The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-08-15
MORMON RULE.

- Receives . Staggering Blow In fto
StrOnghOId-GOntiIos Win In IN ElOc.
tI0n In salt Lake City-The Victorious
Party Celebrates - Significance or the
Saints Defeat
SALT LAKE CRY, Z. T.. Aug. Z The cleo
tion which took place IN this city Monday
was for members of the Legislative Assem-
bly, and for Territorial, county and precinct
officers The principal interest of the CAM
paign centered in Salt Lake City, where
the first real political fight over seen
in this Territory was made. It was
novel sight to see huge campaign meetings
held in all quarters OF city by people who
twenty years ngo would scarcely have
dared come within it's walls without per-
mission from Brigham Young. who was Writ
ually the autocrat OF all Utah.
The leading non -Mormons Of the city en-
tered upon spirited campaign, and with
drums, and flies, and lanterns, and bonfires,
and oratory, and argument invaded the cap
ital of the Saints. Judge Orlando w. Powers,
an old politician from Michigan. who Is
looked upon as the Moses who has been sent
to lead the Mormons out of the Egyptian
darkness In which they have been i'm
INJURED for 10 these forty years. was at the
head of the Gentle movement He began
his work by dividing the city on into
wards and appointing GENTLE captain to
each ward. These wards were subdivided
into blocks and agents appointed for each
block, and in this way thorough house to
house canvass was made. Before election
day the Gentiles knew their exact strength,
and while there were supposed to be 1000
Gentiles out of total registration of 5000.
yet the Gentiles had no idea that they could
poll their full vote.
Many OF their members were out Of tho
city, others were apathetic, and Judge Pow
ers believed that the Mormons would win
by about 800 votes It was, therefore. a
great surprise when the returns show ed
that tho Gentiles had carried the city
by forty-one votes. While not q city officer
was elected none being voted for-yet It
gives renewed hope that In the municipal
election In February the city will be
wrested from the Mormon control, in which
it has been ever since Brigham Young
crossed the Wasatch mountains in lS41.
One OF the prime causes for the victory
was the defeQsion from the Mormon ranks
At least 30 young Mormons voted with the
Gentiles, and this breaking away from the
chains Of the priesthood was the chief
cause for the celebration Monday night
Perfect pandemonium reigned on tho
streets here from . o'clock until 3 o'clock
In the morning. Business men, professional
men, preachers, boys, women, all joined in
the jolliication. The Mormon police at-
tempted to stop the demonstration, but
were powerless Cow-bells, tin horns
bombs, guns, colorcd lights. In fact every
thing that would make q round or blaze
was brought into requisition. Such sight
was never before seen in Utah.
The victory means an increase of business
and populations: it means that next Febru.
ary the city will go Gentle by 7UO to LOG
votes; it means the beginning of the end OF
the Mormon power. for the young men
have declared at the ballot that they will
in future think for themselves and not al
low priestly interference with their fran
chise II means population Of 10000 in
ten years
The Mormons were more surprised than
the Gentiles, and take their defeat bitterly.
The next Legislature will have six Genttles
In the House and two members in the
council-the council being body
corresponding to the state Senate
The last Legislature had five Gentle
members, and this increase of three n
gratifying. This gives them eight menl-
bers out Of thirty-six, and when it IL re-
membcred that the first Gentle who sat In
a Utah Legislature was David Mclaughlin,
who served two sessions ago, the impor-
tance Of this present election will be better
understood
In Salt Lake County, of which this city
forms part, this increase IN the Gentle
vote is also astonishing. and the claim is
made that within two years the Mormons
will lose that also. The influx OF the Gen.
tiles into Utah since the real-estate boom
here last year has been steady. but SO
quiet has 1t been that not even did the GEN.
tiles appreciate what power they had be-
come.