Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-06-14
THE MORMONS.
RELIGIOUS PERsECUTIONS FOR PO-
 LITICAL PURPOSES.
A Manly Defense of Their Rights as Citi- zens of The United States--WhoIe-
 some Truths Plainly Spoken.

from it's small beginning at Nauvoo to | the present time. I believe that | Joseph Smith was an impostor and that his claim to finding hidden | plates having engraved thereon the | Mormon Bible was mere fiction. I believe, if he had been let alone (ex- cept if he or his followers disobeyed the laws, they should have been pun ished like other common mortals) that his leadership would have ended with a few deluded followers who would have gradually fallen away from him and he would have soon been forgotten. But unfortunately, oppres- sion and persecution took the place of reason and right. They were mobbed in Missouri and he and some of his followers were murdered in the Nau- 700 jail, while defenceless and con- fined in prison under process of law, when by every rule of right they should have been protected. This was the blood of the martyr that is always required to nourish the seeds of the Church and the usual effect was the result. The followers were solidited and commenced 8 mission ary crusade in nearly all civilized lands unparalleled in this age. Fol lowers focked to their standard and the church has grown and increased in numbers with rapidity, and the question now arises, what course is best to pursue to arrest the rapid in- crease of this deluded people. Per | 1e the world prevented the spread of religious dogmas however absurd. On the contrary, as with the Mormon Church, 1t always helps to popularize and proselyte new converts.
 So much for the church in general, but what I started out to write about is particularly relative to the Mormon Church in Arizona. I have been somewhat familiar with the history of the followers of that faith since they located the first settlement. in the Territory. visited their settle ment shortly after they located on the little Colorado river. At that time they had just lost their first years crop in consequence of the breaking of the dam that turned the water into their irrigating ditch, and the only means they had to get SUD- plies to last them through another season, was to haul them hundreds of miles through an uninhabited coun- try from Salt Lake. They were liv- ing in the most prudent. manner. Such luxuries as tea, coffee, sugar and tobacco could not be found in the settlement. They were full of hope and good cheer and said the experience they had gained in dam making by its loss would be worth to them in the end all it had cost, that they saw bright future for the coun- try but 1t required hardships, priva- tions and the strictest economy, all ot which they were willing to submit to. They said the only fear they had was, after they had gone through with these experiences, jealousy of their thrift and hatred of their relig- ion would lead to their persecution. l told them that while I had no sympathy with them in their religion, still l conceded to them the same right to worship God in their own
 way that desired for myself. That there was only one cloud hanging over them from which I apprehended any fear and that was the question of polygamy. That it was SO abhor- rent to the civilized age, that upon question should meet them at the
 threshold and combat. them at every step. They informed me that upon that subject many of them differed from my views but in practice those only who had single wives had come
 to Arizona and it was not their inten.
 tion to introduce polygamy into Ari.
 zona. told them l did not Care
 what their opinions might be 30 long
 as they did not perform the act and
 as long as they proved to be law-abid
 ing citizens they could depend upon
 me to defend them in all their rights
 and liberties. Acting on that promise
 has led me to write this letter.
 believe 1t is an admitted fact that the
 Mormons in Arizona have made every
 settlement prosperous where they
 have located, that as peaceable, law
 abiding citizens they have averaged
 we'll with other classes of citizens
 that as a general rule they have no
 had plurality of wives, in fact tha has been a rare exception, and tt those that know them best I think i
 will be conceded that deluded as the,
 are, they are as sincere in their opin ions as any other class of people t,
 be found anywhere. In view of thes
 facts, does anyone believe that tn
 evil of Mormonism Is going to b , lessened by this disfranchisement 0 . people of this character, who hay ! committed no crime, except that the
 differ in opinion from large majori
 ty of the people. It is this principl
 that has led to all the cruel persecu
 tions for religious belief in all tn z, dark ages of the world. Even Gu
 Saviour was crucifed upon the eros. o because he did not agree with tn majority. The pilgrims left home an d friends and landed on hostile shore at Plymouth Rock because the ms 2 jority would not tolerate adyers = opinions on religious subjects in tn .. old country. True the pilgrims con e menced the same game of persecutio f here as soon as they found themselve if in the majority, but enlightene, -s liberal civilization always has and a n ways will condemn them for it. No ,r the question arises, shall Arizon 10 come into the Union as one of til . free States on this proscriptive policy IS hope not, It is not question ,d politics but question of huma i~ rights. l would scorn to support
 party that would seek to obtai h power through the depriving of h ot inahenabIe rights of any American cit I'd zen on account of his religious belle ;y I am 8 republican and am attachs
 to it's principles, if for no other reaso
 because it is and has been the par
 that has fought for and defend' no human rights, and I do not belle ,o the masses of the republican party .ts Arizona are going to tamely subnl ". to the disfranchisement of honel industrious citizens because they d m fer with them in religious belief IT ;I- discussion of this question on the le
 plane of partisan gain or loss is ar matter have no sympathy with.