The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-10

Tithe.Paying and Public Schools In
Mormoidnm.


Formerly t~ithe-paying was collected
through the organization Of the local stakes
or wards by the Bishops and local Presi.
denotes. Now it is collected by a personal
agent Of john Taylor, who reports direct
to the head Office. This is a much more
thorough and efficient method than the
old, and gives no chance whatever for
leakage" Now the chief gets all the
tithing; formerly he got what he could save
from the local robbers, whose grasping
avarice cut both ways. 1t is true that the
1.-THE system Is nominally voluntary; it al
ways was 80 in name. In fact, fowever,
the payment Of tithing Is compulsory now
as heretofore. The men who work on
the Pacific system Of railroads here, the
Utah Central, Utah & Nevada, Salt
Lake 4 Western, etc., are paid at Ger.
tain times, and at the elbow Of the
paymaster sits the tithe.collector, who
states TO each man as he gets his money
the amount Of tithing due thereon, which
he pays instantly. OF course 1t Is physical.
ly possible for the em;loye to put his
money in his pocket and walk away, ignor.
ing tue 1.-THE. master, but II he does so he Is
speedily discharged from the employ OF the
road. So in other enterprises where Nor
mons control; to be employed persons must
be good Mormons, and good Mormons
Away pay their tithing, and make other
good Mormons in their employ to do the
same. With respect to the farmers, who
are the bulk OF the population, the local
church agents in the settlements know
about how much to expect every year from
every head Of a family; II the amount is
not forthcoming, 1t is sure to be bard times
for hat family; they can't get enough
water to irrigate their crops; their cat
tie die or stray away past recovery; and
their neighbors are not friendly, and often
actively hostile. It Is the same way in any
walk OF life. The Mormon who doesn't pay
tithes can't get work, and strive how he
may, he can't get along, there are always
accidents" and drawbacks, which deter
and impoverish him. Practically, therefore,
the payment OF tithing is compulsory, just
as 1t always has been among them since
they had q chance to enforce their tor.
ments and iron discipline on their fellows.
Instances Of persons discharged from pri.
yate and (Mormon) public employ for this
cause are plenty, and we have given scores
OF them by name and could give hundreds.
The educational system OF Utah (ifa lack
ofsystem can be said to be one) is peculiar.
There are no public schools in an Ameri.
can sense, and in the outer settlements no
schools at all. The various denominations
have sectarian schools In Salt Lake City
and other places, which are doing good
work. Aside from these there are self.
styled public schools, unanimously in
charge Of Mormons, good standing in that
sect being made condition precedent eveh
for employment as a teacher, and to hold
the higher educational offices one must be
a polygamist. These Mormon schools are
nominally public schools; and to support
them the general public are taxed. The
school.houses were all built in the first
place as meeting houses, to be used
also for schools; and for their re.
pair and renewal the public have
to pay, while the titles to the
grounds are nobody knows where. Ayear
or two ago the church quoted title in a few
Of the districts by taking'the part Of the
ground that was most valuable and deed.
ing the remainder to the district. The in.
bIIuCtIuu III Lltnc hSuOulb 10 VI Luc ulUot
primitive and defective sort; and In them
arc taught in lieu Of the devotional exer.
cises" common elsewhere, the Joe Smith
fraud and other Mormon dogmas. For
prayers we have some ignorant creature
appealing TO the Supreme Being for the
protection Of this people" and i%mpudently
bearing personal testimony that the peti.
toner knows that "this Is a true work."
and all the rest OF II.
The Gentiles OF Salt Lake City, who are
obliged to pay for the education Of their
children in the UNCONVENTIONAL schools
above referred to, are obliged beside to an.
nually pay about half the expense Of these
Mormon sectarian %(misnamed public)
schools, to which mont OF them ever send
their children. And, besides, they endure
the evaporation Of being told that they
are noisy brawlers, and really haven't
anything to complain about. To those
familiar with the facts, the Gentle char.
acteristic here ia mildness Of disposition
a1d Inh.1ika natianca