The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-23
A MORMON REVOLT
a Rebellion in San Luis Park Because of
Politics.

OAAaANSS
Salt Lake Letter in Boston Advertiser.
We in this longitude are in the midst of a
veritable sensation, for we behold a novel
phenomenon, and something almost new under
the sun has just occurred. The spirit of apos-
tacy and rebellion is rampant IN a number of
Mormon settlements, and already some hun
dreds have openly repudiated pOlygamy, have
concluded TO be Americans at any cost. abhor
Brigham Young and John Taylor, with all
their schemes. and have Well-nigh lost
faith in Joseph Smith, also. Tho
scene of this protest and secession is outside the
bounds Of this Territory, but the transaction is
none the less significant and hope-1nspiring for
that. 1t is necessary to premise that the leaders
of the Mormon Church are constantly on the
lookout in every direction for additions to their
already vast domain; for new. fertile and well
watered valleys, into which they may send the
two or three thousand converts who. every year,
''gathe1' from the States and from the old
world. One-tenth of the area of the Union Is
not enough for them, it would seem. 80 some
three or four years ago John Taylor
and Brigham Young, il, searching through
Colorado, fixed upon San Luis Park as q site for
a new settlement. This valley, some forty by
sixty miles in extent. is situated in ConeJos
county. about $50 miles south Of Denver, not Tar
from the northern boundary of New Mexico.
and through it runs the Silverton branch of the
Denver & Rio Grander railroad. 1t is watered by
the main stream and several branches OF the
Rio Grande del Norte. The altitude of the
park is not far from 800 feet. For some rea-
son. the emigrants selected to occupy this
elevated and frosty tract are almost wholly
from the Southern States, and more especially
from the mountain regions OF Virginia, Kentucky
and Tennessee. In all, something less than 1000
have been colonized There seems to have been
strange laundering all around, and from the first.
The climate would have been cold, even for Nor
wegians, and the sons and daughters of the
South found themselves much pinched with the
wintry blasts. Fuel must be hauled fifteen or
twenty miles, another unaccustomed hardship.
Besides, each year thus far the harvests have
been nearly ruined by untimely frosts, so that
they have been living on scant rations.
found that Mormonism was not what
they had supposed. They had been fed hitherto
on delicious milk, but now the strong meat of
obedience to the priesthood and plurality of
wives was substituted, and besides they found
the rulers sent out from Utah to be selfish and
dictatorial; full of craft and maneuver. But the
climax of disgust was not reached until politics
were touched upon and the election drew near.
Accustomed all their lives to vote like free
American citizens, what was their amazement
at being commanded to cast a ballot solid for
candidates which their ecclesiastical masters
had selected. Their eyes not being fully open
as yet, they for once obeyed. But soon after it
came out that their vote had been sold by the
president of the states 1.-THE highest church func-
tionary in the rogiOn) for 5000. And last au-
tumn the game was tried. again. The church
was figuring with both political parties to get a
Mormon into the Colorado Legislature, which
stands almost at a tie, so that when the next
United States senator is chosen a friend to the
Utah church-State could be secured. 1t is evi
IDENTIFY the height of the ambition Of the magnates
in Salt Lake 10 manipulate Legislatures at will,
to gain first the balance of power
in town, county and State, and then full control.
For fifty years this has been their infiexible
purpose. And it is at just this point that their
INSCRIPTIONS efforts are fullest Of peril to
American institutions.
A few days before election, in a public meet
Ing i 5ntos for who a. the faithful must Vo14
Rn+ f6e church game was seen to be nc -
| blocked when he was followed ), I{T5T!!HT??s.S
Z Rsll 2 Zig snissS, 5dt a Mormon for fifteen
year, who minated that as for
him, in the matter of politics,
he should henceforth stand upon
his manhood and his rights as a citizen, and
priesthood to dictate. And it presently came
out that forty others had reached the same sensi-
BILE conclusion. But such holdness and indie
p~endence in Mormondom are far worse than
profanity, drunkenness, and other sins com
bined, and are not to be tolerated an hour.
all through the winter the trouble
has been spreading, and now about 300
have turned their backs upon a church
in which one cannot be a free man,
and are only awaiting the opening of spring
to take their departure from the San Luis re
gion. But their case is still q sad one. Few
have means sufficient for the removal of their
families, and in the meantime all are suffering
for lack of clothing and food. They also find
themselves prescribed and prosecuted on every
hand. They are cursed as apostates, and tor
mented in many ways. Thirty of the leading
men have just appealed to our Governor Murray
for sympathy and aid, and beseech him to see
that their case is thoroughly set forth that no
more shall be fooled and damaged as they have
been.