The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-07-13

lQoa OF oXcluSlVenoSS, DuG q c0ndltl0n
of society accessible not only to the
rich, but to the less favored by fortune.
The fortuitous circumstances of wealth
alone will aid no one to take high
rank The rich merchant, banker or
speculator, if he be coarse and give no
evidence of mental culture, will be
obliged to take his place among the
crowd at the end of the procession.
The following letter from Rev. F. T.
Lee will be found of much interest:
SALT LAKE CITY, June 80, 1888.
EDITOR TELEGRAPH:-If you have
not regarded my promise to write occa-
sionally from this remarkable CITY,
Where every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile,
as long ago outlaWed, | will endeayor
to redeem it even at this late date.
This will leave me with an unburdened
conscience to enter next week, upon
my summer vacation of two months,
which I expect to spend mostly in
Wisconsin, and largely among friends
in my own native Kenosha.
Perhaps I can do no better in this
letter than to indicate few character
istics of this famous city of the
Saints" now that | have become
somewhat familiar with it's peculiari-
ties, and with the life and spirit of it's
people. From whatever point of view
regarded, it is sui generis. Nowhere
in the world is another city to match
it. In it are the most diverse elements
of race, nationality, religious belief
and practice. It is the head centre of
MormOnism, although it is only in the
smaller towns and villages of the terri
tory that this anomalous system is to
be found in its rankest, most natural
manifestations. Here, at this focus
of the worlds gaze, it is seen at
it's best, which, however, is not saying
| much for it. Mormons constitute per-
haps three-fourths or four-ffths of the
1000 population, most of whom are
devotedly loyal to their church, even if
not to the nation which protects them.
A large and increasing element is made
up of those who adhere to the system,
only because of business or social in
terests, or because. of the ties of kin
dred which are sometimes extensive
here. There is more or less Of apostacy
from the Mormon ranks all the time,
and this has always been the case.
People are gathered to this "Zion,"
and the regions roundabout, through
inducements held out by Mormon mis-
sionaries, from all quarters of the
earth, at the rate of several thousands
each year. Recruits are collected from
| the lower ranks of Europe, from among
| the "poor whites" of our own Southern
states, from the Sandwich Islands,
Australia, New Zealand, and other
isles of the sea. The largest access
slons are from those places where pow
erty, ignorance, superstition, and de-
graduation most abound. The city is
kind Of onuniatm gGtKerUna in respect
to population. The Gentle" quarter
or fifth is made up of enterprising bust
ness men, traders, miners, spectators,
adventures, officials, and professional
men of every calling, representing all
parts of the United States, and of all
grades of culture from the highest to
the lowest. All have come to seek
their fortunes, not intending at the
outset to make this permanent home.
Many do SO, however, ultimately.
1t is unlike any other place, religious
ly and morally. On the one hand is
the great, wonderfully compact, over
shadowing organization of the Mormon
church, with it's priesthood" all the
time clamorous for more .reverential
recognition, and more implicit ODE
disnce; with its system of tithing. its
fraudulent revelations" it's many abb
surd doctrines, and more absurd rites.
It rules its adherents with rod of
iron. On the other hand are the evan
gellcal churches, which have already
gained a strong foothold, and are stead
lily moving forward to ultimate
triumph; Roman Catholic church; a
small Josephite organization, or Nor
monism with polygamy Topped off;
and miscellaneous though numeric-
ally quite strong element of infidels,
atheists, spiritualists. liberals, and a
sprinkling of everything else under the
sun. Theologically, Salt Lake is
hodge-podge.
Morally the general tone Of society
is not high. Exceptionally, it is as
elevated as it is anywhere. With the
Mormons certain gross forms of i'm
morality are made respectable, orsit is
attempted to make them so, under the
guise of religious privileges. But the
legitimate result of polygamy. or to
express it more elegantly, the practice
of plural or celestial marriages.
is a lowering of the moral standard,
the degrading of manhood and woman
hood, familiarizing of the Young
with vice. Religious" concubinage
is feature of this Mormon city. With
the Gentiles, the commences and OPEN
ness of this same type of immortality
tends to dull the edge of its disreput-
ableness. Open and acknowledged
haunts of shame. against which there
are no laws, are to be seen on eyery
hand. Salt Lake may fittingly be
classed with Sodom and Gomorrsh of |
old in point of morality.
It is different from any other CITY. in |
its lack of adhesiveness among the peo-
pie, or outside of the Mormon church
Each person is separate, distinct. |
complete, independent individuality.
Each is here on a mission of his own. |
Each has a mind of his own. Each is.
or thinks he is, as completely furnished |
with ideas and opinions on political.
theological, literary, or any other ques-
tons as need be, or as ship at sea is
complete in its equipments, and dis
tinct from every other craft. Each is
positive and confident in his opinions,
and ready at any time unhesitatingly
to express them. Consequently, which
ever way one may turn, he is likely to
come into collision with some protrud-