Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-12-07

week following these arrests, to tn
day and almost to the hour, ma
named McMurrin, without any provocs
, ton whatever, assaulted United State
Deputy Marshal Collin who was on hi
way home, and Collin, in self-defense
shot him. We do not pretend to say VIII
nor how McMurrin assaulted Collin, no
whether he was alone or in company
but he did assault him and Collin sho
him. This put the town in fever of ex
citement in which it has continued eve
since. This is not all The press of tht
Mormon people have persisted in termins
Collin murderer and an assassin, while
they have made of McAIurrin hero anC
martyr The press OF the anti-Mormor
] party have said that the assault upon
! Collin was a prearranged affair
and prearranged by the Mormon
church for the purpose of numbering
! Collin. And yet the City Council desire
TO investigate ''the rumors in circulation
at the present time affecting the peace
and welfare of the city and its inhab-
itants." We suggest that the Council
attend a kindergarten object-lesson class
as necessary preparation for compre-
hension of the reasons why the city is
filled with rumors.
There is TO cordiality between the Fed
eral officials in Utah and the local officials
of the Territory. Each party looks upon
the other as more or less a foe, and
the vindication of the authority of
one official is looked upon by the other
as an infringement of that others rights.
The Federal officials are appointed to
enforce Federal laws and Territorial laws,
and hold their authority from the General
Government. The local officials, Terri
toriai, county and city, are elected by the
people of the Territory, and their qualii-
cations for Office are determined according
to their standing in the Mormon church,
and it isfar easier for rich man to enter
into the Kingdom of Heaven than for a
man to be elected to office in Utah without
the sanction of the Mormon church.
This fact very easily and readily explains
why people here put no trust in our city
officers for security and protection to life
and property. They do not put trust in
the city officials because they know that
they pay more Difference to their church
than to the laws, and they believe that
if there were to be any riot in Salt
Lake City, or Utah, that the city
officials would act solely in the
interests of their church, if the
'iot were to occur between Mormons and
inti-Mormons; or that if they did not
10 this, they would remain neutral and
ct riot run its course. We presume it is
| knowledge of all these facts that has
.aused the Federal officials here to ask
hat troops be sent here to preserve life |!
md property in case of the excitement
becoming so intense that it can only be
lllayed by blood.
All may deprecate the fact that the
is in state of excitement that
nay be hard to control in future, but it
) idle to deny the fact. Within ten DAYS
re have heard person who came to this
lty July a, 1847, and who has always
cen a Mormon and always will be, say,
l do not think We shall ever see Presi-
ent TAYLOR or brother Cannon upon these
treets again" The condition of things
'hich could give rise to such remark
ould surely justify many rumors.