The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-02-28

all their troubles, can derive satisfac-
ton from the thought that, as things
appear, the position they have taken is
one from which to dislodge them their
enemies are forced to employ unfair and
extraordinary means. One would
naturally suppose, if the Mormon com
munity were made up of the vile and
characterless wretches they are reputed
to be, it would only be necessary to tell
the truth about them, and that would
suffice for every purpose of even their
bitterest foes; that it would not be
needful in working for their overthrow
to falsify their religious and political
views, distort their sayings and put
strained and unwarrantable construc-
tions upon their acts in order to make
them odious in the eyes OF mankind.
And yet these things are being done
constantly by those who boast of fair
ness, liberality, patriotism, chiYalry,
charity piety and all the graces of the
gospel calendar, and never tire of draw
ing the contrast between the superiority
of their Christian civilization and
the degrading practices of Mormons. If
the conversion of that alleged misguided
people, and not as some believe their
determination is the end desired. it
would seem to be queer way of i'm
pressing them with the idea that that
Wanted superiority does not exist en-
tirely in the imagination of its profess
sors.
To misstate an opponents pos ition
and then fiercely assail him in that
position, may show energy and in some
instances earnestness, but it is certainly
anything but fairness and chivalry,
with all due respect for those mythical
American gentlemen" whose egotism
so often asserts but as often fails to
prove otherwise. To Gull from a
speakers remarks only such portions as
isolation and prejudiced comment can
be made TO appear Unreasonable" and
unchristianlike, and purposely ignore
other parts that would by association
explain and make clear and innocent
the speakers meaning, is anything but
upright and honorable and smacks more
of the demagogue than of the patriot.
of lying than of loyalty. And
yet this is the course almost
invariably pursued by rabid Mormon
hating editors and reporters who have
Sc much to say about Mormon
treason" and Mormon trickery."
Why this reluctance to tell "the
truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth" in protesting to report what
q Mormon elder says to his congrega-
ton? Is it because the simple truth
would not serve the purpose which the
garbled and distorted report" is
intended to subserve2 And if 30, is it
not confession OF cowardice, weakness
and dishonesty on the part of those
responsible for its user 1t looks very
much as if the Mormons and their
religion were feared quite as much as
they are hated. and that there is some
thing about them which their enemies
wish to keep hidden, the exposure of
which would tend to defeat their plans
and let daylight through their dark and
treacherous doings
But the epidemic of anti-Mormon
misrepresentation is not confined to
this locality, nor to the newspaper pro-
fesson. 1t RACES everywhere, frothing
from the pulpit and foaming from the
platform. 1t breaks out in Congress as the
prelude to the passage of every act of
sntl-Mormon special legislation. And
why these special laws? Why are not
the restrictions that govern society
elsewhere stringent enough for the
Mormons? Why must the Constitution
be ignored in enacting laws against
them, and then the law itself be ignored
in the extraordinarymethods adopted bv
those charged with enforcing it? Is it not
tantamount to confession by the law
making power that the Mormons are
obeying all laws that ought 70 govern
society; and an admission by the courts
that this peaceable. law-abding people
cannot be caught even by measure
passed purposely to entrap them, ex-
cept the law itself be trampled under
foot by those who have sworn to uphold
and execute it?
This way Of dignifying the Mormon
question into such undue importanceis,
70 say the least, bad policy on the part |
of government as great as this is. The
picture Of fifty-fye millions of people |
stirred TO the very depths over a problem
involving at the most little handful of
10000 souls, is indeed ludicrous; still
more so when We hear it asserted by