The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-02-11
the pLAln TRUTHS

M tefndIOHdI LdLnG III GuuSGi uGD(C 4
his testimony before the Smoot III
vestigating committee. He is e
ported to have said, among othe
things euIogistic of the Mormons
1.-The average Mormon is a bette
man than the average Gentle ant
a better legislator. !" The New Yorl
Mail commenting on this statemen
says:
This is unfortunately too true. in TIL
whole region where the M0rmOns abound
To go from any Western mining town o.
large commercial settlement, NON NJ ormon
to Mormon agricultural community |,
W like going from a 'tred.liglat" section II
thus city to New ENGLAND village where
VI public sentiment takes its moral key from
theological seminary. &&sf:ess
Social vice. intemperance. gambling
speculation and extravaganza are the or,
N binary fittings Of our nnw communities
NJ But the newest MORN ~ colony is model
of industry. OF frugality of mutual help.
fulness, and, barring the one monstrous
institution If polygamy. of virtue.
Gov Mcconnell seems to think that the
N Idaho people have been shamed INTO hard
work and ordinary good conduct by the
Mormons. This negative Mormon evan
gelism we could stand something of. even
in the East. Let US initiate the Mormon
n virtues for very shame's sake, and at the
same time guard ourselves against any
! tenderness toward their twin relic of bar
barism. .sr..ss..rs
If Ex-Governor Mcconnell uses
the Term Gentle in the same sense
that Mormons do, that is, meaning
all non-Mormons, then, his state
ment is absolutely false. IF he en-
ployes it to designate the lowest
element among non-Mormons, then,
his statement is true. <
The entire commentary of the
New York Mail where not absurd
\ ly false, is entirely misleading.
Comparing community with COM
munity, and having proper regard
to classification; that is, setting
Mormon farming community
against Gentle farming commun-
ity and so on, and employing the
term Gentle to mean all non-Mor.
mons, then, social virtue, industry
and thrift in Gentle communities
will rate as high, if not higher, than
I'm Mormon communities.
We have as much respect for the
Mormon people as they deserve.
We recognize their virtues fully,
and upon every proper occasion,
under all circumstances, have made
due and generous acknowledge
ment, but when it is sought to
represent the Mormons as a vastly
superior people-better men and
better legislators than their Cen
itIle neighbors-who have shamed |
the other people of Idaho into hard |
work aud good conduct, truth and |
Justice demand that such falsehoods |
shall not pass unchallenged. !
Thirty years residence among
Mormons, in locality where they
largely predominant, together with
Fhe intimate acquaintance naturally
growing out of family relationships,
ought to enable one to fairly judge
chem. On such experience, we do
pot hesitate to say that Mormons
upon the whole, are not possessed
pr exceptional virtue. They are
merely human beings with all the
weaknesses and tollies of other hu-
lnan beings of the same order OF
culture and intelligence. We will
pay farther, that where they have
peen lett to themselves: that is
lVhere they have not come much in
Contact with Gentiles, they are in
|efior IN culture, education and en-
'erprlse 10 their brethren who have
fnJoyed such contact. 1t is no re-
Rectlon upon the character of the
Mormon people to say this: for,
mong the laity, the foreign ele-
pent' coming from the lower STRAIT.
i OF European society, dominates,
Pn'le the Gentiles who come among
pe Mormons are mos silly enterpris-
ps American citizens, imbued with
&c spirit of liberty and progress,
rapport with American ideas ,
pa institutions aud who, generally,
ave enjoyed advantages of culture
pa education impossible to the .
ass OF foreigners who belong to
'e Mormon church. We NAV saw .