The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-03

and increasing current Oh tne fisins
tream. 1t is hardly to be supposed
that these, and other men IN the
same category. would vOlun 'arlly
take such steps with the purposes
| to repeat and continue to repeat
them. On the contrary naturally
they conduct 10 a different con
clusion, namely: disposition on
| the part of e Mormons TO abandon
the commission of sexual offences, and
to yield obedience to the law. YET the
laws should continue to be vigilently and
strictly enforced ageips' all violating
them. No step backward, In this re-
gard, should be sanctioned Let the
laws be executed.
The facts above set forth. with others
that have fallen under our observation,
confirm the opinion that Il great ma
jority of the MormoDs have wisely re-
solved that the practice OF
PoLYGAMY SHOULD BE ABANDONED.
Our view that polygamy is on the de-
cline in tue Territory is supported by
the published statement of an eminent
Methc dist minister, who for many
years has been in charge Of the Metho-
dist mission in Utah, aud has miIgle1
with the people in al parts of the Ter
ritory. He is credibly reported as hav-
ing stated in Conference, at Cincinnati,
early in this month, THAI notWith
standing reports given out by the press
in general, poIygamy is on the declines"
and that lin few more years, 1t Will be
driven out of Utah"
The ex Chief Justice Of the Terri
tory,
HON. c. S. ZANE,
over year ago, expressed the opinion
that 1.-The existing law, diligently and
strictly enforced might be reasonably
, relied on to work a cessation of polyg-
amy as practice" and about the same
, time, the Hon. William G. Bowman,
Surveyor General of Utah, stated tn at
''the change in Mormon sentiments in
the last year has been marked and en-
= couraging, on the question of the sup
preston and abandonment of polyg-
amy"
The statement of the reverend gen
tlemen, quoted above, suggests the re-
{ mark that on account of the peculiar
. institutions of a portion of the people
of Utah, the reports given out by the
press ARE not only at present, but for
> many years past, have been of sensa-
tional and highly-colored character.
That the condition of affairs has been
improving in Utah for many years is
evidenced by the following statement,
= made about five ears ago, by the lead
ing anti-Mormon newspaper of Utah ::
"Salt Lake City is so changed from the
Utah Of ten years ago that, could the
old style of affairs be returned for a
week, the old slavery, the old tyranny,
and the restrictions, the Mormon peo-
pie themselves, would rise up in rebel
lion. There are forces at work which
: are all powerful, and which no artifice
or restrictions, no falsehoods and no
superstitions can resist"
THE FORCES AT WORK"
at that time have been supplemented
by additional Congressional legislation,
and such vigorous enforcement of the
laws that there can be no reasonable
doubt of successful result in the near
future.
There is considerable Gentiis immi-
grafton into Utah, and this is to be an
important factor in the solution OF the
problem" Utah has O mild and
equable climate, and those who con-
template sojourning or settling there
, for health, pleasure Or business need
paper reports of Mormon outrages."
Much that is said concerning an unpop-
ular and hated people should be re-
f ceived cum gra'aO; for it is easy, as well
as agreeable, for many persons to deal
largely in hyperbole and fiction against
3 those whom it is the fashion to de-
: spise.
, It is obvious that the laws of Con-
gress and of the Territorial Legislature,
, the officers in charge of the execution
of the federal statutes, the people of
Utah, including the Gentiles and the
! homogeneous Mormons, with many
other benefcent influences such as rail-
, roads, telegraphs, schools, colleges, and
l the invincible progress of civilization
are rapidly and surely working out a
reformation of the inhibited sexual
! offences in UGah-and there does rot
! now seem to be any necessity or pro-
priety for further legislation, restric-
! tive of political rights in that Terri
! tory. We are thoroughly satisfied that
,, progressing rapidly, and that it will
soon result in a successful issue, with
! out resort to legislation that is pro-
scriptive of religious opinion. Our
view may be epitomized in few words ::
Punish criminal actions; but religious
creeds, aever. The present laws of Con-
gress appertaining to Utah are very
stringent, and they will accomplish all
that can be reasonably required of legal
coercion; we are, therefore, unwilling
to advise any further abridgement of
local self-government in that Territory.
Without going into tedious detail, the
general result shows
GRATIFYING PROGRESS
in the enforcement of the laws in Utah
and the officers of the federal govern
ment, judicial, executive and admins
trative have performed their duties
ably and efficiently. All poIygamist s
have been excluded from voting and
holding Office. and the laws for the
punishment of polygamy and other
sexual offences have been ably and
vigorously enforced: which fully ap-
pears by the following table prepared
from information furnished by the
United States District Attorney, in
pursuance of resolution of the House