Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-07-04
DESPERATE MORMONISM.

hCCOTulDS W II correspondent Vi INC DOs-
ton AdceytiSer, who has been taking a trip
through Utah, the Mormon problem is a far
more desperate question than most Eastern
people imagine. The two parties IN Utah
the resident Gentiles and the Mormon con-
verts-are almost upon the verge of taking
up arms against each other. Hardly an
American in the Territory dares go unarmed
day or night and things have reached such
point, says the Adoerti,er'S correspondent,
that at any moment the least spark may
cause an outbreak, from which the most dis
astrous results to life and property would
follow.
That the Mormons have submitted with
apparent docility to recent national legisla-
ton, is no proof that such submission may be
expected to be permanent. On the contrary
it is thought by many of those who have the
best opportunity to observe the inside life of
Mormonism that the present aspect of the
church and priesthood is only blind for
some Interior purpose which the near future
will bring to light 1t would be too simple
credulity to believe that the many-headcd
dragon can be permanently cowed by the
lash of national legislation. Those who take
heart from the crouching of the monster may
have reason TO change their exultation into
alarm. The crouch always pre-
cedes the spring. Mormonism is
yielding only that it may gain
quite vantage ground for sudden and effect
i've assault. can organized conspiracy to
overthrow the United States government, is
what the Adcertisers correspondent calls
Mormonism. And we believe that that is
its character, more than anything else, at
| the present time. 1t is not 60 much form
of religion, sect, social organism, as it is
organized rebellion. Unmolesled, it might
wear different aspect, but knowing, as ii
| does, that it will have TO struggle and fight
| for its vigorous existence in this land OF
solves itself into form of resistance. The
| viper undlsturbed seeks only its
| own subsistence and the propagation
of its species, but when molested
| 1t throws itself into coil, and maintains a
| fighting front so long as it is aware of the
the presence of its enemy. We no not be-
lieve that Mormonism will always coil and
| never strike. is fangs are sharp and ready
| for instant use. Says the AdcertiSe,'s cor
| respondent: "While | was in st. Johns, a
| few days ago, some trouble occurred-a
| street squabble-and some shots were fired,
| and in less than five minutes there were fifty
men on the street with their Winchesters
and pistols ready"
1t is noticeable that nearly all those who
have had any personal experience of the
state of affairs in Utah advocate the sever
est form of National interference. Nothing
can be done by paper commissioners" or in
vestigations, they declare. Very little can b'
done by REFRESHING Mormon suffrage. AL
these are slow agents, and Normonism is {
plant of enormously rapid growth. "Thert
is but one method of solution" says the cor
respondent of the 1doertiser, cit is th,
solution of all difficulties here-powder ant
ball" The government will have to com,
|
is the only thing that will suppress desper
ate Mormonsm And why wait until tn.
curse attains proportions which will make i
as difficult to eradicate as slavery
was. Give years ago this cancer nigh
have been rootc out five years from
now it will be ten times harder to root out.
That is precisely the way the case stands
Delay will only make the final struggle more
terrible. Mormonism is terrible disease
and it has fastened itself upon the nation
The hommopathlsts are playing with it now
and lulling it, as they think, with mild rene
dies. But all the while it is growing, spread
ing, extending its roots into the vitality Of
this people. The knife must be used but by
and by it may take its last throb of vital en-
ergy to withstand the shock of the operation
Why daily with this awful possibility? II
we have learned anything by the struggles
through which the national life has passeo
we ought certainly to have learned the ex
| IRENE peril of procrastination.