Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-26
LISTEN.

Two gentlemen were in conversation
the other day, and one said, "Wait, and
in less than four months you will hear
something drop" The conversation was
in relation to Utah and the abandonment
or continuance OF polygamy. The gen
torial official and is generally believed to
be exceptionally well posted on Utah
matters. The gentleman to whom the
remark was made is in the employ OF the
United States.
What did that remark mean? 1t was
the idea OF the gentleman to whom it was
addressed that he meant that within four
months an authoritative and entirely
unexpected stand would be taken by the
leaders of the Mormon church on the
question OF rendering obedience TO the
Edmunds law, and the abandonment OF
the practice OF poiygamy. Whether
such was the idea intended to be con-
vcyed or not, we are unable to say, but
the manner of the gentleman, as well as
his remarks, conveyed the idea above
given. Within the four months men,
toned Congress will have met, and to
Congress the President will have given
his views on the Utah question and made
his suggestions as to its solution. Per-
haps the leaders OF the people here are
waiting to know what those suggestions
will be before they abandon all hope of
an indulgence to their peculiar beliefs, and
accept the inevitable. That the leaders
Of the people here should desire to know
the nature OF these suggestions before
coming to their final decision, is but nat
ural, and for this desire they cannot be
blamed.
If the remark OF this Territorial official
was not intended to imply an abandon
ment of polygamy, was it intended to
imply an expatriation Of the polygamists?
That such thing is not impossible is the
general impression, and it is well known
that the church has purchased Il large
tract of land in Mexico. In reference to
the Mexican scheme we heard well
known man in the community, Il Bishops
counselor, If we mistake not, say within
u month that it was not altogether i'm
probable that some OF the people might
have to emigrate to Mexico, and he said
that his reason for so thinking was that
he knew large tract OF land had been
purchased there; and he gave another
reason that with the people of Utah
is all-powerful. He said that the
Saints were destined to return to
jackson county eventually, but that
before their return to the prom
ised land they must wander
for many years. He said that Joseph
Smith, in vision, had seen the course OF
these wanderings, and that they first led
great way to the west. and then far to
the south; and this man believed that
the land in the south into which the peo-
pie were to wander, was Mexico. What
does this all mean? That the strain to
which the people OF this Territory have
been subjected for the past year has been
unprecedented, all know. There is
limit to the endurance OF such severe
strains, and that limit in Utah is almost
reached; and il the strain, the enforce
ment OF the law, is but continued, the
limit must soon be reached. BY some it
is anticipated that when this limit is
reached there will be rioting, and the
shedding OF blood. We anticipate no
such scenes, but, on the contrary,
a submission to the law, neces-
sarily accompanied by a good deal Of
discomfort and anger; or partial
exodus from the United States. That the
present condition OF things in Utah can
not last great while longer must be
patent to all. The leaders OF the people
here have not been in public now some
eight months, and there is no indication
that they will be in public for months to
come. But this is not all. A great many
OF the followers Of these leaders have not
been in public for months, and are not
liable to be. Were there but few OF the
more prominent men in hiding things
would be entirely different; while men of
all classes are in hiding.
The public will be anxious to hear the
sound OF that which is to drop within four
months, ii the Territorial official referred
to is right in his surmises, but in the
meantime the public must wait and listen.