Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-13
WHAT ARE WE COMING TO ?

To-day we reprint an editorial from the
Omaha Herald OF the 10th inst. The
caption to the article is such as to make
all men pause and consider. That cap
ton is: 'fSerious trouble brewing in
Utah" The people of Utah are cohtinu-
ally asking themselves, 'How long will
this last2" But from out the dark
ness and unknown no answer is re-
turned. Utah to-day is as a mine wait
ing for some one to fire it. In time when
moderation and reason are most desirable
they are absent and their place is taken
by hot haste and wild passions, Those who
from their position should counsel peace
and patience deliver infammatory haran-
CUES. But two cries are heard through
out the land, and those cries are persecu-
ton on the one hand and treason on the
other. Could two other cries SO exciting
as these be raised? From political amin
osity between the two parties in Utah it
has become personal hatred Those are
the conditions which always exist
when civil strive and bloody scenes
are about to be inaugurated.
The Omaha Herald refers to the re-
marks of Apostle Grant at the Logan
conference, and says that those remarks
can mean but one thing. All well know
what the meaning is. 1t is that the
legal pressure becoming too strong there
will be resort to arms. The remarks
of Apostle Grant are but the echo of
what has been sounded heretofore.
On the oath of September correspon-
dent of the Deseret News, the official
organ of the Mormon church, writing
over the signature "'Young Mormon"
gave utterance to the following highly re-
volutionary and dangerous sentiment:
1t surely should require no argument to
convince Latter-day Saint that it is our
imperative duty to protect ourselves and
families the best we can, even if we have to
use physical as we'll as legal means to do so,
let the consequence be achat it may.
Such sentiments are but the prelude to
the drama of death and destruction which
inevitably follows them if long persisted
In. To continue the promulgation of
such sentiments and to hope that no evil
consequence will result therefrom, is to
hope against hope, to pray against fate.
The situation in Utah to-day can be
best told in the language OF well known
gentleman in this city, and a member of
the Mormon church. In conversation
with the writer within a month, this
gentleman said, in language substantially
as follows: "The situation and feel
ing in this city and Territory to-day
are the same as in Richmond and Virginia
at the outbreak OF the war in '61. In Rich
mond and throughout Virginia there
were two extreme parties, one for the
Union and one for secession, but both
alike in bigotry and unreason. The ma
jority of the people were inclined to be
conservative and to condemn the ex-
tremists on either side, and they hoped
that something would transpire to ward
off conflict that seemed inevitable.
All were hoping and praying for the COM
ing of the new light that should dispel
the gathering clouds of war and usher
in the reign of reason That was
the feeling on the morning when Beau
regard fired upon Sumter / was
in Richmond that morning, and at the
sound of the first gun hope and reason
were gone, and the long reign of death
and sorrow began. Had the majority of
the people in accordance with their sem
timents given no heed or countenance to
the bigots and extremists, the war would
have been avoided. The feeling in this
city this morning is the same feeling that
peryaded Richmond on that memorable
and let some unwise overt act
be committed here and the same results
will follow that followed in 81 consequent
upon the bombardment of Fort SUMTER
Is it not time that all parties in Utah
gave to our condition and its possible
the sober, honest thought
ot the true patriot? Our critical condi-
lon is the consequence of the enforce
nent of the Edmunds law, and the con-
inued counsel on the part of the leading
men of the Mormon church to continue
% disobey that law and for those who
nay be convicted of its violation to re-
use to promise future obedience to it.
md the following of this counsel by the
'ody of the church. 1t is this absolute
obedience to lawless counsel and defiance
n the law that has brought about a |
trained condition OF affairs that NAV at ]
my moment break forth in open rebel
ion. Those who persist in counselling /
to the Edmunds law and :
hose who follow such counsel, are invit- !
ng an eventual shedding of blood as the ;;
'nly possible means of solving the Utah !
problem. /
VERY CH ACyTEPJSTJr