Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-04
SITUATION IN UTAH.
GOVERNOR THOMAS TALKS OF THE
POWER OF MoRMoNiSM

He Thialss Congress should Pass More
Stringent Laws Than Those Now on the
Books-The Present Statutes Are
SkiIIfuIly Evaded.
WASHINGTON, October 3.-The Mormon
question is discussed at some length by
Arthur L. Thomas, the Governor of Utah, In
his annual report to Secretary Nobze. He
asserts that the Mormon people are governed
by the priests, and that in every political
and business act the church is put first, the
country afterward. The population OF the
Territory is estimated to be 900, ,932, an in
crease of IS per cent during the past ten
years. The number of Mormons are re-
cruited by immigration from Great Britain
and Scandinavian countries. The report
says that the average number of foreign
born brought to the Territory by the Nor
mons have been during the past nine years
about 1, 800 annually, and that this average
has probably been maintained during the
past year.
The Governor says that political and
official Mormonism deals in evasions and
meaningless words, or words of double
meaning, hypocritical pretenses and false
assertions. It's attitude. toward polygamy
is delusive in the last degree. 1t knows
that there has been no change on the sub
ject, but it seeks TO convey the impression
that there has been. The prominent church
officials, the Governor states, have declared
that the church does now grant permits to
enter polygamy, and the nominal head of
the church has announced that polygamous
marriages do not now take place. The
Governor adds, however, that when the at
tention of the head of the church was called
to a notorious case uncovered in the First
District Court, he disclaimed any knowl-
edge of it. Admitting that these
statements, however, are literally true, the
Governor says it doesn't prove that the
Church has met the public sentiment OF the
nation as expressed in its laws, nor does it
prove that the Church is loyal to the law.
There is no reason to believe, the Governor
asserts, that any earthly power can exact
from the Church any declaration opposed to
poly gamy. He accounts for the hold which
Mormonism has upon the people by the fact
that they are taught to keep aloof from in
huences outside of the Church, that their
lives are directed by the Lord, and that the
priesthood is the only authorized medium to
reveal and declare the will of the Lord, and
obedience to the priesthood is practically
obedience to the Lord.
The Governor says that it is over % years
since Congress condemned polygamy in
Utah. The laws OF Congress have been
ridiculed, and treated with contempt so long
as such course was safe, and then evaded
and resisted as far as possible, and during
all this time no change has taken place in
the counsels or aims of Mormonism, and the
conflict to-day is as clearly defined as ever.
The Governor recommends the passage of
the bill reported in the Senate by Senator
Edmunds, which authorizes the Governor to
appoint certain county officers and provid-
ing for legislative re-apportionment He
states that if this bill becomes law it will
place the control OF 25 counties in the hands
of men loyal to the Government. He also
recommends the passage of either the Cul
lom bill, or the Struble bill.