The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-05-02

time to come that its policy towards
Utah has been wrong and in violation
Of those great fundamental principles
upon which our government is built
Our government has already gone
wrong in dealing with the Mormon
problem. The course taken has only
intensified the religious zeal of the
Mormon people, and prepared them 70
stand more firmly by their convictions
of what they esteem 10 be right, how
ever much mistaken they possibly may
be. The persecution they are now
enduring will only wed them the more
firmly to their convictions and increase
the difficulties the government ought 10
avoid in dealing with this question.
Those philanthropists who desire 10 see
the race redeemed from the evils that
now curse it, will have to be patient. II
cannot be accomplished in a moment
and by a legislative enactment. The
best teacher mankind ever had
cautioned his co-laborers not to be too
hasty in pulling up the tares lest IN
doing so they pull up the wheat as we'll.
Those who want to reform Utah viii do
well to be actuated by the spirit Of
those instructions. The solution Of the
Mormon problem is not difficult If the
proper means are employed and those
watching events will be patient. The
secret Of the matter is this: Utah must
be allowed to work out her
own salvation. She can do it
quicker and better than anybody else.
The nation can get out of the Difficult
ties in relation to Utah affairs by grant
ing 10 this Territory what she is justly
entitled to. and what she is qualified to
receive, viz: Statehood. She would
then be brought in closer contact with
other States. with their social customs !;
and in that contact. is it unreasonable
to believe that the fittest would survive?
The social customs of utah would have
many disadvantages to begin with,
among which would be the unpopular
ity of their system and the extra care
and anxiety it carries with it. With
these disadvantages, those who laud tie
virtue of modern social customs must
have little faith in the virtues they
praise, if they fear polygamy would
menace the monogamic home. Those
professedly interested in the destruction
of the Mormon marriage system might
not be willing to leave this question to
the arbitration Of time and the influence
of contact with other customs. That
course would not be sufficiently heroic
10 suit their war-like natures, but those
forces are the only legitimate ones that
can be brought to bear in this contro-
versy.
As to church interference with State
it is something which exists only in the
minds of sectarian bigots,
needy editors, interested politicians and
those who have been blinded by their
misrepresentation. Leading men in
the Mormon priesthood have infiu-
ence in political affairs. but it
IS because they have been men of sense
and thought. They are the ones who |
ed the people to these valleys. 1t |
was their advice-call it counsel" if |
you will-that directed the people in
heir labors. They laid out the towns
and villages many of which have since
grown to be large and prosperous. They \
.aught the people who came from the
factories, the boundaries, the mills, the
,oal and iron mines of the old world,
how to till the soil, how to care for
heir stock, how, in short, to furnish
heir own hands and the hands OF their
IONS and daughters with employment,
which at last led to independence. Is
tany wonder then that they have in
iuence with the people7 These leading
men in the Mormon priesthood have
been an infinite blessing to Utah, and
hat man is a fool who thinks they
wont have and don't desire the i'm
olicit confidence of the people?
Men who have labored for the interest
Of the people as they have done, being
rue to them under all circumstances
Is the leading men among the Nor
mons have, would have influence with
he people even though they had no
badge of priesthood. Oly-tongued
editors of infamous sheets, and sweet
tipped, insinuating hypocritical priests,
'osether with foul-mouthed, staggering
may foam out their own
age, but it will be impotent. The peo-
DE of Utah know the leading men in
he Mormon priesthood are their
Those men are enshrined in
he memories OF the people, and the I'M
worthy efforts of those jealous of the
aspect and honor paid to them viii
'niy increase the love of the people for
hem.