Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-31
A SETBACK FOR UTAH.

1t does not LOOK as though the e1OfIs OF
the Utah lobby at this session OF Congress
had 80 far been crowned with any con-
spicuous measure OF success. They have
had the ablest advocates for admission
pleading before the Senate Committee on
Territories the case OF the Territory and
the sincerity OF the constitution they
adopted last summer. The services Of
George William Curtis and other able
writer's were drawn upon to furnish col
umns OF letters in favor OF the Mormon
case in their organs, which were cent broad
cast to newspapers all over the country by
the Mormon bureau in the hope that they
might be repubIished with converting con-
sequences. The bureau has sent forth tons
OF documents all tending to establish the
sincerity Of the Motmons in adopting the
constitution which they did and to con-
vince skeptics that they had been mailgned
all along and we're sincerely deslrous OF be-
ing taken into the Union as good citizens.
But instead Uf helping their cause, these
efforts seem to have apprised people OF the
vigorous attempt OF Utah to get INTO the
Union and OF the imperative necessity OF
keeping her in Territorial control as longas
the distinctive features OF the Mormon
faith and the power OF the Mormon priest
hood remain unchanged. The Mormon
before committee have fallen
on incredulous ears, while from all sides
come protests to the committee from
various bodies, which have been recelVeu
and their contents noted. Senator Cullom
reports that the proposed Utah COnstitu-
ton is not such d document as Will guaran-
tee a republican form OF government, and
furthermore that no trust can be placed IN
any professions OF the MOrmUEs until II Is
certain beyond doubt that pOlygamy has
| been abandoned by that church. This can
only be when the elders OF the church
fD! uIally declar that the Mormon Church
rccedes from it's position on pOlygamy and
~urOnounces it a crime, and when the elders
themselves put away their plural wives
and insist upon their followers doing the
same. Then the people OF this country Will
be ready to believe that the Mormon
Church and people have abandoned polyg-
amy.
But this does not fiji the full measure OF
fitness for Statehood, according to Senator
Cullom. He says Utah ought not to be adj
united TO the Union until 1t is certain that
the civil affairs VI the Territory are not
controlled jy the priesthood Of the Nor
mon Church,. This seems to be requiring
| an impossibility. The priesthood are con-
fcssedly in control OF civil affairs. How
are they gOiugt to be dispOssesscd? No matter
nha professions they might make, 1t Is
only human nature for the priests OF the
Mormon Church to retain their grasp on
The MANAGEMENT OF the civil affairs as long
as the Mormon people are the ignorant
dupes they have been. 1t is because OF the
dense ignorance p%ervading Mormon COM
munities in the portions Of the Territory
where Gentllcs and Gentle influences are
unknown that these priests first obtained
their hold on civil as well as spiritual al
fairs and still retain it. 1t caunOt be legis-
Lated away from them. For purposes OF
their own they may profess to %renounc
their control; but the history OF s%acerdOt-
| nlisrn shows that the only thing that will
i break the chains Of bondage in which it
holds its dupcS is education. When the
light Of intelligence and reason penetrates
| The recesses Of Mormon control then the
| Irasp Of the priesthood on the minds Of the
| fractured beyond repair. The only way
90 bring it about is to introduce the Gen
| tiIc. leavcn into the Mormon districts of
| Utah. Let the Gcntiles become settled all
over the country AS freely and effectually