The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-04-04
UTAH'S NEAR CHANGE.
THE MORMON LEADERS DISHeARTENED BY
CLEVELAND'S INAUGURAL.

ference-Disa1fection.
As the subject of polygamy is one of
the leading matters of interest at this
time, we publish the following from the
Washington Pest, of March 30th, the sub
stance of an interview of representative
of that journal with Mr.. Caleb r. Bar
rett, native of this county and a sen of
the late Rev. Mr.. Barrett, of Elk Neck,
who has resided in salt Lake City, [ tab,
for twenty years past. Mr.. Barrett was
in Elkton on Tuesday and Wednesday,.
''The feeling i'll Utah at present upon
the polygamy question: said Mr.. G. Il.
Barrett, of Salt Lake City, and one of the
oldest Gentiles in Utah, to Post report
er in the Riggs hotel lobby last night,
sis deep and earnest, and there is every
reason to believe there will soon be a
marked change. The church leaders
waited the advent of the new Admins
tratiln with hopes for more favorable
treatment, and | think rather expected
il. In these hopes they were encouraged
by the very general assertion of our Re
publican fellow citizens and of the Dem
ocrats opposed to Mr.. Cleveland's cleo
ton, that the Democratic Administration
would favor the Mormons aud admit
Utah as a state. When the inaugural
came with it's plain and unmistakabe
statement in regard to polygamy the eff
feet Was stunning"
"What is it that your people wish from
the Government -
What we wish and need in Utah is
simply no church dictation in matters
political; political parties organized as
elsewhere, and the enforcement of laws
by worthy, competent and incorruptible
officers. 1t is not only admitted now, but
asserted by some strong supporters of
past administrations, that the officers
have not all been of this kind. In fact,
the result attained recently, under the
present chief justice and district attor-
ney, without, l believe, any additional
legislation, justities the suspicion of in
difference at least on the part of the Off
GERS heretofore. Mr.. John Taylor, the
president of the church, has not been
seen since about the middle of February.
Subpunas were issued at that time, sum
monng him before the grand jury. On
March 18th the United States marshal
searched the residence of Mr.. Taylor, in
Guiding the elegant Gardo House, find
ing only Il few inmates, whe were sub
pnnaed as witnesses. The whereabouts
OF Mr.. Taylor is not known. BY some it
is asserted that he is sccreted i'll the city
by others that he is i'll the Logan Tenn
pie, some 100 miles north. In addition
to Mr.. Taylor, a large number of the
most prominent Mokh citizens. who
are subject to arrest and prosecution, are
absent from the city-out of the country
or in hiding. Only three of the twelve
apostles are now to be found in Utah
This is a most unhealthy state of affairs
and cannot last. The impression is that
there will be some move made al the
coming conference, on April &, to meet
the requirements of the government.
think myself there is a disposition On the
part of the more conservative and wealthy
MormonS TO press such action on the
ultra church leaders,
Are there any tokens OF an approach
ing change to make you think one prob
able?"
"les. Apart from the discouraging
effects on the church leaders of the atti
tude of the new Administration, there
are other causes which lead US to hope
for a chan9e--not a sudden one perhaps
i thaSn tbn innni,tinn Will il,
the last few months of the Democratic
Club of Utah. and, that you may not
think the importance of this movement
overrated, let me state that its first puo-
lie meeting held at Salt Lake theatre
January s. created a greater sensation,
provoked larger and more general dis
cuSsion throughout the Territory than
any meeting OF which have knowledge
during my residence of nearly quarter
of century; aud you will understand
why this might be the case when tell
you that among the officers and members
Of this young club are sons of bishops
today prominent in the church-one sou,
at least, of the late Brigham Young and
numbers of others whose names are fami-
liar throughout Utah. There are even
members whose fathers are now in hid
ing or absent from the Territory to avnld
prosecution for o!fonses peculiar to Utah.
There are those among rs who claim
these young men are not in earnest in
subscribing to our platform, that it is a
trica, put up by the church, or the older
heads of the church, to biind those at II
distance and mislead the government.
hope and believe this criticism is unfair
believe the young men honest and sin
cere. Doubtless many of their fathers
realize new and regret their mistake; in
deed | believe they do. These young
men are quite up tc =. = average of intel
ligence, and they have had such close
acquaintance with the evils of the system
practiced there that they act knowingly.
II you will remember the position which
this move places them in | think you will
admit they merit consideration and en-
enlargement, for blood is thicker than
water, and it takes an effort to turn
against it even if it be in the wrong"
"What is the impression out there in
regard TO the change of Federal offices -
"Judging from Cleveland's letter and
the course OF the Administration since its
advent to power the belief is general that
changes will be Slow
docs the rage for office extend to
Utah ~
Il think that Utah is no exception to
the general rule, and to ask if it extends
to CCah is exactly the way to put it, for
can tell you it is one unbroken line
from here to Utah. | have met prospec-
tive .uarshals. not only i'll Salt Lake and
Washington. but at any number of sta
tions between. II Utah can set down in
her census report all those APPLYING for
office as claiming residence in Utah the
population will entitle her to admission
as two states instead of one"
lis polygamy very frequent in Salt
Lake City?'
The custom is not seen 50 much IL
Salt Lake as in the country. And i'll the
city | don't suppose the percentage OF
persons living in that condition is above
one in ten. Il is the women who are the
most bitter polygamists, although the
tendency of the Mormon religion is to
degrade the female sex. | remember
once visiting man in the country, and
he invited me in to have refreshments.
His two wives waited upon us and he
took no more notice of them than if they
were servants, never Offered to introduce
them. Yet the women did not seem to
mind his indifference, and We're as re-
signed as Moslem, with whom what
Allah wills is fate. 1t is astonishing to
what lengths people will go when imbued
with strong religious beliefs"
The Democrats Going Home.
A dispatch from Washington under
date of April /, says: ''For several days