The Press., 1884-09-18
KArErIELD ON UTAH peLlTIcsAsD MORALS

KATE FIELD ON UTAH POLITICS AND MORALS
 The Mormons have very great ad- vantage over any other class of people. Nobody out of Utah can contradict them for the excellent reason that nobody knows enough. When Matthew Arnold comes from England and gives this republic the benefit of his opinions concerning Elmer. son, Boston arises as one man and with 8 howl of indignation denies the hard inn peachment. When Monsignor Capel tells Americans that in those Catholic countries where marriage is sacrament and di- yorce impossible there is infinitely more; social morality than elsewhere, the charm ing Jesuit is torn to pieces, metaphorical- ly, in scores of journals, east and west. But when Mormon elder rises to explain on being interviewed by ubiquitous re- porters, he carries everything before him. There is no critic sufficiently conversapt with the subject under discussion to say him nay. What commentary on our so big that portions of it become terra incognita to those who make public opin- ion and the laws, s'there's something rot ten" this side of Denmark. : .ugt
 The Mormon church has nopolitics out side of it's own politics. In Nauvoo it was by turns whig and democfat. As Joseph Smith, the shepherd, dictated, so the sheep voted in a body. Those Mormons who went forth from Illinois. to settle in
 California" did so in the expectation of founding 8 colony independent of the United States, and it was the fortune of war that frustrated their plans. The de- feat of Mexico resulted in the acquisition by the United States of the territory the saints had intended to appropriate, and, instead of going to the Pacific cast, Brig ham Young contented himself with the lovely valley of Great Salt. Lake. There was no getting rid of the American eagle. Of course Mormons are now opposed to the republican party because it is the par ty in power, and is in the habit of insert ing an anti Mormon plank in it's platform. All legislation against polyeamy has been enacted under republican administrations. Therefore, Mormons are now ostensibly democratic. Let the democrats once rule and aim one blow at ssGod's people," and the saints, at John Taylor's bidding, would turn their coats with the deftness of Har- lequin. Mormon love of the union display ed itself during the civil war in sympathy with the rebellion, not because of any par ticular regard for the south, but, because disruption would be likely to give Utah an opportunity of obtaining it's independ- ence. Generalization is hateful because it means the welding together of the states and the making of nation. Mormons cry aloud for states rights, because they want to do exactly as they please. They please to defy congress and to set up g opposition to the genius of the republic. ic ,0f in o1 al, that will associate politically with Nor
 mons calling themselves democrats. They repudiate the assumption, and gentiles oi both parties unite in the presence of g common enemy. s..-l.,.- -.," ,.,.., l Mormons are especially bitter against the present republican candidate for the presidency, bgcause he has been very out spoken in denouncing the "twin relic O
 barbarism. When, in 1878 MT. Blaine l then speaker of the house of represepta tives, visited Salt Lake City, he refused tt pay tribute to organized treason by calling upon the president of the established church. If Brigham Young wanted to set MT. Blaine, he knew at what hotel he was stopping. Gods yice-gerent" waxed flu rious and went out.of town to avoid any such sinking of supernal dignity. Some thing had to be done to bring two sucl determined men together; the Mormon would not pay obesience to the United States; the Gentle would not pay tribute to a criminal. Consequently Mormon friends arranged a railroad excursion .tt Provo and back, on which speaker ani president were invited. Both accepted and thus '1met by chance" the two men
 who, in an hours conversation discussed Utah from two points of yiew.3 I'd .- s, The prophet maintained that congress
 had no right to interfere with the loca government of the territory The speakei Ereplied that the presidential contest O 1860 was fought on the distinct issue O the power of congress- to control the do nestle institutions of the territories, aht that Abraham Lincoln was. chosen presi dent as the champion of that doctrine Congress had exercised this power by pro hibiting in all the territories the relation O master and slave. Its authority is plenary in the premises and the extent of, it's exer else matter of discretion. Utah's organi, act is by its very nature subject to amend ment and repeal, and no enactment of tht territory is valid, if congress chooses tt nullify it. The prophet thereupon iclaim
 ed that Utah had the right to be admitted as state. It had the requisite popula tion, wealth and resources. The speaker frankly answered that whether Utah pos sessed the requisites or not, it would never be a state as long as the church upheld polygamy.s This avowal ropsed the ire o the ''liop of the Lord, who, as usual
 proclaimed the superior virtue of tht saints, statement: the speaker dared tt intimate was denied by old tesidents O
 Utah. He even went so far; as to aaser
 that vice received no moral support in an, part of the republic except the territory l wherein it was upheld by the church
 What was crime elsewhere became a di
 vine revelation under the godly reign 0 Brighamtthe prophet. 4 3#Lt
 "We enter into polygomy as religious duty,"' replied the prophet, sswhile people not Mormons do it from the lust, of th' flesh" ss ' :" A.
 sAdmit that said the speaker, '.ant you would be compelled to allow an Eas
 Indian to indulge in humants sacrifice, be
 cause he believes in it as. 8 religious duty
 With such opinions radically at war witl
 those of all the people of the United States you cannot, in my judgment, be admitted
 to any participation in the national gov
 ernment. t..t5s4fF
 1 '.sWen, then," exclaimed the prophet
 sswhat are you going to do about 1t P, Yol
 seem always to be worrying about Utah Ii lcongress, and trying tolegislate for us. '
 The speaker thought the worrying 4 was all on Brigham's side. and concludes I-le ll-A Ill | 1.-1