Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-01-21
Saturday Wal4
by ap Ex-Editor.


gentleman o. intelligence and who was
n member Of the self.styleJ "biOerai'
party, the fact was v,ry iorcibly brought
bomo to no that large amount oil
ignorance exists among residents OF
Utsh--peoplo who now have lived In
the Territory for yu,rs-coDcerning
two important p1iut,: first, tue early
history OF the scttement Of there val.
leys, and, second, the character o. the
people who we're the first settlers.
This, though II may lie surprising TO
the Lstt.r.day Saints, Is not altogether
to be wondered ut when the sources
arc known from which nearly oil the
Information they have has been De.
lived. Tho fabulous s,oriee and dcscrip.
tions q ven by writers OF books concern.
Ing the old settlers Of this Territory,
their mode VI lllc, the manner In which
they were banded together, their treat.
ment OF strangers who were not OF their
religious faith, and the false representa-.
tons aud col1rlng given OF events
which have trnuspirei here, have 80
fillei the minis o, many that 1t has not
been possible ijr them to obtain n true
understanding Of the past conditions
OF Utah. There is scarcely an occur
renee OF Importance Of the past that II
not viewed In u false light, especially
" It DO anything tina. will appear to
the disadvantage Of the Latter. day
Saints.
To add TO the difficulty honest new.
corners have had in learning the true
history OF affairs OF early days, there
has been certain class In the
Territory who have, 10 q certaiU
extent, secured tbs public cor, whose
constant ci0sI has becn to pc .
pctuatc those misconceptions and false
Views, aud they have done nil In their
power to disiort facts, falsiiy history
and give tho Lattor.day Saints nu
odIous character. These people have
thought It was 10 their interest, aud
necessary 10 tho accomplishment OF
thoir schemes, that the Enormous"
should appear to tho world In u bad
light, amt they have beon determined
that through their c1alnel only should
the public get It's impressions concern.
Ing the people and the affairs OF Utah.
To certain extent this policy has
succesded. Gross misconceptions anu
ridiculous ignorance prevail concern.
Ing the past, and relying upon this, the
class to which have referred point u
tho Utah OF today and Claim the ere.
lit Of having redeemed 1t from the
barbarism OF former days AMI caused /,
Ia enter upon its present pathway Of
progress.
Thinking, observing men, however,
are gradually awakening to the fact
that there has been n persistent at
tempt to dupe tn. public upon these
matters. Tho process OF awakening
may be somewhat slow;b II IL steady
and sure. II Ia illustrated In tho caso
OF the gentleman whom have men.
toned. He comes here, Us no said,
stuffed with the trash contained
In nn.i.Mormon books which had
been written TO sell. He looked a.
everything through the spec,acles
which these books and other wntings
had furnished him. But after "a time,
becomlng acquainted with the "Mor-
mona" he perceived thoy were not
such people az had been represented.
He found them truthful and
honest, industrious and temperate,
not disposed to take advantage
OF or III treat the stranger,
courteous and obligIpg. SO far, then,
as these people were concerned he felt
compelled, as an honest msn, to re-
viss his Views. At least he hud con.
cluded that all the Enormous" were
not as bad as bis reading had led him
70 conclude they were. When man
gets that far u great point
Is gained Tor tho Latter day
Saints, for doubt concerning such geu-
eral and sweeping allegations as arc
made about tnelr hons life anu de-
meanor and treatment Of strangers
unsettles the foundation upon which
the whole structure OF lies respecting
them Is based, AMI 1t Ia likely, ere
long, to tumble to the ground.
How many there are among the now
settlers Vi the Territory who are being
thus enlightened 1t would DO dliilcult,
perhaps, to tell. But Is II too much to
expect that there are very many?
There are doubtless hundreds OF well.
meaning, honest people who would not
knowingly do injustice to single In
divldual, much less to IN entire com.
munliy, who are casting their fortunes
among u.s. These people have eyes
and brslne. They must sec and think.
They cannot always remain blinded
by prejudice with their minds closed
to reason and TO truth. Personally,
therefore, think l am not too
sanpuine in anticipating excellent,
results from this ingathering OF that
which has been called "the outside
element" into Utah. With this
ingathering come many evils that all
OF us would exclude II We could. But
weare ia the world yet, and we cannot
very well escape from the intrusion OF