Arizona republican., 1890-11-29
MORMONISM IN UTAH.

In the report of Governor Arthur l'
 Thomas, of Utah, to the Secretary ol
 the Interior, the Governor treats al
 length upon the Mormon question. Hit
 report covers the subject so fully and it
 so appropriate to the Mormon question
 everywhere that it is here reproduced
 It deserves careful reading:
 Referring to the characteristics of the
 Mormon people in my last report said
 The early Mormons were mainly native Americans and religious enthusiasts; thai
 under vigorous system of proselyung
 they had been largely recruited from al
 parts of the world; that either by chance
 sathsFs3 If9oAAGf IRf9oAAGy ut these recruits had been
 where the average rate of intelligence is the
 lowest; that for a long time the bulk of these
 converts have come from the lower classes o
 Great Britain and Scandinavian countries; thai
 they are picked up by a process of natural se
 lection;" that the doctrine as expounded by the missionary fits the mental condition of the con vert: that as a rule they are law abiding, especi
 ally as far as the law is confirmed by the priest. hood; that they have accepted the doctrines of plural marriage in all sincerity and as radical and necessary part of their religion; that while the Mormon masses are too sincere to voluntar- fly make false pretenses that could be induced to accept and adopt any form of words, however contradictory, fl advised to do so by the priest hood, for obedience to the priesthood is dili- gently inculcated as first duty; that the ortha- dox Mormon in every political or business act puts the church first, the country afterward,ete.
 Referring to political and official Mor- monism, said:
 It was probably sincere, but that when 1t had any point to attain in behalf of Morrnonisn 1t deals in evasions, meaningless words or words of double meaning, hypocrtical pretenses false assertions, and every helpful evasion of word or act. Its attitude in regard to the status of the Mormon people in regard to polygamy Is delu- siye to the last degree It knows that there has been no change on the subject but it seeks to convey the impression there has been, etc.
 further said that it was very poor tribute to pay to the Mormon people to say they have abandoned the doctrine of polygamy as part of their faith. These views I still entertain. Nothing has transpired during the past year which would lead me to change them. State ments have been made by prominent church leaders that the Church does not sanction violations of law. Two years ago the president of the Salt Lake stake before a United States com missioner, in his examination in pro ceedings by the receiver to reach church property, in the suit of the United States against the Church, and other parties, testified that since the death of John Taylor (the former head of the Church), the present head of the Church had refused to grant permission to per sons desiring to enter polygamy. Since then the present head of the Church (Wilford Woodruff has stated in a private conversation that polygamous marriages are not now allowed to take place. When his attention was called to notorious case which had been dis covered in the First District Court, he disclaimed any knowledge of the fact. In proceedings before an examiner ap- pointed by the Supreme Court to inyes- tigate the accounts and proceedings of the the receiver of the Mormon Church | escheated under the provisions of the Edmunds-rucker law, promi- nent Mormon testified that the Church | does not now sanction polygamous mar riages. This is the only evidence which has been produced, or which has been offered, that the Church does not now sanction violations of the law prohibit ing polygamy.
 The testimony of the two Church officials, unsatisfactory as it is, is sub ject to the suspicion that it was colored by desire to show that Church prop erty is no. now used for unlawful pur- poses. The statement of the head of the Church is answered by his state ment that he knew nothing of the case developed in the First District Court. But admit ting the statement and testimony 10 be literally true, it does not prove that the church has met the public sentiment of the Nation as ex- pressed in its laws, and has abandoned polygamy. Nor does it prove what is