The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-27
POlygamOus Mormons Alarmed by the
Operations of the Edmunds Law.
President John Taylor Unable to Grasp the
Situation and Protect His Deluded Fol-
lowers-An Exodus ofPolygamists.
Salt Lake Letter in Chicago Times.


Kean as Chief justice, the Mormons were really
noyed by the general government and the activ-
ity of the federal officials sent here to cause
them trouble, but they never became disheart-
ened or discouraged. The laws were wanting
in effectiveness, and the officials were overzeal
ous and the consequence was that whenever the
latter undertook anything, they overdid the
business and defeated themselves. Earnest and
honest as Judge Mexican was, and determined
as he ever showed himself in his efforts to cure
the Mormon evil, he was, in fact help to the
Saints. He invariably overreached himself, and
the church gained victories uniformly, each tri-
umph making it stronger at home and abroad,
and weakening the enemy correspondingly. AS
the opposition was defeated it became more
desperate, and therefore more reckless and in
cautious, and less difficult to overcome by the
shrewd, cool. calculating Saints, who were always
watching for opportunities to score points, and
who never lost chance to obtain an advantage.
Another thing which should not be lost sight of
IN recounting the unvarying triumphs OF the
MOrmOns in those days over the formidable OPP
position, is the fact that Brigham Young was
alive and at the head 1t is the custom of the
world to speak of Brigham in anything but re.
spectful tones and terms, but in the light of
what he did and of what his successor has not
done, fairness demands that credit be accorded
him as born leader, cunning. capable and ready
He knew what to do and when to do it. and all
the points that he lost escaped when he was asleep
In the letter to the Times, to which | refer
above, it was asserted that John Taylor was not
big enough to fill the vacancy caused by Brig
hams death A remark made to the writer at
the time by devout Saint of intelligence and
prominence was quoted as follows: IF the old
man were alive we would have no cause for
alarm in the Edmunds law. Brigham would find
a way out Of the difficulty and make the law
operate for our benefit President Taylor is
good man, but he doesn't seem equal to the oc-
casion. He can't grasp the situation and fear
we will have good deal of trouble"
The correctness of the old elders estimate has
been demonstrated every day till the present
moment and his fears were certainly not with
out good foundation. AS head of the Mormon
church John Taylor has never been equal to the
occasion. He is never able to grasp the stu
alton The result is that to-day the church is in
q deplorable condition, and the situation is
hourly growing worse and more desperate for the
Saints. President Taylor and his two command
ers, George O. Cannon and Joseph +. Smith,
constituting what is called the first presidency
are all invisible to the naked eye just at present
Smith went to the Sandwich islands six weeks
ago.
Cannon was missing for some time, and the
first intimation of his whereabouts came in
press account of an interview with him in
Chicago. HIe is somewhere in the East, and will
probably not return until it is known definitely
whether President Cleveland will continue the
vigorous warfare against polygamy that was in
stituted by Arthur. Taylor has not been seen
publicly since Feb IL, when he preached dis
course IN the Tabernacle, urging the Saints to
surrender no part Of their religion ard promis-
ing them that the Lord would protect them in
being faithful to the church and its practices.
The next day subpRnas were issued summon
ing him before the grand jury, but the officers
have not yet been able to serve the papers
Two days ago the United States marshal went
to the house Of Taylor, and, being denied ad-
mittance, left deputies to watch the premises
while he procured the authority of the court to
search the house. Soon returning with the
necessary writ, the marshal was admitted, when
he made thorough search, only to find an old
lady, the hOuSe-keeper, and the servants Some
declare that Taylor has left the Territory
of the houses Of the faithful in this city. Of
the twelve apostles only three, two of whom
are monogamists, are visible, the others being
distributed over the continent, from New York
to Sonora, in old Mexico. Daniel HI. Wells, one
of the ablest men in the church. left quietly for
the East two months ago, and proceeded to Eng
land, where he will probably remain until the
storm blows over Penrose, the editor Of the
Deseret News the Mormon Church organ
missed the marshals by few minutes only and
after spending few weeks in New York, sailed
for Liverpool Graham the editor Of another
Mormon paper, published fifty miles south Of
this city, left two weeks ago, and amateurs are
now getting out his paper A score Of other
prominent members might be mentioned as hav
ing taken the underground railway" as the Sc
cret route by which the travel is facetiouSly
called by the local newspapers. A gentleman
just returned from New Orleans says he met
six Of the shippers" in that city, where they
were wearying of the big show, which they had
seen over and over again in the absence of some
thing else to do. The truth u.s. very few of the
church leaders are to be seen, if they are in the
Territory The situation is really becoming
serious. and it looks to me as if matters must
grow worse before there can be any
improvement. The Edmunds law puz
zled and dazed the leaders, but they
went ahead in defiance, preaching and practic-
ing their doctrines, apparently having no idea
where their course would lead, but vainly
hoping that way for escape would present
itself, as it had so often done before, when the
willy Brigham Young stood at the head and
directed the movements. The government Of
more an more aggressive. gaining a little every
day and covering we'll their rear.
Thecomng of Zane of Illinois, as chief justice
was valuable acquisition to the federal force.
His hatred of the MormonS seems to be of the
most intense character, but, unlike some of his
predecessors his efforts are guided and controlled
by large knowledge of the law and its ways.
His desire to crush out the evils of Mormonism
does not lead him into extraordinary stretches
of authority nor into resort to any but judicial
and legitimate methods The zeal that has run
away with Judgment in the courts has in the
past many times helped the Mormons out of
tight places for they know the value of law,
with its quirks and tricks. and are never slow
to take advantage of fanny technicality. Judge
Zane seems determined to give the Saints
no chance to escape through the loop
holes left uncovered by him. Only in
one respect has he gone beyond the plain letter
of the statute, and that is in the matter of
jurors. When the list of two hundred names
designed to make up the grand and petit juries
for the year has been exhausted Judge Zane is
sues an open venire and the marshal summonses
talesmen from the citizens indiscriminately as
matter of course being careful to call no one who
is at oil friendly to the Mormons on trial. This
question of the legality of the open veEire is to
be argued before the United States Supreme
Court in the Rudger Clawson poygamy case.
which has been set for hearing in that tribunal
on April 6.