The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-09
AS TO STATEHOOD.

!
the making of state out of this territory,
and proceeding along this assumption, they
argue that Mormon state will follow, with
a long train of evils, among them the de-
preston OF property values, the oppression
and driving out of Gentiles, and SO on. We
haven't heard that wholesale massacre Of
those who do not worship in the tabernacle
is contemplated, but the scare writers
viii probably work up to that in time, and
lay bare ell the details of the cunningly
laid plot
We wonder how men pretending TO in
telligence can talk such stuff in this age
and TO this community. 1t is also so ridi-
culous that one cannot understand how
sane beings can seriously talk about dis
asters coming as result of state govern
ment, and talk it right here where ninety
nine men out of every hundred are so
familiar with all the facts, SO well &C
quainted with the people, that they regard
the scarce chatter as the veriest rot.
We don't believe there are a hundred
men in this community of nearly a quarter
of million souls who reflect five minutes
a month on the probability of statehood
lieve there are ten men who feel any sort
Of degree of interest in the matter, and
we are quite certain that the Mormons,
the leaders as well as the masses,
are almost absolutely Indifferent in
the case. There was time when the
Mormons were keen for statehood. They
were SO eager for it that they would have
gone to great lengths to obtain it. We all
know so well when and why that was that
II IS not worth while to refer TO it here.
But the time has past. The statehood
fever long since ran its course, and left
those afflicted by it pretty well cured. We
think 1t will be conceded that THE HERALD
is reasonably well acquainted with the
Mormon people and is fairly familiar with
their views regarding statehood. Our
best information and our knowledge are
that of all the people here the Mormons
are the least interested in statehood. If a
movement were started tomorrow having
for its object the requirement of a state
government, the Mormons would take
so little part In il that they would
be scolded for their Indifference.
The explanation is easy. When the
ncutC0 SldlcAOOO NSiC
being pursued and prosecuted as no other
people in America were ever pursued and
prosecuted. They were hunted and herded
into prison, were spending thousands of
dollars monthly for their defense and in
payment of fines; in fact. they were on the
road to industrial and social paralysis, and
were driven To desperation. They saw in
state government, of which they would
naturally be in control, relief from the
awful suffering which they were enduring,
and for the sake of that relief they would
gladly have accepted and borne the addi-
tional financial burden which would have
followed statehood. All this has been
changed. The things which made the
Mormons an oppressed people and brought
against them the strong arm OF the nation |
have passed away, never to re-
turn. Nothing could restore the con-
ditions which existed here a few |
years ago when the Mormon people were so
keen for the admission of this territory to |,
the union as a sovereign state, and the |
of local government. |
Polygamy has ceased and there is no more |
likelihood of its restoration than there is of /
this territory being gently detached from |
the earth and transported 10 the moon. 1t |
is simply idle to talk about further assaults |
by the government upon the Mormons, for |
the reason that the Mormons could not, if |
they would, and would not if they could, |
give occasion for any such attack as has |
been witnessed in the past dozen years
With the cessation of that which made
the Mormons an object of general asssiI |
there has come a cessation of the
assault, and today the Mormons
stand before the country like other
and receiving the same rights and recogni-
ton that other citizens receive; but there
has also come to the Mormons, with this
et up of the popular antagonism, knowl-
edge that while statehood is desirable, il
would be attended by an expense that
would make it high-priced luxury which
cau De gotten along without There has
come the knowledge that the greater por-
ton of the cost Of the local government is
paid from the federal treasury. So long as
the administration is tolerable, the people
ritorial condition than as state, which
would involve doubling the taxes.
In saying this much we are
not talking at random, or with the
view to deceive. We are simply stating
truths which knowledge Of the people of
this territory and their views on this ques-
ton gives US right to state. We do not
believe that the Mormon people will ever
again ask for statehood. We do believe
that if the non Mormons were to ask it the
Mormons would be Indifferent, taking little
4 any part in the proceedings. We doubt
hat if today, all the facts being before
hem, including knowledge Of what state
hood would mean in the way of increased
'axation, the proposition to admit this ter
.itory 20 the union were left to the popu-
ar vote, the percentage of Mormon votes
n favor of it would be as large as that of
he non-Mormon.
Ofcourse Utah will go into the union one
If these days. 1t is idle to attempt to keen
{ out A territory having a population
'reater than the combined population of
hree states adjoining her, with peace and
'ood order prevailing and assured, the
community being thrifty and progressive.
viii naturally and necessarily be forced to
ccept statehood with all its responsibility:
tut so far as the people are concerned, the
emand will come from the other end of the