The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-06-09

church In cHltLeridDu, 1Hcu Sn-eA
junction is that Of missionaries: Ibe
COMMITMENTS of the Mormon
church number 6l0. A great
many Mormon converts are
shipped through these instrumental
litles TO the United states. This Nor
mon propaganda is being prosecuted
with much yigor in the northern parts
of SwItzeriand, and all OF the converts
thus far have been members OF the
Protestant denominations. There are
no Catholics among them Great atten-
ton is being paid by these missionaries
10 women, and even young girls. Tue
younger girls are educated, and when
grown are sent TO the United States.
rne missionaries seem to be well sup
piled with money, and have organized
many benevolent societies, especially Tor
the relief of women. This report con-
tains some striking features which will
| probably not be at present. made public
Now, as a matter Of fact, there is no
other place on earth where all infor-
nation regarding the operations
and results of Mormon missionaries
can be so readily obtained as in Salt
Lake City. The statistics are periodi-
cally published, and an effort made to
make public the information: but it
would be less sensational 10 ask for and
acquire the facts here, and would not
indicate that the matter was at all i'm
portant In a national or international
sense, as INDEED, it is not To follow up
these missionaries by the Federal rep
resentatiyes abroad gives an air of i'm
portance to a matter which is really not
at all significant. Having gotten all
the information desired. learned all
about the missionaries and thei= meth
DDS, and acquired absolute knowledge
Of what they teach and preach.
and the results Of their ex-
hortations. what will Mr.. Secretary
Bayard or anybody else do about it?
He will not undertake to say that a
Mormon elder shall not go abroad, will
he7 He will hardly say that the elder
shall not preach if he can induce people
to listen to hiln: nor will Mr.. Bayard
assume 70 formulate set Of religious
doctrines that must be laugh, by the
elder. The Secretary may warn" the
governments of Europe against the el-
ders, in which event he will probably
get snubbed as Gladstone once
snubbed meddlesome delegation that
undertook 10 advise and instruct him
as to his duties in regard to the Nor
mon propaganda in Great Britain. The
officials of European countries know
quite as well what the Mormon mis-.
sionaries preach and how they
conduct themselves as Mr.. Bayard
or his agents. and they also
know whether or not the elders defy the
laws. 1t is possible that the Secretary
has in his mind a scheme for closing
the ports against Mormon immigrants,
as has been advocated by some official
and other nincompoops, though it is
hardly probable that Bayard Is SO mar
row a statesman and SO much of an
ass as to contemplate any such ridicu-
lous proceeding. Intelligent people
who think of the matter at all will be
forced TO believe that the inquiry that
has been instituted is nothing more or
less than little sensational business on
the part OF statesmen" and officials
who are narrow in their paths of
thought. and shallow in their ways Of
thinking. :
1t is sincerely hoped, however. that
in the interest of truth and for his own
advantage, Secretary Bsyard Will OBJ
tain more reliable information than has
been supplied to him by =. the
Swiss consul. The missionaries in
Switzerland are q striking exception
to the rule if they are well supplied
with money" and the system which
prevails in tie little republic is an I'M
usual one, and a most fortunate one for
the people if it includes the education
of the younger girls" 1t is hardly
worth while to denounce such stuff as
unadulterated rot, as the world is too
familiar with the poverty of the elders
and also with their methods TO give any
credence 10 such stories.
The State Department would be doing
the republic some service if it would
AXE steps to keep out the Socialists and
Anarchists who are flocking into thu
country from the oil world; while it
only makes itself ridiculous in the eyes
Of intelligent people b. its display Of
interest in the doings of = few score
Mormon elders.
AuER,eAx Sr.-rsrxs and nol;.;c;s,s