Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-16
THE PEOPLE OF UTAH.

system are all allllOSt uiiiNeIoai SupJoS' VI
discussion. The people of Utah are not
thoroughly understood by the world; in
fact they do not thoroughly understand
themselves. The people of this Territory
have many and sterling virtues, but they
have not all the virtues which they claim.
What has been their work in Utah, and
what is the claim they make consequent
upon that work? We will endeavor to
show what their work has been and what
their claim is, and whether the work JUS
titles the claim.
The work of the people OF Utah has
been the work of the pioneer, Il valuable
work, and one requiring many valuable
qualities to perform. They came to Utah
Il band of exlles, and they thought here
to find the rest from strife and contention
which they found not in the lands of
their fathers. They found Utah a wild
and uninviting place but, filled with hope
and dreaming OF the world which is be-
yond the grave, they felt contented, be-
cause they felt that a haven oil rest had
been found. Rest was found, and with
rest there came prosperity, and the land
which at first sight was their sorrow be-
came their Joy. Isolated and alone, far
from the madding crowd s ignoble STRIFE"
they built up commonwealth, not upon
n political basis, but upon an ecclesiasti-
cal basis. 1t was, as Bruton has said, n
democratic theocracy. The people had
the forms and the political divisions of u
State founded upon the plan OF the States
OF the American Union; but all this was
had to further the purposes and power of
the church to which the people belonged,
namely, the Mormon church. Ii q man
became recalcitrant politically, he was
chastised enthusiastically. The validity
and policy of law were determined not in
accordance with the interests OF the State,
but in accordance with the interests OF
the church. The State, with its forms
and authority, was the means, while the
church was the end. All this was for
one purpose, and one purpose only-the
preservation of religious rights. 1t was
the privilege OF the church to determine
and define these rights, but it was the
duty of the State to defend and uphold
them after they had been determined and
defined. Many rights were claimed in
those days that are not pretended to in
these days. Among the rights claimed
in those days, and to which pretension
has not been relnquished in these days,
was the right to define the status OF the
family and say upon what basis it should
be founded. AS every student OF gov
ernment knows, and as most people ac-
knowledge without question, to deprive
the State OF the power to establish the
status OF the family is to deprive the
State of the power to be. And yet it is
this power which the people of Utah
claimed, and exercised, as u religious
right.
The people of Utah claimed and exer-
cised this power, and gave the family
status in accordance with tlieir ideas.
What was the family so founded, and
what status was it given? The family so
founded asfounded upon the polygamous
system, and this system was chosen be.
cause it was the system OF the PASTORAL
patriarchs OF the Bible. Ii the men OF
ancient Israel were polygamists, and
these men were chosen OF God, why
should not the modern Israel found the
family upon the polygamous system o
Israel OF old? 1t was so founded, and
the people OF Uiah persist in maintaining
it upon that basis.
As one OF their great works, the people
OF Utah say they have turned this Terri
tory from a desert into smiling ant
bounteous fields; and this is true
Metaphorically speaking, they have mad,
The desert to blossom as the rose
They have built many towns and villages
and through their system OF immigration
which is a church system, they have
given homes and plenty to many VIII,
otherwise would never have had homes
or known OF plenty save through the dis
tress OF want. They have been sobe
and industrious, and have greatly helpet
to civilize and open up the Great West
lHeSt are tlielT Virtues, anu uue cfeul
has not always been given the people fol-
them.
Now, what are their claims? The,
claim the right to found marriage sys
tenn which is in direct antagonism will
the civilization OF their own country ant
OF every Christian country on the globe
The system which they claim right t,
found and practice is forbidden by law, (
law that has stood the test OF an appea
to the Supreme Court OF the United State
and declared valid; but the people of Utal
still persist in their practices, and as
justification for their claim and as pal
liation OF the charge against them o
breaking the law, they cite the work
which they have accomplished in tn,
Territory. Does their work justify thei
claim and their violation of the law
Further, is that work OF such Il natur,
and OF such value that the State shoulr
concede to the church right more es
sential to the State, perhaps, than an!
other? Or TO put the question in anothe
form, is the work OF the people OF Utal
in developing the material resources o
the Territory, and perhaps advancing TIN
work OF civilization, and making habita
Bile the Great West, q quarter of a century