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

week following these arrests, to the
DAY and almost TO the hour, man
named McMurrin, without any provoca-
ton whatever, assaulted United States
Deputy Marshal Collin who was on his
way home, and Collin, in self-defense,
shot him. We do not pretend to say why
nor how McMurrin assaulted Collin, nor
whether he was alone or in company,
but he did assault him and Collin shot
him. This put the town in fever OF ex-
citement in which it has continued ever
since This is not all. The press OF the
Mormon people have persisted in terming
Collin murderer and an assassin, while
they have made OF McMurrin hero and
martyr The press of the anti-Mormon
party have said that the assault upon
Collin was 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 kindergarten object-lesson class
as necessary preparation for a compre-
hension of the reasons why the city is
filled with rumors.
There is no 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 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
torial, county and city, are elected by the
people OF the Territory, and their qualifi-
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 9
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 il
the city officials because they know tina
they pay more Difference to their churcl
than to the laws, and they believe tina
if there were to be any riot in Sal
Lake City, or Utah, that the cit,
officials would act solely in th
interests OF their church, if tn
riot were to occur between Mormons ant
anti-Mormons; or that II they did no
do this, they would remain neutral an,
let riot run its course. We presume it j
a knowledge OF all these facts that ha
caused the Federal officials here to asl
that troops be sent here to preserve lif
and property in case OF the exctemen
becoming so intense that it can only b
allayed by blood.
All may deprecate the fact that tn
Territory is in II state of excitement tina
may be hard to control in future, but
is idle to deny the fact Within ten day
we have heard a person who came to thi
city July "a, lS47, and who has alway
been Mormon and always will be, sa.
J "I do not think we shall ever see Pres
| dent Taylor or brother Cannon upon thes
streets again" The condition of thing
which could give rise to such a remar
would surely justify many rumor