The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-07-19
ALIEN AND HOSTILE PEOPLE.
vhe Greed and Tyranny of mormonlsm.

ALIEN AND HOSTILE PEOPLE.
rhe Greed and Tyranny of Mormonlsm.
Frank Wilksrson in the New York Times.
The Mormon Church has firm clutch
ont the Territory Of Utah, which has an
area of 84,97O square miles. There are
many hundreds of thousands of acres of
arabic land in the Territory. The noun.
tain ranges which trend to the northwest
through the fair landS are ribbed with
veins of precious ore and blackened in
Southern Utah by the outcrop of many
immense coal seams. And there is iron
ore in masses and in veins throughout the
mountains. Clear, cold water flows in
all of the highland streams, which,
almost withoutexception, arestocked with
trout. The sky seems to be bluer and
the stars brighter in Utah than elsewhere.
The climate is wholly delightful. 1t is
not too warm in the summers, and the
winters are not intensely cold, and the
air is ever dry, The scenery in Utah is
grand in its utter desolation. The barren
treeless mountain ranges, the gray valleys
the dead Salt Lake shimmering'in the
strong light grow on you, and presently
you love them. :
In this fair and highly desirable Terri
tory live about 100000 Mormons, every
one of whom is a bitter and resolute ene.
my to the Republic, to progress, to edu.
cation, to intelligence, and TO all things
which tend to elevate men and to loosen
the shacklesfrom their minds. Outside
Of the limits of Salt Lake City and of
Ogden Utah is foreign land, far more
foreign than the older portions of the
Indian Territory. The American citizen
who visits the agricultural portions Of
Utah, or who enters the small towns, is
instantly aware of the fact that he is
regarded as y foreigner and an enemy.
Hostile spirits glare at him through un.
friendly eyes. Not:only has he entered
q foreign land, but he has actually
passed outside Of the protecting folds of
his flag. The only result of the attempt
to enforce the Edmunds Act has been to
intensity the hatred which all Mormons,
3 it matters not whether they are polyg.
amists or monogamists, bear toward the
Gentle citizens Of the United States.
To-day the population of Utah is divided
into Two hostile bodies. One body, the
Mormon force, is rich and powerful, and
numbers 100000 resolute people. 1t has
-detachments scattered throughout the
Territory wherever grass grows and water
flows. The other body consists of about
10000 Gentiles. They are gathered int
the Mormon cities and towns, and il. .ssae
highland mining camps. Almost Ater:.
ally no Gentle hand guides a plow
through Utsh's soil. :,
Utah is an exceedingly arid land. In
all arid countries, it matters not where
they lie, the people who own or control
the water actually own the land, and it
is impossible to wrest it from them as
long as they can hold the life giving
swatet.i Under thevarious .nationalI and
territorial laws which relate to the own
ership of water that is diverted from its
natural channels to be used for mining
or irrigation water code has been crea-
ted. Eliminating the legal verbosity
/ from the code there remains; The per-
son or association of persons who take
water from natural channels for mining
or agricultural purposes own the water
in fee simple. No;person or association
sof persons has the right to tap the stream
above the head of ditch already dug to
divert sufficient water from the existing
ditch to lessen its flow or its head above
the discharging orifces. That is the Law
relating to water rights in the highland
mining region and in the arid agriculture
al lregion. It is evidvent that the people
who own the water virtually own the
land. The M.rpdns have. tapped al.
smost every .ipnping stream in. Utah.
The Church virtually owns the water
which flows in all the valleys. No Cen
tile who may desire to create home in
Utah can legally obtain water to use on
his land unless the Church sells it to him
or he bores an Artesian we'll. If he
should homestead quarter section Of
land and dig an irrigation ditch to obtain
water from near by stream his Mormon
neighbors would instantly object in the
Coutts-that:is, ifAthe American citizen
had settled in the vicinity of Salt Lake
City or Ogden, and the Mormon Church
would bear the legal expenses connected
with the suit. If the Gentle had un-
wisely settled in the remote agricultural
districts he would be driven from his
homestead by force, or the crack of 9
Winchester would settle the dispute esonce
for all, and presently another prospector
would be reported as having been killed
in the mountains by Indians. :
The power Of the Church of Mormon
lies, first, in the blind devotion of it's
followers (; second, in its commonwealth;
which has its origin in the system of tith.
ing.
The true! Mormon ;owes no allegiance
to the Church only. NEe has no respect
for any law that has been or that may be
enacted. BY the United States Congress.
He looks on the United States as on a
foreign. land. iIHe.i regards American
citizens as a set. Of snooping,' benighted,
ungodly aliens, whose portion should
rightfully be death. And the Mormons
dealt, out death to Gentiles as long as it
was comparatively safe to kill. The
Church reeks with Gentle blood. AS I
write vision of the Mountain Meadows,