Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-10-30
The MORMON SITUATION.

We fad the following well writ
ten and well considered article in
tie editorial columns Of the Boston
Glo5e. The writer aPpends his
name, showing that he hiss the
courage OF his convictions and is
willing 20 take the responsibility Of
his utterances. Viewing the sub
iect from his standpoint, 1t mnst be
admitted that he has endeavOred to
treat it with Justice aud fairness.
HIS moderation and readiness to
give due credit TO the PEOPLE who
opened the way to the colonization
Of this inteT-mOrntain region, is
worthy the imitation Of those
Christian commanders on "Mor-
mon" topics whose prejudices
render them blind TO the truth aud
Indifferent 20 the facts. The article
Is headed. ''rhe New Departure in
Utah.:
"The highest authority in the Nor
mon Church declares that plural mar
riaye isa ching OF the past. not to be
counionanced IN the future. Now il
IS IN order for the American people
to glance at another side Of a problem
by which FOR 90 years the nation has
been vexed.
tine advent Of a new religion has
often been heralded by the war cry Of
conquest. us track marked with the
bloody trail OF persecution. No little
Of the outcry raised against the Nor
mons NAV be occasioned by the fac;
that We are no better than our prede-
I cessors. Always ready TO welcome
sensational news gatherers and to
listen 10 sensational lecturers, the
public palate has been sated al felsts
where recountsl OF Mormon atrocities
but wha:ed the appetite for more Of
the same exciting diet. Is there an
other side?
"Driven from the populated States
in 1884,, the followers OF the new reve-
laiion fed across the weary plains,
and selecting a spot they called Des-
eret-thsn region briefly described
by emitting the third vowel in its
name-;hey camped in Isolation from
the human race. The eoloniSts con-
tended with hostile Indians, with dis
sension and lack o. the bare necessi-
ties Of lie: clements generally fatal to
such enterprises utterly failed to crush
them; an ancient proverb proved a
truism: the flock Of foolish sheep with
the -Brigham-!or its leader, was
more powerful than many a stronger
colony lacking such head. The
desert literally blossomed as the rose;
by the most successful system Of irri-
CATION ever devised, r rill o, clear,
mountain sprfng water was brought
IN NATURES own channel-.he earth
no. only TO each mans door, but, after
the fashion which has made the valley
Of the Nile garden during thousands
OF years, tina; limpid stream refreshed
aud fer.ilized the soil.
mining was discouraged, gold was
accnrsed; ye., poor az they were, they
built no alInshouse; immoral as rumor
made them. they had not a single
penal institution; polyg4m.sts, az they
were free 20 become, in no State Of the
Union, then, and TO this day, Is simple
household fidelity Of one man and
one woman to each other Of observ-
ance 81 universal. They pruspered
most wonderfully. The community.
showed no instances Of individual
wealth, whilSs each member had
neither poverty nor riches.
$40 the economist, the cause q: such
prosperity was PAten;; It was plainly
defined in their civic emblem, the
beehive; the eagle may search for
prey, the young lion may roar and
suffer hunger, bu: the bees industry
resuits in food enough and to spare,
aud there were ne drones in the Des-
eret hive. That toll, unremit:ing as it
was. enriched no iyran;. ii fat;ened no
idler; forced to contribute to a COM
mon fund, the citizen knew thar the
most distant diversion Of that fund
was to bring new laborers to the vine
yard; the practice was the reverse Of
that against which the metropolis Of
the day contends. where men may be-
come rich at the taxpayers expense.
To the Sain; OF Utah this prosperi-
ty was the smile OF the Supreme
Ruler; bs their faith celestial revela-
ton or be It terrestrial delusisn. it is
believed, carried into daily practice a,
in few other OF the secis OF Chris.en-
dom. 1t cannot be ignored that the
Latter-day Saints are a Protestant
sect. KING Jamssi version is the
Mormon Bible, the Book OF Mormon
occupying place analogous TO that
assigned by many people in other
lands 10 the works OF the Swedish
seer. Mormonism IS Judaism modern
lied; its statutes are those Of the Mosa-
&c law; its customs and uszges mod
elied on the We rises OF the Penta.eueh;
its domestic lie nearer TO tina; of the
early New Englsnd Commonwealth
than any other 10 be found On the
western continent; the hymns OF
Watts, Wesley and Others OF their
kin constitute the sacred poetry OF It's
worship.
VIVA; then i IL crime? Why shonii
W siiil look with suspicion en- the
orEanizsfions Wherein was IT. svowal
Of polyEAmy s national INSULT OF
this, liiGlo has besD writtsn, despite
all the agitation. The real Danger from
the Mormon power was that 4 set