Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-17
DOES TT MEAN AN EXODUS?

We have been informed on good author
ity that Apostle Erastus Snow has gone
to Mexico, and gone to remain there per-
manently. Recently he was in this city
and his departure was quite sudden. Mr..
Snow has been in Mexico quite frequently
within the past year or two, and the gen.
eral impression is that he has been there
in the interests OF his chnrch. That the
Mormon church has secured very con-
siderable tract of land in Northern Mex
leo is also known. Does all this mean
that there is to be an exodus by the Nor
mon people from Utah to Mexico? 1t is
an important question both to
the people of Utah and the
people of the United States. Such
a move would certainly solve the
Utah problem. The people of Utah are
beginning to realize as they never real
lied before that the Government is in
earnest in its effort to suppress polygamy.
This fact they have never fully sensed
heretofore, but now they are made TO
sense it. The leaders of the people have
been in hiding for nearly year now, and
the conditions which caused them to 90
into hiding are unchanged, or if changed,
the change has been such as to cause
them to be more secret in their move
ments than heretofore. Quite number
of prominent Mormons have preferred to
suffer the penalty of the law for their vio-
lations OF it than to promise obedience to
it in future, but their action has had no
other effect upon the public mind than
TO cause the public to say that these men
have chosen the unwise course. 1t is a
most difficult matter TO judge of mems
motives, but the general belief is that the |
men who are now in the penitentiary for |
violating the Edmunds law went there |
because they were so advised, and not |
from choice. The explanation offered for
the giving of such advice is that it was
thought that if all who were found guilty
OF violating the Edmunds law would pre-
fer to suffer the punishment the law inn
poses for such violation, that a public
sympathy would be created in their be-
half, and that eventually this public sent
iment would cause cessation of the en-
forcement OF the law. The result antici-
pated, if it were anticipated by the Nor
mon leaders, has not come about, while
the determination of the Govern
ment and of the people of the
Government to vindicate its laws
has become stronger. To-day the
people themselves are discussing the
question, and this is a thing they never
did before. But this is not ALL We are
satisfied that the leading men here are
casting about for some haven of refuge,
and they are seriously contemplating an
entire change of policy in regard to the
general management of political affairs in
he Territory. That they are still unde-
;ided as to what course to pursue in re-
gard to an abandonment of polygamy is ,
rue. They have been shown what will ,
De the consequences of persistence i'm
he practice OF polygamy, and while =
hey dread those consequences, yet i,
hey dare not avoid them, and !,
Iare not meet them They are as ;,
bind men at sea who hear the .
torn coming, but know not which way .
o steer. With such a condition of things .
Utah, and the purpose and intent of y
ne Government clear and determined, .,
an any one doubt what the final result .
iill be? In view of all this, and in an \
cipation OF all that is to come, does the \
eelsion of Apostle Snow to make Mexico .,
is permanent home mean that there is :,
be an exodus to Mexico? !;