The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-22
BOTTOM FACTS ABOUT UTAH
A Look at POlygamy Through Eyes
That See Without Dmness.
The True InwardnesS of the Church Of Lat
ter-Day Saints An Interview Of
More than Usual Interest.

livered humorous lecture in this city on the
evening of the 9th instant with such artistic
success, at Lyra Hail. is yet here, max
ing indianapolis his headquarters for
few weeks while visiting surrounding
cities and towns, where he has engage
ments to give his pleasant 'Sixty Minutes in
the War" A journal reporter met him, few
days since, at the office of the Adiutantgeneral,
Snl had talk with him about Western matters
which was unusually interesting Mr.. Visschers
home is at Denver, Col, where he has long been
connected with the press, and in his wanderings
he is engaged to furnish the Tribune with regu-
lar letters concerning what may be interesting
to the public that may come before him, and at
the time of this interview he was engaged upon
a letter to the Tribune concerning indianapolis
and the Morton statue
In reply to a question to what the people of
the West think of Mormondom, he said:
81 have what deem to be peculiarly authen-
tic information on that subject. Only a few
weeks ago L was in Salt Lake; remained there
ten days. lectured in both theaters-the Walker
Opera house, which is more especially patronized
by the genties, and the Salt Lake Theater,
owned by the Mormon Church-and i'll the first
named was introduced to the audience by Gen.
Eli Murray, Governor of Utah. Gen. Murray
has been my warm personal friend for many
years., and afterward had an interview with
him on the Mormon question l told him |
would like to write on the subject but desired
to avoid, in doing So the trite manner
in which it is usually written about by news
paper correspondents. He said that the fault of
the matter conveyed to the Eastern public by
re hot +1,a in
Utah, superinduced by Mormonism, is not made
to appear; that is that the average correspond
emit does not get at the bottom of it.
''Said he While polygsmy and its attendant
social evils are bad enough, that is not the worst
feature of Mormonism. It is crime against
the flag 1t is the ranl1est sort of treason. These
saints hate the government of the United States
with heartiness that is refreshing. They
teach this hatred to the myrlads Of converts
whom they make in other countries, before the
converts have left their old homes, and the mis-
siolaries and functonalies of the churchnever
cease pouring it into their ears that the United
States is the natural enemy of Mormonism.
Anti-Americanism is their chiefest religion in
reality. They utterly disregard the laws of the
land so far as polygamy is concerned, and when
it is necessary succeed by subterfuge in what
they fail at openly. 1t is true that the Ed
munds laws DISTINGUISHES the polygamic Nor
mon but the monogamic Mormon stands behind
his polygamic brother, and Mormonism is up
held and does its work. There is a sort of gen
eral idea in the East that every Mormon has a
plurality of wives while the truth is that there
are Sufficient monogamic Mormons to be a large
majority over the gentiles in Utah, and the
result is that where an old polygamous Mormon
is kept out of Office by the iGdnunds law his
SON succeeds to the place, and the thing is
all the same. For instance, | know of
one case where the father probate judge i'll
his county. Being disfranchised for polygamy
one of his enfranchised sons is elected probate
Judge, another county attorney, another county
clerk and the result is that the old man runs the
whole thing. To evade the United States law
monOgamic Mormons are elected to the Legisla-
ture, and only tools in territorial law making,
for the church does it all Mormons vote as they
are directed by the church, the church regards
the government as its oppressor, and the aim is
to strengthen itself in every way it can against
the ''encroachments' of the government
Il asked Governor Murray if they expected to
keep up this sort of thing indefinitely:
uo1 WHAT THE SAINTS EXPECT.
'''" Why said he, they publicly proclaim their
full. belief that the saints will eventually absorb
theiwhole country and govern it entirely, and
they have much to strengthen them in this belief,
for the church is growing rapidly in Idaho, Mon
tanat Wyoming and Celoradoi and in every
locality where it exists, it either directly con
trolls local affairs by force of numbers at the
polls, or, to a large extent indirectly by holding
the balance of power and thus elects its friends
to office, or at least those who from self interest
and from the lust of Office cater to their wishes
p In Utah the Mormon population is about two
thirds, but it is generally supposed by the gen
tile inhabitants to be of far greater percentage,
and for this reason much of the gentle DODula-
ton plays policy with Mormondom, a mat
ter of business interest, and the evils of the sys
TEN are thus to certain extent smoothed over.
Besides tourists who come here, regard only as
matter of curiosity certain characteristics of
Mormoudom which they would look upon in the
East degrading and disgraceful crime.
Moreover, every visitor who is writer of inn
portance and influence, who visits tab, is seized
upon, and treated with such hospitality and kind
ness and politeness, by the Mormons and is
shown so much of the better side of everything,
that, in most instances, he is inclined to over
look the worst, even if it is not entirely hidden
from him. 1t is true that there are thousands Of
gentle citizens who regard the whole hideous
system with all the adherence that it deserves,
and who fight against it morally, but they have
little power to prevail, and think it is cowardly
for 80, 600 900 of people in the United States to
stand by and see $1,000 of their number stand
ing out here on the picketline fighting this thing
all alone
II asked the Governor what he thought should
be done to end the trouble, and he replied:
''This sick man of the West should have heroic
treatment. 1t was a mistake that Albert Sidney
Johnston was not given the power to adjust the
matter when he made his expedition to Utah. in
1857. Now the government should take hold of
the matter with a strong hand; get at the bottom
of the thing in thorough manner, and enforce
Che law of the whole land throughout all the ter
ritory of Uncle Samuel, leaving no spot where
loyalty and the flag are by-word and scott
''The truth is" continued Mr.. Visscher 'that
Governor Murray is thoroughly acquainted with
the whole perncious and dangerous thing, in all
its ramifcations and subtleties, and he could do
far more than he has done-which is no little
to better things in that country; but his hands
are not upheld, and he is not sufficiently sup
ported by the powers that be- He is the subject
of malicious lies, and there are points in the gov
ernment of Utah by the United States laws