The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-10
ANOTHER VIEW.

The Denver Republican, commenting
on the New Manifesto, rambles about
! in sort of aimless way into questions
not at all germane to the issue, and
out of those irrevelent things manages
to work up some dissatisfaction with
address. 1t says:
The address issued by certain lead
Ing Mormon ecclesiastics in regard to
/ the relation of the Mormon church to
the state is disappointing in that it
says so little. 1t pertains only to the
obligation of church members, upon
assuming the new duties imposed by
| political or civil Office. In this no one
but Mormon is deeply interested. The
declaration that Mormon should con-
suit the church authorities before as
Stunning a political Office, to determine
whether he may do so consistently
with his religious obligations, is not
necessarily in conflict with his civil
obligations.
The fact that the address pertains
only to the obligati ton of church mem
bers"-really only to church officers
upon assuming the new duties i'm
posed by political or civil Office" is be-
cause there was nothing else at issue
to be treated by the document.
From this point the Republican be-
gins to wonder:
Persons who are not Mormons would
have been glad to see the address de-
fine the position of the Mormon lead
ers in regard to matters of legislation
| and government, as far as they may
seem to conflict with the tenets of the
Mormon church. While the address
says there is no desire to establish any
thing like union of church and state,
1t remains more or less an open ques-
ton whether the Mormons will refrain
from all encourag cement of polygamy
Possibly this doubt arises from an un-
Willingness to take the Mormons once
Cor all at their word. They have de-
clared against polygamy, but there
fingers some question whether that
was altogether sincere.
oh, fudge! is about all one can say
to that kind of drivel; and express
surprise that paper Of the standing
of the Denver Republican should
be so far behind the times IS not to
know that those are questions settled
a long time ago. and that there are
no such doubts as are here referred
to about polygamy.
The Republican continues in the
following strain:
Utah is a great state in its natural
resources. 1t has great mineral and
agricultural wealth and in time it
will maintain large population. At
present the Mormons are in a major
ity, except in few cities But it is
expected that Gentle immigration will
eventually overcome the Mormon ma
jority. The hope Of material growth
for the state depends in the main upon
the amount Of this Gentle immigra-
ton. The Mormons, therefore, will be
wise if they do nothing to estrange
Gentiles and give the impression that
they intend to maintain polygamy and
other Mormon institutions in a way
which would be offensive to the Gentle
population.
Utah will gain in Gentle population
in proportion to the degree to which
the public is convinced that there will
be no distinction in respect of civil and
political rights between citizens on ac-
count of ther religious belief or in
church affiliation. 1t may be that the
Mormons do not care for a large in
crease in Gentle population. But this
is hardly to be expected, in so far at
least as intelligent Mormons are con-
SClutd 1HSy hIOW THAT through the
material growth and prosperity OF their
state they and their fellow church
members will prosper, and that this
growth is to be promoted by encourage
ing Gentle immigration and the in
veStment of capital owned or con-
trolled by Gentiles. They should
therefore make it very clear that they
intend to obey the law against poly
gamy and to refrain in all respects
from giving legislation a distinctive
ly Mormon ccloring.
Nobody in Utah desires the wheels
of progress to turn backward. The
faces of Utah's people are turned to
the future; and hope and faith is in
the heart of Mormon and Gentle alike
that Utah shall be made a great and
populous state where the people of all
religions shall live in peace and in the
enjoyment Of equal political and civil
rights.
Advertise abroad Utah's resources,
and let so-called Gentiles, that is, nom
Mormons, outnumber Mormons as soon
as you like; there is no disposition in
Utah to keep out immigration. Nor
mons will not fear non ormons, and
we do not believe non-Mormons have
any just cause to fear their Mormon
fellow citizens.