The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-05
MORMON IMMIGRATION.
Where the ProseIytes Are Coming
From That Now join the Latter
0ay Saints.

Secretary Jackson, OF the state
board Of immigration, whose exper-
ience has extended over a period OF
twenty five years, is careful observ-
er of foreigners introduced to this
country as proselytes to the Mormon
church. He says that large number
OF new adherents to Latter Day Saint
ship can be expected to arrive IN the
month OF July. Why the missionary
elders choose July as the month in
which to ship most OF their converts
co Utah Mr.. jacobson does not pra.
tend to explain. Neither does he try
to find reasons for the fact that the
elders have, for years past, preferred
to Conslgn their charges to the steam
ship Wisconsin. Of the Guion line.
The average number OF Mormon
immigrants Is about l,50O year.
In 1883 the number reached 2,64O,
the largest annual total which Mr..
jackson can remember. Last year
,429 proselytes landed. This year
$50 hax1 already arrived, and about
1000 more are expected next month,
for the missionary elders have been
particularly active in Germany and
the Scandinavian penlnsular during
the past few months.
The nationality OF Mormon con-
verts has changed within the past
twenty years. Two decades ago,
during Brigham Young's active prim-
acy IN Salt Lake City, most OF the
prosevtes imported from abroad
came from the mining districts OF
Wales and Cornwall. in Great Britain.
Now, however, most OF them are
drawn from Germany, Norway and
Sweden.
While Wales and Cornwall furnish
ed recruits to Mormonism the immi-
grant proselytes were a sturdy and
rather respect able looking lot. At
present the neOphytes are addressed,
filthy and ignorant. Most OF them
are old and deCrepit and seem to have
sought this land not with any love
for new faith, but from q hope oi
bettering their miserable condition.
A few children, usually orphans. are
among the immigrants, who claim
them as their own 80 as to evade the
the strict rules made to apply to such
cases. The expenses OF the proselytes
are betrayed by the church whose
creed they have adopted. They are
herded together in the steerage, while
the elder whose eloquenCe had won
them to his iaith makes himself com
Portable IN the first cabin.
Not one lrlshman, woman or child,
haa auap haan knnUn ne
United States as convert to Nor
monism. A few ignorant Scotch and
English people are still seen among
the proselytes who land at the Bat
terry. Very few unmarried persons OF
an age to think for themselves now
accept the faith whose signal tenent Is
polygamy.
Commissioner Stephenson decided
that some restrictions should be put
uI on this kind OF immigration. Ac-
cordingIy, in September 1886, he stop.
ped q consignment OF 300 proselytes
at Castle Garden, and wrote to Sec.
retary FaIrchild, asking Tor authority
| to exclude them. Mr.. FairchIld held
that only such rs came within classes
prescribed by government regulations
could be interIered with, and Com.
missioner Stephenson was compelled
to pass $50 OF the motley crowd,
The other fifty were returned rs pau
pers.
Chief Inspector Mulholland has re'
Gently enunciated the doctrine that
every Mormon immigrant ia q con
tract laborer, within the meaning o.
OF the law. He, therefore, Oblig
es each proselyte who lands to give
his name, occupation and destina
tion, 9hd also Compels the trans
portation companies and the mission
ary elders to certify that any or al
Of each arriving party will be turneS
over to the government authoritiesf
wanted.-New York Star.