Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-03-21
MoRMoNs IN MEXICO,

A correspondent OF nj Paso, Tex, TO
tho New York sun writes about the
Mormon colonies Ia Mexico. His OBJ
feet seems 10 be to convey the Idea
mat these colonies were founded FOR the
purpose Of establishing a refuge for
people who desire 20 practice plural
marriage but he fails utterly IN this
He says all the evidence he has for
the allegation that plural marriages
are contracted In Mexico are the asser-
lions OF Gentiles living on ranches and
in neighborlng towns But he admits
the unrellabiity Of such evidence. He
Goes state,
II was told that the proportion OF
polygamous Mormons In Mexico was
8. adually decreasing, because the
younger generation We're not contract
ing polygamous marriages. and many
NJ the new Corners from the states Were
mOnogamisis one young man, son
Of a father having several wives said
20 me emphatically: Poygamy has got
to go!"
But his correspondence is interesting
foc the testimony It contains concerning
the moral quality Of the Mormon"
settlers in Mexico. In the first place
the effect Of their industries are seen
In as striking a light as here In Utah
The writer says
1T was twenty years ago this winter,
| believe. when the first families madc
trc long overland trip from Utah and
Arizona 10 their new home In Mexico.
Most OF the colcnists made the entire
TIP from their homes in Utah or Ari-
Yona by wagon, taking their house
hold furniture, farm utensils, horses,
cattle. grain for seed, and everything
necessary to successful home building
In the wilderness.
"They tell pathetic stories OF tho
hardshlps they suffered on the Journey
had afer they reached the arid, barren
land OF safety. Nothing can be grown
there without Irrigation, and the first
task, after providing temporary shelter
Yas therefore to dam the river and dig
irrigation bitches. II was not many
years until they had turned the desert
irto a garden-a garden the more beau
t,ful and striking by contrast with the
conditions still found about the Mex
ltln towns and ranches In the same 10.
caiity."
The correspondent remained In the
colonies eight months He visited the
homes Of the people, their services,
their oTusements. and was welcomed
everywhere. And this is what he has to
say about the moral condition.
In no one Of the Mormon colonies Is
there 10 be found a br0thel. a gambling
house, a saloon Neither Is there Jail
nor a policeman. SO careful are they
IN regard 10 the relations Of their young
PEOPLE that round dances are not per-
mitted at their social gatherings. ! have
heard mothers congratulate themselves
tlat, while their removal TO Mexico had
involved much hardship and pnvation
f. had its compensation In the fact that
their children had been saved from the
vicious Influences which the non Nor
mon element everywhere brought in
t. Mormon communities
And further:
mot once during my eight months
stay in the colonies did witness any
act or hear any word among the yOuns
t0ple where the two sexes were to-
gather that sayored of immortality They
pride themselves on maintaining good
order at their social gatherings.
"lf a young man misbehaves, as
young men sometimes Will he Is simply
put under the social ban, declared out
VI fellowship which bars him from
participating In the social life OF the
community until he Is ready to apollo
gge and promise 20 do better, ! believe
the social ostracism TO which nom
Mormons are subject in many cases rs
3ue largely II not chiefly to the fact
that the Mormons' know they cannot
control or punish an outsider for mis-
conduct
A community OF which this can be
truly said has no cause to bend It's head
In shame, In the present age. or In the
presence Of anyone In the purity OF its
social NE It has the evidence OF the
truth OF as creed "Mormonism" pro-
luces Just such communities where It is
permitted TO develop without Interior