The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-14
LOGIC OF THE SITUATION.

The Herald says that church rule and
not polygamy is the real issue. Yes. hui
polygamy is the cement which has always
held the strong men of the Mormon faith
together and enabled them to give direc-
ton to church rule. The two are INSOFAR
ably blended, and with one killed the other
viii die And both will have TO be aban-
doned before Utah becomes real Amer
dcan State.-Tribune-
This is the first rational remark that
our neighbor has made for a number
of years upon this topic. There is an
absence of billingsgate and blackguard-
ism about it that causes one to look
the second time before he can conceive
of its being q part of q Tribune edi-
torial. The admission that church rule
in civil affairs is the real issue, and that
it IS only fighting polygamy to destroy
ecclesiastical politics is an important
one for Mormons and Gentiles both to
consider.
But there are reasons TO doubt the
wisdom as we'll as the sincerity of the
Tribune's course. The only way to effect
any changes in Utah is through the
people OF the state. The only way TO
work through them is to treat them
fairly and with tolerance. to give them
credit for the marvellous transforma-
ton which has already taken place, for
the progress that one decade has
wrought, and to trace these changes
to the causes leading up to them.
The hope of Utah is in the friendly
intermingling of the people, the free in
terchange of ideas, the leveling of sec
tsrian barriers. Under these conditions
the system Of polygamy is bound to
die. Lasting reforms can only be built
upon the foundation of intelligent CO.
operation and good will. Enforced
morality is none at all. 1t is a work of
education, of influence. of environment
here in Utah. rather than of conquest,
of intimidation or of force. AS the
Tribune said a few years ago, when it
was fearful that doubts of the SINGER
fly of the church leaders should be
''churned up" now the Mormon peo-
pie are in the majority; they are liable
TO be for a long time to come. They
cannot be killed; they cannot be i'm
orisoned, and they cannot be driven
out. Their right 20 take part in the
political affairs of the territory is Sc
cured 1t is a clear case that they are
going to be a majority of the people
here for a long time TO come"
Then what is the use to keep the
state and the people in a constant fer
'ment? Old practices are dying out.
New ideas are taking root The only
effect OF all this agitation, this whole
sale and indiscriminate denunciation of
6 20
listening, TO close eyes that were learn
ing. TO close lips that were asking. to
close hearts that were confiding. and
to close minds that were open to con-
yiction.
There isn't Mormon in the state but
will sit down and discuss freely the
evils of ecclesiastical domination in pol
tiles They all know that such infiu-
ence has been used; they are all glad
It is taking its place among the men,
cries of the past; they are all willing
10 admit that its exercise is un-Ameri-
can and wrong. This is a topic that can
be discussed without arousing the
prejudice or hurting the feelings of any
member of the dominant church
Crusaders want to convince the peo-
pie of this very point, they claim, but
how do they GO about it? They first
assail the marriage system which OBJ
tanned a foothold here in Utah in the
early days, the righteousness or law
fitness of which few Mormons of the
present day ever heard questioned I'M
til within the last ten years. The cru
saders proceed TO question the legiti-
macy of the birth of the Mornnons with
whom they are discussing these vital
questions of reform; to make odious
comparisons which reflect upon the
honor of their fathers and the chastity !
of their mothers; and who is there so |
depraved, either in Utah or in any
other state, that he would not feel re-
sentiment, no matter what system or in |
discretion was responsible for his ex-
istence? The result is that no head
way is made with the people to be con- |
WINGED, and their animosities are !
aroused whenever the subject is
rhanged and another phase of the
question is presented.
This storm, started by the Salt Lake
Tribune for political purposes and car
ried on By virtue of the misrepresen-
tations it has made. has been a serious
check TO progress in this state. It has
injured the community in many ways
and has. at least for the time being. de-
feated the very object our contempo-
rary says il has in view