The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-07-09
MORMONS IN MEXICO.
PROSPEROU SETTLEMENT THERE
 WHERE
Polygamy is Practtccd Without Mo-
 IestattOn.


 The Mormons are settling in northerl
 Mexico, and are growing prosperous il
 the colonies which they have planted
 There are now nearly five thousand 0
 them in northeastern Sonora and north
 western Chihuahua. There is a stead,
 stream of emigration from Utah, ant
 the colonies are rapidly increasing il
 the number of their population. Tn
 Mormons are coming into the republi
 as rapidly as farming lands can be s2
 cured for them to settle upon. The.
 are an agricultural people, and occupy
 only the valleys whose irrigation i
 possible. Large ranch owners hay, been averse heretofore to selling then }big tracts of irrigable land, but the { Mormons are now rapidly securing the Favored places in which to plant tneil
 colonies and build their homes.
 J The enactment of laws in the United
 States against polygamy brought the
 first Mormon immigration to M sxlco
 When plural marriage was pronounced
 illegal there were many Mormons Whi
 preferred to leave Utah rather thar
 surrender any of their religious princi-
 pies or relinquish any of their wives
 Mexico appeared to them an inviting
 country in which to settle, provided they could secure the assurance they needed from the Mexican government
 The climate of Chihuahua and Sonora being similar to that of Utah, only milder, and the topography being the same, it only remained for those who proposed to emigrate to secure in ad- vance the necessary concessions from the authorities of the country into which they were about to move.
 The proposal of the Mormons to set tie in northern Mexico met with in stant encouragement, since they were known to be industrious and thrifty and well adapted to the work of de- yeloping new country. Mexico wish ed to encourage them particularly be- cause they were agricultursts. Min ing companies and ranchmen especially welcomed them because they would readily supply the camps and cattle haciendas with provisions and farm products, formerly imported at consid- erable cost. Mexico encouraged the movement of the Mormons by admit ting all their household effects, build- ing material and objects of use in the erection of their homes free of customs duties. They received other concessions and privileges.
 The country into which they removed was practically a wilderness. Here and there were large ranches, with now and then mining camp. There were few Mexican villages, at intervals of fifty or a hundred miles. The country was arid, treeless and uninviting, ex- cept in the valleys, where a rich soil only needed irrigation and cultivation to return ample crops of fruits and cereals
 8 The first colony was planted in 1889 and called Colonia Juarez. It was es- abolished in the valley of the Casas Grandes River, sixteen miles from the old Mexican town of Casas Grandes, the present terminus of the Rio Grande, Sierra Madre and Pacific railroad, con- in 1S97 The settlers arrived from Utah in covered wagons. They lived in tents until they dug irrigation ditches and made their first crop. Then they began to erect their homes. Be- sides their teams and camping utersils and few agricultural implements they had nothing but muscle and religious enthusiasm. At that time the nearest railroad was at El Paso. Texas, while $ sandy desert, almost impossible, in The mountains, too, held rowing bands of regenade Apaches that raided the new settlement and drove away cattle and horses How ever, they were happy to find them selves unhampered by any legislative enactment against polygamy
 As to the practice of polygaTly in the Republic of Mexico, it may be s,atad | that the law of the land recognizes but | one legal wife. The second or third [ wife has no legal status, and her emil dren, in the eyes of the law, are net | legitimate. After the first marliaga the law has nothing to do wito the matter 3f Mormon's increasing the number of his wives, except that second or third wife may not be taken unless the first wife gives her consent. But the Mormons are guided by their religion, not by the law. in the institution of marriage A Mormon in Mexico never ,r seldom takes a second or third wife lntil he is able to support more than ,ne family. It is part of their religion Or the first wife to assist her husband II finding an additional helpmate; and f she is unwilling for him to marry mother woman, as sometimes happens when human nature is stronger than 'eligion or superstition, deputation of ,lders call upon her and show her the path of duty" The Mormons do not admit the practice of polyga- ny in Mexico, for the reason, it is be- ieved, that an agitation might be start d against it; but it is true, neverthe- ess, that with few exceptions each Mormon has two or more wives.
 The Mormon with more than one wife Isually provides a separate home for ach family. If the two or more fami- les do not mingle together harmonious y they are placed in different coloules, nd all jar and friction except that which the head of the families might ncounter Is removed When there is ] 10 disagreement among the wives and hildren they mingle freely together, ssist one another in making the gar ems, churning butter or canning fruit. hen the children by one wife call the ther wife aunt" and the two wives ddress one another as sister" and he husband as husband" All Nor lon men call one another brother" l Besides engaging In agriculture many | f the Mormons are freighters for va f ,i,,i, oCr,, mic |