Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-18
THE OUTLOOK.

OIdD PIOplClD IL Ao oGNlO w SNAANO ~N
the outlook for a solution is not so good
as it was this, of course, by non-Mor-
mons. The Mormons think that the hand
of the Lord will stay the prosecutions
against them, and in this belief they are
encouraged by the fact that there has not
been the same activity of late In the
matter of enquiries before United States
Commissioners into polygamy and unlaW-
full cohabitation cases. This to a certain
extent is SO, but it is SO on account
of other duties that the Prosecuting
Attorney has had to attend to.
Many who were away during
the late months of winter and the spring
have returned. What has induced their
return it is difficult to say, whether they
were lulled into a sense Of security by
the apparent cessation of the prosecutions
against polygamists, or whether life as
exiles away from home and friends
among strangers who would have felt an
aversion for them had they known why
they sojourned in their midst, was
unbearable, they alone can tell.
But they are back, and already
some of them are being looked after by the
officers of the law, while it is safe to say
that others will be. What is the state of
mind of those who are liable at any mo-
ment to be arrested? 1t is one OF
continual dread and fear, and with sus-
picion they regard every man whom they
do not know Their life is a continual
watch, their nerves are ever on tension,
and occasionally they ask themselves and
their friends how long things will con-
tinue as they are, and they declare that
they must cease, for man cannot always
live in such a state. What does this
state OF feeling among the Mormons
show? 1t shows that the pressure upon
them is so heavy that were the word to
come from their leaders, they would
gladly say we will obey the law.
There are two states of feeling
which always induce men to
take decisive and important steps,
steps which shape the destinies Of
their lives. These two states OF feeling
are great elation and great depression.
If the outlook for a solution of Utah
troubles is not SO bright as it seemed a
few months since, it should be remem-
bered that mans mind is not always
constant in its purpose, and that vacilla-
ton and indecision predominate in the
minds OF a majority ofmen, 1t is this
very fact which makes men bow before
the dictates of authority, In thought
more than in anything else perhaps,
men seek a leader, and the more
domineering the leader the greater
the obedience that is rendered him.
From this fact in human nature arises
much OF our difficulty, and is present
everywhere; it is the weak following the
strong, and because the efforts of the
Government to enforce the laws in Utah
have been weak and the efforts to resist
them strong, Utah's troubles have grown
to their present magnitude. The hopeful
signs for obedience to the laws which all
saw in the early spring, were owing to the
fact that the efforts of the officers of the
Government to enforce the laws were
strong and persistent. Why do people
rely on the Lord to assist them in the
hour of their trouble and trial? Because
they believe the Lord is omnipotent
1t is belief in the power of the Lord
rather than in the law of the Lord which
makes people fear him. 1t is for king,
doms, powers and dominions hereafter
that people serve Him. This is so not
only in Utah, but everywhere. The
problem in Utah is more than political
and legal problem; il is a psychological
problem as well. In contemplating
things in Utah, and the solution of the
question of polygamy and obedience 10
the laws, it should be remembered that
there must be a mental change as well as
Il change of conduct, and all know how
slow the mind is to act, and that in de-
Gliding the most ordinary matters, much
time is taken by every one. Another
thing to be remembered is that behind
the wavering ranks of the common crowd
there stands a powerful priesthood,
priesthood that has been wont to be
predominant in all things. Is it strange
that this power should seek to retain its
sway in the future as it has been in the
past? But there is one most important
TACT to be considered in connection with
the power of this priesthood, which is
that its chief eXponents and expounders,
President Taylor and Apostle Cannon, are
in hiding STILL and have been for some
months past. A common question among
the Mormon people is, how long will our
leaders have TO conceal themselves? To
this they receive no answer, and
with doubling in their hearts, they
wish TO know ii it will be thus always.
Another thing to be remembered is that
some of the more prominent men of the
Mormon church are undergoing punish
mentto for breaking the laws against polyg-
amy am unlawful cohabitation and the
fact THAI they would not promise obedi-
ence TO u rs in future, is not so i'm
portan Le fact that they are being
punish for breaking them in the past.
When one Of these men was before the
Court for sentence, he asked the Court
what should BE- his conduct in the future,
and was told il " that it should be
such rs would render obedience to the