The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-28

The Stealthy Advance of MOrmOnism-The
Latter-Day Saints and the Indians.
THORN.

The SteaIthy Advance of Mormonism-The
Latter-Day Saints and the Indians.
Pueblo (Col.) Letter.
st. Johns, in Apache county about thirty five
miles south OF the Atlantic 81 Pacific railway, is
just now the center of struggle for power be-
tween the Americans and Spaniaras against the
Mormons. Mr.. Hubbell is one of the leading
men in st. Johns, and also most outspoken
anti Mormon. At the last election the Ameri-
cans won by only forty votes land some good
counting, it is said / see by q Mormon paper
which came here to-day that 'the church has
ordered forty families to settle in St Johns.
Unless American families come in sufficient
quantities. the next election goes against them
and the county is Mormon. So the advance goes
on steadily, stealthily and surely directed con
tinually by the head men at Salt Lake.
Mr.. Hnbbell says: Il have nothing
to say about their morality; If they can sup
port a dozen wives. let them have them; it
is no worse than divorce in the States But
what do object to is that not one of them is
free. If you get into quarrel with a Mormon.
it is not that man you are fighting, it is the
whole Mormon Church Not man among
them is free. They say: oh, you are mistaken;
we are perfectly free But | have known them
a long time, and never knew one of them VINO
dared disobey the orders from the Church,
which cover every minute detail Even the
most intelligent of thefn-and, although the
great mass of them are the lowest of the ignor-
ant, there are many-eyen they are nnder the
same slavery. This body of men, so governed
by an absolute tyranny, are utterly disloyal to
their one rule is: Every gentle must
be converted or killed They are working
quietly now; but they have their revelation
that they are to work through Mexico stirring
the MeXicans up against the United States, and
the Indians also, and in the course of SIX years
they are TO overthrow the government and
reach their Mecca jackson county. That sounds
absurd, and yet tits held by almost all Mormons-
and they will not listen if you speak of the alb
surdity. 1t spurs or the ignorant to work for
speedy reward / know case after case of their
selling arms and ammunition 10 the Indians and
telling them that every one who was not bap-
tized Mormon would be dead in six years,
and the government whom they thought was
protecting them would take theirland and herds,
etc. If they We're Mormons the church would
protect them, for it was sure to conquer the
United States government. This eXeites the
SuperstltlouS dread OF the Indians and keeps
them restless and excited over every change
which the Interior Department makes"
In answer to the question to whathe thought
ought to be done in checking Mormonism, Mn.
Hubbell said: II am not qualified to advance
IDEAS that is your business East All can say
IS that five years ago this cancer might have
been rooted out; that five years from now it will
be ten times harder to root it ont. But | sup
pose that Congress will go on paying no atten-
ton or sending paper commissions out
to investigate until the thing grows so large and
powerful that it will cost the lives of thousands
Of good men. / know one thing, that there is
not an American in St Johns who is not armed
night and day. and that things have reached
such point that any moment the least spark
may cause an outbreak, and then there well be
great many killed. Every one of us
has made up his mind to one thing,
the United States government (which
is what the Mormon Church isl is not going to
rule free American citizens L believe that the
advance of Mormomism is going to come to
head right at ST. Johns, and if the people of the
East are apathetic as they have been we pro
pose to fight for our rights and either clean out
the Mormons or be cleaned out ourselves.
Everything is ripe for it. every man is
armed and on the alert, and its got to come
Why, to show you Just how it is o few days ago.
While l was there, some trouble occurred,
street s1uabble and some shots were fired, and
in less than five minutes there we're fifty men on
the street with their WincheSters and pistols
ready. A few days before the Mormons wanted
to run couple of young Americans off piece
Of railroad land they had taken up in the
midst of the Mormon settlement. They
came to me and said: Mr.. Hubben
will yon prevent your friends from interfering
with Mr.. -, who wants TO get his land back
from the Americana We don't want to have
this sectional fight 1t is only private mat
ter Very we'll said. if Mr.. - wants to
settle this matter with them, its none of my
business let them fight it out. But if you wa ut
to make mob law your side, and to tie our
hands so that can't | won't do it.. They
thanked me and walked off, and in few min
utes the whole thirty five on forty of them set
upon these two fellows to run Il an Off told
the boys and in d few minutes You conld see
two, three ten a dozen running over, and soon
there were fifty on the place and pistols drawn.
and there would have been q general fight right
there if the Mormons'had not scattered"
give you some of the many facts he gave me
because your readers ought to know something
of the fiereeness of the conflict here between
freedom and Mormonism His account of affairs
at St Johns, which is typical of all of Arizona,
reveals the leoseness and want of law of border
town, where each man mnst protect himself by
his own arms. But it also shows that the Nor
mon question is a problem which demands inn
mediate solution among them and cannot wait
for the shilly shay policy of Congress. For
them there is but one method OF solution-it is
the solution of all difficulties here-powder and
ball.