Arizona republican., 1890-07-28
THE ONLY REPUBLICAN PAPER IN PHGNIX.
RATES OF SUBSCRIPTION.
MORMoYIsM AND PUBLIC SCHOOL

To the success of our system of pub lie school education, is due the continued growth and prosperity of this Govern ment. In every hamlet, town, and vil- lage throughout the nation, the school house is found, lasting monument of American civilization and freedom. We all render homage to the educational system, and anything, no matter how remote, which initiates against the public school, is looked upon with defer ence and watched with jealous eye.
 The complete and entire separation of religion from education, has been the watch word of our legislators. Chil- dren of Jew or Gentle, Christian or Mohamedan, Baptist or Mormon, can attend the public schools and be edu- cated in all that tends toward the mak- ing of good, loyal citizens, and religion is left to home influence and teachings. Our statutes contain laws prohibiting religious teachings in the schools, and all pay obedience to this in Arizona but one sect.
 Colonies of Mormons, led by the off cers of this church, have settled in va rious parts of the Territory, and while the attention of the civilized world has been directed to Utah, these zealous fol- lowers of Brigham Young. the polyga- mist, have been quietly, but steadily in testing Arizona, and in such numbers as to make their presence today menace to the public school
 Whatever affects our system of learn ing must be of interest to the public at large. While our legislators and the press have been devoting their time to discaiming the immoral doctrines of the church and exposing the polyga- nous practices of it's members, little or no time or space has been given to the relationship which this religious denomination bears to our schools. The great and overwhelming desire of the Mormons is to control the public schools and wherever their num- bers give promise of political success, there it will be found that everything in
 
 the positions, which, under the law, control the public schools and the funds devoted to their support.
 Apache county, until the present year, has been successful in preventing the Mormons from handling the schools. This, too, although they can almost unaided elect county officials. County Superintendents tell us that in Mormon districts schools have remained closed for whole terms because members of the church would not be allowed to teach.
 Snowflake, in Apache county, is the bot bed of Latter-Day-Saintism and none but Mormons live in the town. Several years ago our statutes gave the Board of Examiners the power of ap- pointing teachers in various districts and able instructors were assigned to this as well as other Mormon districts, but the school trustees would not allow schools to be opened which would be taught by "Gentiles" and openly avowed that unless members of "their faith" were selected no schools would be allowed. They carried out their statements and the records of the school fund will show that the money assigned to that district was distributed among other schools because it was not wanted for school purposes at Snowflake except under the auspices of the Mormon church and this would not be permitted. The president of the "Stake" of which Snow flake is the center, is member of the school board, and he refused the school to a qualified teacher because he was not member of "Our faith" His letter is in existence, and will be produced if required.
 Asa rule, the Mormons who desire to teach in our schools are unfitted, intel lectually, not to speak of other missing qualities. Dozens of Mormon men and women have presented themselves for examination for teachers certificates in Apache county, and have failed totally. Then they have gone forth and pro- claimed that their failure was due to the prejudice of the Board, when the fact is that any child fifteen years of age could have passed the examinations if he had received an ordinary common school education. The Board of examiners in Apache county today is composed of two Mormons and Mormon sympathizer who is too illiterate to comprehend simple fractions, and "Gentiles" there have been astonished at the wonderful amount of education which Mormon applicants for teachers certificates have gained during the past year. Until the last examination, only Mormons were given certificates and many of these had failed before former Boards. Few, if any Saints" were refused. Girls known to be incompetent have been granted certificates so that the money might be used in the interest of the church.
 Recognizing the danger to the schools from Mormon influences. Arizona has had on her statute books enacted by a a Republican Legislature which pre- vented local School Boards from select ing teachers. This was necessary for the reason that the Mormons live in towns by themselves, and will not allow out siders to settle amongst them. This places the election of trustees complete ly in the hands of the church and as a