Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-20
"MOR MON" POLICY.

Elders Fred G. Baker and George
W. Webster, laborlng in Dundee, Scot
land, send us the subjoined article from
the Evening Telegram OF that place,
famous for its excellent marmalade,
and express their pleasure at the prog
ress OF tho work there and the good
things occasionally published about the
"Mormons' They say also that the
outrageous stories told by their enc
mics, in effect defeat their own pur-
pose among intelligent people. The fol-
lowing Is evidently intended as an or
set to some repetltions Of antI-"Mor-
mon" stories and particularly to the
structures of sydney Brooks;
I'm a special article on Mormonism in
America, Mr. sydney Brooks sums up
the present day policy Of the Mormon
Church BY saying Brigham Youngs
policy IL the policy Of Mormonism to-
day This deliyerance is well worthy
the attention OF the statesmen and po-
litical reformers of all countries. Brig
ham Young was an ardent believer In
work under what would now be de-
scribed AZ muniolpalIzed conditions. He
led his people into an arid wilderness,
he set them 20 work and established
municipal departments for the achieve
ment OF irrigation and other works be-
You'd the scope OF individual effort That
the Young policy has been maryelously
successful is demonstrated by the agri-
cultural, Industrial, and social pros
perity OF Utah and Salt Lake City. Al
though II Is but comparatively short
time since the followers OF Brigham
Young encamped in the desert near
Salt Lake there are those who are
dlslnClined to believe that the miracle
OF Transforming the ara desert into
smiling land Of plenty could be repeated
In these keenly competitive times. Mr..
Sydney Brooks, however shows that
the policy of Brigham Young Ii rs sue
cessful today as during the regime OF
the shrewd and capable leader
After the passage Of the Edmunds-
Tucker Act in 1887 the Mormons deter
mined TO found a colony in Mexico, a
Mormon official inspected the state OF
Chihuahua and Sonora. along the VAL
ley of the Casas Grandes River. The
Mormons went to Mexico In 1889, Then
years later the American Consul at Gu
dad Juarez made them the subject OF
report, The first arrivals, he said, were
poor men. Many OF them had not even
the means OF transportation, and when
they arrived In the Valley OF the Casas
Grandes River, two hundred miles south
Of the new Mexican lire and as many
miles from a railroad. they had practi-
caly nothing but their physical
strength and religious enthusiasm.
Around them were high mountains cap
ped with snow, dark canyons where
wild beasts made their lair, and mar
row valley, arid, without irrigation and
barren OF vegetation except "gramma'
grass and cottonwood trees. Apache
Indians lurked In the hills, drove away
their herds, and sometimes attacked
their settlements. Yet the Mormons
prospered No difficulty no hardship,
was great enough TO appal them or
drive them back, They made bitches,
turned the water Of the river on their
lands, planted fruit trees, laid out gar
dens, tended their hocks, and plenty
came TO support and sustain them. 9th.
err colonies were planted with equal sue
cess. In ten years the MOrmons eN-
tracted from this valley enough wealth
to give them independence
"The capital colony is beautiful viii
lage comparable TO any in New Eng
land, There is every evidence Of thrift,
cleanliness, industry, comfort and good
management There is an absence Of
the vices common 10 modern commu-
mites, There are no saloons, tobacco
shops jalls, nor houses OF ill-fame in
the colony. The property is owned by
Mormons and the internal affairs OF the
several settlements are under the d.
recton Of the Church. There Is an
academy with Ave teachers and 400 pu-
pills.
1t is the policy OF The Mormons to
erect schoolhouses before churches and
temples, There are other recent in
stances Of similar achievements by the
Mormons TO the colOnizlng Briton the
record Of Mormon success Is worthy OF
close study. Under the British flag are
TO be found vast territories Of far bet
ter promise than the Salt Lake desert.
and, under helpful government condi-
tIons, South Africa. Australia, and Cam
ada ought TO be dotted with districts
quite as prosperous as any Mormon
colony