-
ity. They have always been taught
to believe most implicitly that they
might expect, If they were true fol.
lowers of Jesus Christ, to be hated
and prosecuted by the world. In the
language OF Jesus, ST ye were of the
world the world would love you"
Hence while they shrink from these
attacks, they glory in them, because
they firmly believe that they furnish
undoubted evidence that they are in
the right"
"What will your people do il any
of the proposed measures for the
suppress on of polygsmy are put in
force?"
''They will quietly submit, as far
as any actual organized resistance lie
concerned. OF course they will pro-
test aOd demonstrate, but as to their
making any armed resistance the
idea is absurd. III y are not in
position to make SUCH resistance cue
cessful. and they would not attempt
it. They realize that 10 the end they
would be broken up aud destroys and
therefore they would submit without
a struggle. They abandoned their
homes Eve times before they went
to Utah rather than fight"
Twill they leave Utah?"
"They will not unless shey are |
driven away, They cannot leave.
All their property, all their interests
are there, they must remain"
"How about the proposition to di. |
vide the Territory, giving a portion to
Colorado, portion to Montana and
A portion to Wyoming?"
II do not think that will be done,
Tor the reason that it is a schems that
will never lie locked upon with favor
BY Congress, especially as Congress
g 8! present constituted. They would
Do afraid OF the political effect it
would have upon all the states
1amed."
what is your own opinion in re-
lard to this agitstion?"
''In my opinion, all this excite
nent is overrsted. AT this very mo-
nent UIah is one of the most pros
porous of all the states and territories
# the West. Everything there is
Iuiet; the territory is out of debt, life
8 secure, the rights Of property are
and the people are con-
ented, prosperous and happy. An
ther thing, there seems to be gen.
raj impression that large percen-
age of the Mormons of Utah are
oreigners. The fact is that there are
eslly more people of New England s
rth and d scent in proportion to the {
ntire population than in any other {
ommunity outside of New England {
self. Nearly all the proselytes for c
ne 6rst ten or twelve years were t
ON the Middle and New England t
tatss. Again, all this talk about the 8
hurch owning all the property in e
lie territory is bosh. All the money t
le Church gets comes from tithinG 8
nd that ia used to build temples. .
very man and woman owning prop. @
:ty holds it in bis or her Own name, q
nd President Taylor has no more to 8
0 with it than has the pastor OF i
ew York church with the property :
the members of his congregation"
care not the Mormons closely
anded together?"