The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-09
THE PROBLEM OF THE NORTH
NNEssT

WEST.
The opinion is being expressed in
Washington that the Committee on
Privileges and Elections will make
unanimous report against permitting
Senator Reed Smoot, the Mormon apos-
tle to retain his seat. At the begin=
ming of the inquiry there seemed to
be a disposition, especially on the part
of the Republican senators, to deal
gently with him. Since the testimony
of Mr.. Smith. the president of the Nor
mon Church. was given. the views of
the members of the committee, have
undergone a radical change. They are
realizing that they have a great prob
lem to solve. and that unless efforts
are made to solve it at once 1t may
become the source of much trouble and
even danger to the republic.
There is no doubt that the Mormon
hierarchy exerts an extraordinary in
fluence in a number of states of the
Northwest, especially the states Of
Utah, Idaho and Wyoming and to a
large extent of Colorado and Oregon.
1t is am influence that permeates all
the relations of life-business, politi-
cal, moral and social. 1t is no doubt
the purpose of the Mormon Church to
dominate in all the foregoing sections
of the country, and to extend its power
into other states to as great an ex-
tent as possible. Polygamy is only
an incident in the church's programme,
though it is a fair inference that it
has never been abandoned. and that
there has never been an intention to
abandon it. Indeed, there is ample jus
tificaton in the testimony given by
President Smith for the belief that it
is the intention of the Mormons to
practice polygamy openly when they
have sufficient power to do as they
please.
When Utah was admitted as state
the impression prevailed that there
would be such a flood of immigration
to that state that Mormonism would
be overwhelmed. and would gradually
disappear. This impression was an
incorrect one, as subsequent events
have shown. Mormonism has thriyen
and has spread far beyond the borders
of Utah. As stated, it has practically
hold on two others. And it is a fact
well known to those who keep abreast
of the news of the day that Mormon
converts are being made in about
every state in the Union, and that in
quite a number of them, other than
those mentioned, Mormon colonies have
been planted.
The Mormons are indefatigable
workers. Their missionaries are in all
parts of the world where there is, a
chance of getting converts. These
converts are not sent exclusively to
Utah. They are sent to any one of
the five foregoing states. There is
no better indication of the purpose of
the Mormons to capture the state gov
ernments of all of these five states and
of as many others as they can than
the manner in which they distribute
their converts. They are tireless in
their efforts to accomplish, their pur-
poses, and are liberal in using their
wealth for the advancement of the
Mormon Church.
Congress in one way and another has
been fighting Mormonism for many
years. 1t has accomplished nothing
towards its eradication. From the
testimony of President Smith it is evil
dent that the Mormon Church is now
more aggressive and arrogant and
more powerful than it ever was be-
fore. and that Mormonism is becon-
ing a dominating influence over a vast
stretch of country and menace to
popular government.