New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-01
TILL ,tnPMON EILLTRE.

The Mormon problem seems to be taxing
prominence again, not IN consequence oI any
change i'm the situation OF Affairs III Otah' pu'
only because accident has drawn attention 10
scandal which we never can contemplate with
ont irritation. The periodical outbreaks OF
feeling AGAINST Mormonsm have not led to any
immediate practical results; but perhaps they
oro uot altogcthcr futile, for the discussion at
least teaches us how far we have gone astray in
our preyious theories of the difficulty. Fifteen
years ago it was iavorite belief AT kthe Last
that Mormonism owed lis strength tolts lsoIa-
tion. and that it would vanish as soon aS the
territory was thrown open to railroads ana MN
inc companirs We now know that tho as
sumcd incompatbility of railroads with super
stition is dclusion. The steam engine Is not
necessarily an agent of morality and mtcllI-
,,cnce. and even money, although it il often
accented n q test of rc,pcctability is not
guarantee of q decent life. Hence the inliuK oi
population and the growth of material ciyillz-
alton which we hoped would weaken the Latter
Day Saints have on the contrary made them
stronger than ever Immigrants are pouring
into Utah. but they arc Mormon immigrants.
Wealth increases, but it is tho Church that
been bad failure.
We used to nattcr ourselves also that the
Mormon imposture could not stand the light OF
american education and Christianity. But the
territory has been open a good while, and yet
neither Bibles nor school books seem to make
mach impression upon those bcnightcd people.
We forget that the Saints are converts from
Christianity, and that to win neophytes back to
the creed they have left Is always task OF eX-
trcmc difficulty. We speak of nineteenth cen
fury enlightenment as if it prOpagatcd Itself by
SHORES, diiluscd through the atmosphere. but
the fact is that the M0rmOns are increasing with
great rapdity, and that the Gospel does not
oycrtakc them even with the help of the tclc-
graph and the fast mail. The missionary spirit
is Inv no means active on our side, but it is
strong with thcm and it seems to grow stronger
as they become moro prosperous. They have
nos.ed the boundaries of Utah, and are getting
a dangerous hold upon the ncighboring ter
ritOIics.
As for putting down polygamy by law, we
have not been able to do that yet in New York,
and most people despair by this time of our
ever doing it in Utah. Certainly We cannot do
it if we allow the sovereignty Of the United States
to be defed by an inner organization of the
SAINTS, which assumes all the civil power by
virtue of an ecclesiastical authority unknown
to our laws and openly hostile to the Legitimate
Government. Congress exercises its rule over
the territories as far as possible through pop
ular FORMS That is what the spirit of our in
stitutions dictates. But if it happens that,
owing to the exceptional character of the popu-
I,tinu mr. any other cause, the National author
ity cannot be exercised III the usual way, some
other means Of government must be devised.
We cannot permit the sovereignty to be de-
stroycd by pcdantic adherence to the custom
airy form OF excrting it. We must remember
that the authority of Congress over all the ter
ritores is absolute. 1t can govern Utah with
out legislatures. or even, If the worst comes,
without elections, as well rs it can Alaska.