Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-06-13
The Present Utah Situation.

uprlsings In Utah politics heretofore,
hut the fullness Of time had not yet
come. The chrysalls was not yet per.
fecicd by Internal aud organic changes
TO burt forth with the wings Of larger
life aud n more glorious freedom. but
now the progress Of social development
is such that It can only he expressed In
a broader independence and more
complete sovereignty.
Utah feels impcllcI TO step forth
from the hardship Of childhood to the
assumption Of civil status that will
vouchsafc TO her full governmental
function. AMI a brilliant constellation
ofsovorcign States a. an environment.
Hence II l. important 10 recognize the
fact that 10 obtain fuller apptccia.
ton aud preparation for tho RESPONSE.
billlica Of self government, the people
Of Utah should become practically aud
vitality Interested Ia all those questions
Of national policy that have been and
are now the subjects u discussion aud
Of party Issue ia the suvom
states that constitute an Ameri.
eau nation. This work Of education
can be- accomplished only by aligning
the people Into parties on tho line OF
national politics, aud thus rcuuire
thcm 10 unite theory with practice VA
the actual discharge of the duties Of
citizenship. Furthermore. the work
OF preparation for statehood cannot
very well H. achieved without tho
aililiaiiOn and determination that
would naturally rrsul, from the unfr.
ttrlctcd Intercourse u the people In all
social, husiuuas aud political relations.
Tbs bcat method T., think,
10 start In anew. forge. the
hnlmosltics and antagnuisns of
the past, aud seek Tor the complete
adjustment of all social problems In
the wisdom Of the fathers, NJ treasured
up IN the Declaration u Independence,
the national Constitution aud all other
great landmarks Of American liberty.
The only substantial impciimcnt 10
the advocacy Of statehood Tor Utah In
the past has been polygamy. This Oh.
ttacle has now been eliminated, and
am free 10 say that l have entire
confidence Ia tho assurances Of the
Mormon leaders that this action has
been taken In tho utmost good faith.
The plightlng of gond faith and
honest purpose In the abandonment
u tho practice oi contracting plural
marriages by the Church Of Jesus
Christ Of I.atier.day Saints has been
avowcd, not only by the church Itself
In H. most comprehensive aud authUri.
tative declarations, hut also by ils in-
dlyldual members aud ministers. In
all these cases this action has been pre-
dicied ~ the result " final adjudica-
ton In the highest Judicial tribunals Of
our country, n consequence which does
honor 10 the Judicial system Of our
country, ~ also a. the Mormon pcoplc,
In that they propose 10 10 law'ablding
citizens.
Added 10 these evidences Of good
faith VIZ have also the further cOniir-
nation that II furnished by the fact
That the oncoming How VI immigration,
the Increasing contact Of surrounding
civilization, tho development VI busi.
ness, trade aud commerce, the open.
Ing up N mines, building of railroads,
establishment Of schoola-hll these have
"a tendency t0 confirm the action taken
by tho church, aud make the rrsunp.
lion Of tho practice of polygamy mofc
improbable.
In the face Of all this Il seems
unwaffantahle, not g. say cruel,
that Liberal Journals should constant.
~ throw out the danger signal, And
charge the Mormon leader with insln.
cefily, Discrimination aud tfvachcfy.
Such suspicion oyinccs more than un-
kindness u argues incapaciiy for Load
ership In the present Iunctufc.
We ind Ia tue investigation Of the
aatufe aud CAUSES Of human action
that there Il u certain solidarity about
all social phcnomuna, 10 that NIL Grim.
lnAl actions that come 10 the surface
are 10 be regarded slmply ~ the NOR.
aggravated symptoms Of conditions
and tendencies that inheTu In
tho body political aud social.
Prostitution, theft, murder, suicide,
ali these are extreme forms Of Vices
which pcTcolate with more OF ler' free
dom throughout all society. The mlz-
cradle bf1lhel upon tho street has II.
roots Ia tho dlsoniefed, ievuflsh pas.
slons u thousand reputable homes.
Murder l. tho Concentrated eruption
OF IN. malice aud ill.will that fc-tsr. Ia
unfillal hearts. Suicide Is the culmina-
lion, In some melancholy soul, Of the
black despair which like floating clouds
overshadOw the happiness Of tho
multitude. Theft Ia largely the result
OF unjust laws OF dirtrlbutl0n u prop
.rty for which society In the aggregate
il responsible. 80 unjust j. society
la this respect, that II would be diiil.
cult 10 define theft and property rights
la au absolute sense. Statistics show
that crime recuTH with absolute Trgu-
larl,y, year by year, In any given
nationality, Not only does the same
number VI crimes recur Invariably, hut
they are committed with tho SAME in-
strtimenis and by the same methods.
The only way 10 change the annual
Averages Of crime IL 10 employ general
CAUSES affecting the whole society. By
such general influences the aggregates
NAV be- increased or diminished. Gen.
oral causes are such ~ wars, financial
crises, civil government, educational
rystens, AMI such like.
Polygamy Is not an isolated custom
fof which the Mormon people are alone
responsible. II oomes from beliefs In
the Bible, which Is read, revered and
cherished by all ChrisIendOm. Dr.
Newman undertook 10 show, In u pub
lie debate with Ofson Pratt, that the
practice 0f pOlygamy WINS unsancti0nud
by tho Blblr; but no candid, inlelli-
cent aud unbiased reader Of that dis
cus.lon eau say other than that he
made n failure. The Bible nowhere
enunclates distinct Prohibition Of
nolypamy, Probably tho best anu