New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-08
TILE QUESTION OF UTAH.


The failure of the people of the United states
to deal with the grave problem OF Mormohisnh
illustrates weakness which we fear must DE
called natural to all popular governments. Our
political action is often bold and decided, put
we give it very little serious fOrethought. we
Aatter ourselves that some happy fate Will en-
able us to meet all difficulties as they Gomez
that all our people are growing more vlrtuous
day by day; and that all dangers which now
show in the distance will disappear before the
nrogress of education and railroads. 1t was In
lbis law optimistic spirit that we suffered
slavery to undermine the Nation; that we now
watch the advance and organization OF the
alliance between the Mob and the Ring III
municipal governments; and that we nave
allowed foreign and hostile power to intrench
itself in the Rocky Mountain Territories, and to
fasten upon thrifty young communities a social
system at variance with the very basis OF all
modern civilization. In the face of the patent
fact that M0rmonism has been rapidly increasing
ever since 1885 or 1910, and that its distinctive
characteristics have undergone no modification,
we have cherished the deusion that it could not
stand the sunlight of nineteenth century intelll-
gence. and that it would die out if we let it
ouence of this confidence we see it not
only in full possession of Utah but fast taking
root in Idaho and Wyoming.
We have made the mistake of applying ordi-
nary methods to an extraordinary case. The
plan of popular self-gOvernment Supposes Tor
its success a number of conditions which are
missing in Utah The Mormon inhabitants as
class are foreigners who have come to this
country with no idea of identifying themselves
with the population as loyal citizens of the Re-
public. but in order to establish an Independent
theocracv of their own within our boundaries.
What Captain r. F. Burton, a kindly and UNI
preiudced observer, said of them twenty years
ago, is true TO this day. They hate and desplse
the United States, and their ultimate aim Is
nothing less than separate sovereignty. Ac-
cording to their principles nothing less than
that can be their aim. They do not recognize the
paramount authority of the Nation, or the valid
ity of any laws which are not sanctioned by the
Church. They will not submit themselves to
our courts; and where the power of local self
government is intrusted to them they exercise
it only in accordance with the secret commands
of an irresponsible priesthood. And the Nor
mon priesthood, we must remember, is not
ligion and conscience, but it is the supreme die
tator in secular concerns. If it satisfied itself
with prescribing fixed rules of faith and con-
duct 1t might to a certain extent be possible TO
administer the laws in harmony with 1t, except
of course, the laws of marriage; but the in
superable difficulty with the Mormon Church is
the doctrine of continuous revelation. 1t has
no code. 1t submits without question to any
new command which its leaders pretend that
they have privately received from on high.
The lawfulness of plural marriage was a supple
mentary revelation, engrafted upon the original
creed. The duty of plural marriage to all who
could afford it, was revealed later. The gross
pOlytheism and materialism which Brigham
Young added to the spirtualistic inventions of
Joseph Smith, the murderOus doctrine of blood
atOnement the assassinations by the Danites,
were dictated by successive inspirations; and
nobody can say where this course of develop
ment is to stop. Already the three great agencies
of self government, the ballot, the legislature
and the jury are entirely subject to the per-
sonal dictaton of priesthood of impOstOrs.
The attempt to carry on a republican govern
ment in the usual manner by means of pOpu
lation of this kind is an obvious absurdity, and
and dislike with which the Mormons have
always regarded the Federal authority. The
mischief resulting from this state of feeling is
greater than most of us suppose. The new
generation of Saints are growing up in the con-
viction that the United States is a hostile power
which may be defed with impunity, that
Heaven has'gven the plains and the mountain
valleys into their hands, that the Church is in
vincible that no laws can be executed or need
be feared upon which the Church has put its
veto. To check the increase of this spirit at
once defiant and cOntemptuOus, is not less i'm
portant than to put down polygamy. If we are
ever to vindicate the rule of the United States
over the National territory, we cannot be too
prompt in, giving up the farcical experiment
of exercising the Federal authority through
courts and legislatures which are bent upon
defying and deriding it,