Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-14
oUTRAGrNG FEDERAL OFFICIALS.

The residences .! l. :. BlStrlcl AttOrne
Dickson, Assistant District Attorney Var
ian, and t. s Commissioner Mckay wer
visited by some unknown parties anC
defIed by The throwing of two-quart glas
jars filled with human excrement through
the windows into bedrooms and par
lors. Language is scarcely adequate t,
characterize such q dastardly anC
beastly act. but whoever prompted
and who ever committed such an act ar;
the lowest oi the low, the meanest OF the
mean. Only one cause can be assigned
for such an outrage, only one source car
be indicated from which it came; the
cause is the enforcement OF the Edmund;
law, the source some portion Of the
Mormon people. No other cause can be
assigned than the one we have mentioned
for the gentlemen upon whom the out
rage was committed are unknown to the
community in any other capacity than
that Of officers Of the Government whose
duty ii peculiarly is to proceed against
violators OF the Edmunds and other laws
As individuals and citizens we believe
they are universally respected but we
also believe that in their official capacity
they are likewise universally disliked and
abhored by the great majority Of the peo-
pie OF Utah. And this is natural, for the
people Of Utah are continually and forever
being told from press and pulpit that these
gentlemen are naught but fiends incar-
nate, and that the performance of their
duty under the law is but doing the bid
dings of Satan We do not believe that
the outrage Of Sunday morning was
planned or will be sanctioned by the
higher authorities of the Mormon church :;
but that it was committed by members of
the Mormon church we are convinced.
In the Trjb,Re extra OF this morning, CITY
Marshal Phillips is reported as having
said, in an interview with Commissioner
Mckay:
Il can see how this outrage may have been
committed upon Mr.. Dickson. Mr.. Earian
and yourself by persons hired for the pur-
pose by the enemies Of the church so as TO
convey the idea that our people did it,
When the City Marshal talks in this
way, the City Marshal raises a very iusti-
fable suspicion in the minds of all who
know anything about the condition of
affairs in Utah that he speaks insncerely,
and that he knows more about the affair
than his assurances that "whoeyer is
guilty, if we can find them out, they will
be punished" would indicate. We would
not be understood TO mean that we be-
lieve the City Marshal had ANYTHING
TO do with the affair personally.
but we would be understood to mean
that We believe the City Marshal can find
out who were engaged in the outrage Of
Sunday morning One, great trouble in
Utah has ever been that the church and
municipal authorities in Utah, while
very many times not cOgnizant that ont
RACES were being planned when they
have heard ol them after they have been
committed, they have never sought TO OK
pose those who did commit the outragaa,
but have rather harbored the perpetrators
OF them. We will refer again 10 the CITY
Marshall and give just one reason why
we think he could discover the pelpetra-
tors OF Sunday mornings outrage On the
Fourth oi July last ha hoisted, or caused
to be hoisted, The national fac
ri haIfnaSt on the City Hall. !
The act, in connection with some others
OF a like nature, caused a great deal of
indignation, and nearly led 10 riot.
The Marshal when asked the reason for
so strange an act, said it was a mere
whim OF his. Subsequent events and
proceedings and preaching proved the
Marshal's act to have been a prearranged .
affair, and to have been performed in con-
cert with others of the same nature. That
one affair will fully justify any doubts as
TO anv explanation that the Marshal NAV
give OF any affair Why was the CITY
Marshal so ready with an explanation
that he could see how it might have been 7.
pose by the enemies of the church So as to
convey the idea that our people did it,"
Had the Marshal said what nine hundred
and ninety-nine men out of every thousand
in the Territory would have said-"Mr.
Mckay, do not know who did it. but il
is probable that some of our people who
are filled with prejudice and passion have
taken this method TO vent their spleen.
but regret it, and SO viii our people
not man in the Territory but would have
agreed with him and believed him honest
in lerreting out the truth ofthe
matter. We trust that 9e will still do so.
1t would he an injustice 10 the Mormon
people ~ whole 10 say that they will
the outrage upon Messrs. Dickson.
Farian and Mckay, but still too
many Of them will. The Mormon
people are extremely hostile to The officers
Of the Government who are enforcing the
laws here, and it is 10 this sentiment of
hostility that must be attributed the out
rage OF Yesterday morning. Ii men have
feelings OF hatred for the Federal officials !.
mere and are opposed TO the enforcement ;,
Dl the laws, the display OF such hatred !,
md opposition in the manner of yester- v
lay morning, must hold those who take Il
such methods up TO contempt and con
from all parties Such meth
Ids are an outrage upon the law and
lpon decency, and the natural conse- 4