Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-07-27
MORMON IMMIGRATION.

The subject 81 mormon" immIrra-
ton has received considerable alton
tion nt different times. ana appears 90
b. one of those periodical cruptlona
that disturb the public through the
medium Of the newspapers The aicrco-
typed fnlsehood that immigrants from
tho Old World. under Mormon aus
pieces and In charge Of Mormon" III
ders. arr chiefly females has turned up
again. IT comes by Associated Press
dispatches na N. testimony " Assist
ant Immigration Commissioner Me-
Sweeney. who. In answer t. questions
ns to Mormon" Immigration. before
the United States Industrial commln-
sion. replied that,
Probably ninoty.nvc por cent Of
the new arrivals were women. They
all came IN charge of an Elder. Thoy
oil claim 60 be Lnttcr-dny Saints and
declare with force that they Intend 10
obey the laws OF the United States"
We are Inclined to doubt tho ac-
ouracy OF tho report. We can hardly
believe that the officer giving that oyi-
donco was either 90 terribly Ignorant
Of immigration data aa 20 make such
an ogrcglous blunder. or NO unprin-
ciplod az TO tell such a palpable false
hood We think the percentage has
been mistakenly quoted or changed by
careless or malicious Transmission,
onieial statistics viii demonstrate
the fact that the inttor-dny Saints OF
"Mornona." who come 10 this country
under the care Of the returning mis-
aionarles. usually come In families.
somotlmoa there IL a young man OF
woman separate from such relations.
but In the aggregate, tho females.
young or Old. do not predominant Ia
numbers. This has been put 20 the
test no many times that there IL no
reasonable excuse Tor the repetition Of
the regulation uutruth concerning the
matter.
Some years ago. Secretary Evarts
took rumor for his guide. 20 such an
extent that he made official npplca-
tlon TO the British government 10 stop
Mormon immigration and "Aiormon'
proselytlng, on the alleged ground that
both were Tor tho purpose ~ bringing
females 70 Utah In support Of poly
grmy lie met with no success. be-
cause Inquiries were Instituted which
proved the Utter fallacy " the Sec
Tctary's assumptions. and his request
was respectfully but percmptonly de-
cllnod.
The story which 30 deceived socrc-
tary Evarts had IL effect on members
Of Congress who like him. accepted Il
without doubt and without inyoHtlgn-
tlon, and the result was the congress
aionni repeal OF the Utah territorial
statute Incorporating the Perpetual
Emigration Fund company. Also the
forbiddlng Of Utah legislation for "the
bringing ~ persons into the said Terri
tory for any purpose whatever" Tho
folly OF such Interference on the part
OF Congress. nprlnglng from false re-
ports, IA now generally appreciated.
That old. disrupted and dlarcputable
calu.uny IN revived Just now. 49, part
OF the assault which has been renewed
against "Mormonlsm." Il viii be- cir
culated all over the country as an Oh.
hclul report. Whether It IN 30 or not.
Il IL untrue and without foundation.
ana ought 10 be probed TO the source
ana the facts be- given as Wide "a publi-
cation as the falsehood
The Elders who are sent out 70
preach the Gospel have no special In.
tetest In bringing or pcrsuading COM
Nerts to come TO Utah But tho gath
oring Of the elect from the four quar-
tiers Of the earth" IL doctrine OF the
latter-day doapcLand the SANTA. every
where, desire TO De associated with
their oo-rclgIonists In building up
Zion" just now they are not advised
to break w their homes and cmlgrutc.
unless circumstances are very favor
able with them 20 that end And when
they do come 90 this country. nH we
have said, as rule IL IL Ia families.
We trust that the press OF tho cuun-
try win Inquire into this matter before
making tho usual Irrational comments.
and that they win thus save them
solves from tho olum Of being more
echoes OF fulsyhoods manufactured 20
misrcprcaent community undosorylnR
OF such assaults.