The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-03
NOT THIS YEAR


The dispatch from Santa Rosalie, Mexico,
on Sunday morning saying "a Mormon
colonization scheme has been perfected be-
tween Elder ANDREW ]. STEWART, of Salt
Lake. and the authorities OF the Mexican
government, by which Mormon colonies
will be established at Santa Rosalie and
at other points Of the republic, will be
taken up by the press and during the next
few weeks we will read good deal about
Mormon negirs to our southern neighbor.
Periodically during the past decade. ever
since the federal government showed
earnestness in its assault upon certain
practice of the Mormons, those general
movements from Utah have been an
nounced as about to take place. Sometimes
the Saints had arranged to go to the Sand
witch Islands, and there establish them
selves as a free and sovereign people. 1t
has been published that the Mormons had
secured by purchase considerable section
or the British possessions on the north,
and the great body OF the community
would in the near future become subjects of
Queen VICTORIA Various other places have
been named as having been obtained by the
| Mormons, among others Honduras, which
two or three years ago was declared by
the enterprising journalist, as about to be
| converted into the chief seat of the church.
Mexico, however, has figured more promi-
neEtly in this connection than any other
land, great schemes for colonizing the
Saints in that country having been sprung
upon the public at least twice year.
And still the Mormons cling to the United
States and to Utah, and so they will con-
tinue to cling. The chaps who devise these
great movements forget or ignore several
matters which should be taken into &C
count. One of them is that the great ma
jority Of the Mormons are Americans, and
in the opinion of the average American,
there is no place like the mighty republic,
no country so generous as that of the
United States, no people better than the
citizens of this country. a mans religion
rarely kills his love of country. II one
will take the trouble to investigate he will
learn that few Americans turn their backs
upon the United States for life, aud never
has this been done by large companies.
Another thing which is lost sight of by the
correspondents, and it is decidedly impor.
tant in moving great community, is tbs
circumstance that the MormonS are largely
the owners of Utah, and what they OWL
is chiefly within the borders of this terri.
tory. Were they TO "pull up stakes" anG
go elsewhere they would be compelled Il
leave behind about all they have in the way
Of worldly goods and values. In this con-
nection, it may be asked If anybody hal
ever discovered in the Mormons anything
which suggested that they were without
desire or ambition in the matter of prop
erty, the material things Of worth which
> others are striving for having no attraction
for them? It is possible that such char
scteristio has been seen in them, but If SO
what is the meaning Of the thrift, the in
; dustry, the enterprise, the business abilit,
|, and shrewdness that are universally con
coded to the Saints as individuals and as
Z communityl When the Mormons go iron
Utah in any considerable numbers it will
be when this country is not large enough t
hold them, or does not furnish suficien
: opportunities for their profitable employ
ment.
As to the Santa Resale scheme tn
HERALD happens to know something abou
it, as it does about Mr.. STEWART Tn
gentleman has for years been work
ing up Mexican colonization pro
iect4 for q time in connection wit
one OF the railroads which hs
q Mexican connection, and latterly in asst
clation with a few individuals. he has sc
cured long time option on some extensiv
j; ranches and tracts of land belonging I
Mexican citizens, and not to the govern
meut, and is endeavoring to establish cole
't MES. He wants people to settle on tn
: land-people from Utah, Maine, New Yor
or anywhere so long as they viii buy To
land, create homes and build up the couI
g try" The Mexican government want
IS Immigration, especially from the Unite
II States, and in its eagerness TO get peopl
to become citizens of the republic offel
:, generous inducements in the way of e,
= emption from taxation, remission of in
: port duties on certain articles, and SO o.
This is all there is to Mr.. STEWARDS mo
mon colonization schemen There are
% dozen other colonization projects in ii
V northern Mexican states, and with more
d less liberal concessions from the govern
ment, and all as eager to draw from Il
enterprising and rustling population
,e Utah. And it may be remarked that the
b. are no more Mormon schemes than they a.
b Gentle, though in the case of Mr.. SrEJ
ART, who is Mormon, we understand tn
the option on the land is held by him.