The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-28
CLARA MORRIS,

states boundaries 1.-THE character OF
this state" said General Clark, address
ing them in Caldwell county has suf-
tered almost beyond redemption from
the character, conduct and influence you
have exerted."
In Missouri there was a distinct and
notable growth toward temporalities-
the grasping after material interests be-
came more open and public-in the lead
ers OF the Saints They defied state ana
federal law. From religious enthusiasts
these self-named gOdly folk were rapidly
becoming body united for gaining
lands, wealth and political dominion.
over them was a power quite as auto
cratic and more desp0tic than a car s.
smith was ear and pope in one.
IN Alilnols TO which they escaped from Mis-
souri, the Mormons established themselves
IN little lndependency. an imperium in i'm
BeIlo, NIl-en mad an amazing growth
The missionaries. who had already invad-
ed Europe, had sent home numberless re-
cruits, and there We're still intoxicated en-
thusiasts from the farming population of
the meagerly populated states of what
now term the Middle west
The converts in England wrote Owen
Hyde in 1887 ARE extremely poor, most
o. them not having g change, Of clothes
dispensationi
But in Illinois the polyganous practices
q which there had been rumors in the
Ohio and Missouri experiences became
more open. Poiygamy was evidently a later
sIoWt4 .thu not among the early teach
lngs Of the MOrmons. 1t may have been a
product of their anluence in Nauvoo. Ger
fanny tnelf aIlluence allowed its publica-
ton A healthy poverty would have made
II lmpracticable in many ways. The spir-
ttual wife theory was founded on a rev
elation" in 1913 to Joseph the Seer
such social aggresSiOnS and laXities be
came so discerning TO the non NOrrnOns
the average American citizen of Illinois,
that after the shooting Of the prophet and
a brother OF his. and after the election by
the Saints of Brigham Young as their
president and dictator the MOrmOns took
/ thelr westward Tight; They started for
salt Lake City in 1886
After months of wagoping they came to
their great lake in Utah, and from that
tine the history Of this people has been
more spoken o. we know how the weak
er suffered from want, and how through
many years understanding faith has paid
lilnes ana upDulit great power In the
leaders boldness, aggressiveness. audacity,
1 eHrontery, lies. murder for vengeance
/ ana the merctless exploiting of human Ia
4 Dor and human life; in the people unceas-
! ing, O&-hke work, credulity. and super
/ stiti0us surrender of their e9rnfnes-fb ese
! have built the Mormon power from Joe
Smiths Palmyra peek stone 1t is eighty
/ two years since Joe first put the stone in
1 much alive 1t still evokes religious IA
natlclsm, It still exercises despOtism. and
4 IT'S early refusal to become an integral
par on tne government under Whlch II
rose and through whose strength il has
/ ueyeioped IS not wholly a dead letter
/ Fefaaps Ihe strangest part OF the Wnoie
! story Of the MornOns is that they are, or
We're. Of the old American stock. Possibly
4 lie lnIlitfa5ion OF European blood mas
/ changed them cOnsiderab bly,. But if we look
+ only to the early converts we see names
4 that in great surplusage are of what is COM
monty called good old Yankee lineage
The maiden names of 25 of Brigham
4 Yong wives show hardly any other than
oid Puritan patrOnymics. The only eXpla-
nation OF this singular fact is that it IS the
/ old. old story Of that qaality we Americans
/ have among us. the idealism of the people
/ seeking religious and moral outlet.
We have already far Overstepped our
space and forgotten time in the eonsidera-
4 uun Of this most interesting Story of the
j Mormons." 1t is an admirable book in con-
/ ception and execution, in clear vision and
! ir-mindedness. No other work exists
+ upon the subject that approac hes it in
any way To people in the United states
/ at large it is of value, but to those OF
/ western states il seems of especial per
/ Thence and instructiveness. Within the
/ last few years whenever the Mormon ques-
/ tiOr- has risen to public view. there have
/ been lacking get-at-able data and in
/ telligent presentation of Mormon facts.
! The New York public library came into
/ possession some little time ago Of a unique
! collection Of books and papers upon the
4 Mormons- These the author has had the
I good fortune to have at hand.
The manner of this book is not dry-as-
+ dust. Neither is it sympathetic 1t may
/ perhaps be called the refined ironic, ia
i which the author had notable examples
/ when he was managing editor of the Ev-
eninE Post Of New York. Such writing is