Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-17
TRIALS OF SALT LAKE SAINT
Grandson Of Brigham Young Discusses
the Roberts Case,
WHY HE is NOT WITH THE CHURCH
Instructive insight I'm Mormon Poli-
tics in Utah-Reasons for Oppos-
ing the seating of the Con-
Eressmnn-Elect.
WHY HE is NOT WITH THE CHURCH


from Utah than Bugence Young. Brigham
Young's grandson, a young man OF 25, now
connected with one OF the New York news
papers Eugene Young's father was the
great Mormon leaders first born, Joseph A.
Young. He married an English girl named
Stenhouse, daughter OF T. B. II. Stenhouse.
He established In Utah the first newspaper
devoted to Mormon doctrines ever published
and for years was thoroughly in harmony
with the church
But about 1870, in spite of his close res
lations with the Mormon leaders, Mr.. STEM
house became dissatisfied with the Latter
Day church and when the famous revolt
OF the liberal Mormons known as the God
bette movement, took form he Joined the
Godbeites heart and soul, becoming, in fact,
their chief leader.
The Importance OF that movement can
hardly be overestmated Though not much
understood outside Utah, it is there recog
nized marking epoch in the annals
OF Mormonsm.
In 1876 Joseph A. Young died and soon
afterward his wife withdrew altogether
from the Mormon church, though continu
ing to reside in Utah. Eugene was brought
up among the Mormous, however, and,
having spent most of his life in Utah. prob
ably understands the current situation as
thoroughly any man living not actually
n member of the Latter Day church--bet-
ter, indeed, than many a Mormon.
AS a boy he attended the public schools
OF the territory and the school maintained
by the Congregational mission at Richfeld,
after which he spent a year in the Utah
university at Salt Lake City. After that he
entered the Office of the internal revenue
collector, which he left to join railroad
surveying party. Still later he rode for
some months in the employ Of pony ex-
w hn wa
cowboy in Arizona. None OF these occu
pations suiting him he studied law. The
legal profession also failed to satisfy and
then he Joined the staff of the Salt Lake
Herald
Bringing About Statehood.
Notwithstanding his antecedents Eugene
Young was not especially interested in Nor
monsm, pro or con, until he took up news
paper work. His fret regular assignment
was the reporting of the Sunday afternoon
sermons in the tabernacle. Later he was de-
tailed to report the legislative proceedings
and served his paper in that way just when
the present political lines in Utah were
forming.
The Mormon, we'll as the non-Mor-
mon, voters in Utah are now divided be-
tween the democratic and the republican
parties, at least nominally, but until 1891
the two great parties OF the country had
little or no representation tneTe. 1TlOr 10
that time the Mormons formed what was
known as the peoples party. their candi-
dates and the measures they advocated be-
ing all in favor of the church. while the
Gentiles formed the liberal party, its can
ddates being opposed to Mormonism.
1t was while he reporting the legis-
lature that territorial laws were passed !
prohibiting polygamy. Their passage and
the general apparent tone of the legislative
proceedings at that time convinced Mr.. |
Young of the sincerity of the movement |
to do away with plural marriage.
His conviction upon this point was so
pronounced. in fact, that when, in 1894, he |
was offered and accepted the place OF secre |
tary to Joseph l.. Rawins, territorial dele |
gate to congress. he did not hesitate, when
ever called upon to give personal assurances |
that statehood ought to be conferred upon |
the territory His present anti Mormon |
sentiment Is intensified by the fact that he |
expressed to congressman and others his
sincere belief that polygamy would be given
up for good and all.
Such assurances from 80 young a man |
might not be considered OF much Importance !
in ordinary circumstances, but coming from
a grandson of Brigham Young, who had !
never been Mormon. and whose mother |
had renounced the Latter Day church. they |
the statehood bill became law while Raw
Inns was a delegate, on the sole condition |
that plural marriage should be done away |
with but with the implied condition that |
there should be no more union OF church !
and state.
Prior to all this. in 1891, Just before the
dedication of the new Mormon temple, Mr.. |
Young was one Of a party invited to in
spect its mysteries. generally kept hidden
from the eyes of all save Mormons and
with the consent Of the Mormon authorities
he described Its furnishings, it's symbollcal
paintings and the somewhat theatrical cere
monies of the Mormon church in articles
contributed to two or three eastern period
icals. In these and other articles, in his
Washington work, he gave personal assur-
ances that the Mormons were perfectly sim
cere in their professions. These articles, by
the way. were his first contributions to the
outside press upon the subject Of Mormon
ism and the Mormon church.
A Few Words About Roberts.
Eugene Young's personal knowledge Of
Brigham II. Roberts began after the
comforting OF statehood upon Utah Mr.. |
Roberts was delegate to the constitutional
convention which was to frame the new
states organic law, one clause OF which |
prohibits poygamy. Roberts big fig |
ure In the convention and his opposition |
TO the clause granting suffrage to women |
was noteworthy. Young returned from
Washington and reported the proceedings.
Before the convention adjourned Roberts
and Young had become close friends and
Immediately thereafter the latter pressed
hard in print and otherwise for the nomina- |
tlon OF Roberts to congress on the demo- |
cratic ticket. Those most familiar with the |
situation say that without Young's help as
a political writer for the democratic press
Roberts might not have been nominated |
with II he secured the nomination easily.
But that year was not a lucky one for |
Roberts and this fact makes favorably for
the belief that he was then sincere in his
proteetatlons against domination of the |
church in politics. As II appeared later he
had sought and accepted the nomination |
without consulting the church authorities
and they speedily manifested their dis
pleasure by decreeng his defeat, first. how |
ever, asking him to withdraw from the can
yass. |
This he declined TO do, putting up the |
best fight possible for election. Young |
worked as hard for the election Of Roberts