Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-24
WHEN MORMONS
QUIT The STATE
Reforming Newspaper Wrecks
City of Nauvoo and Makes
Smith a Martyr.
BY REV. oRIEN w. ElEER.

BY REV. oRIEN w. FIFER.
After a long search have at last
found a copy Of one Of the most inter
esting newspapers ever published, the
Nauvoo Expositor. The Expositor was
issued but once. June Z. 1914, but thai
number ruined a promising city,
caused the mob-murder of Joseph
Smith, the prophet divided the church
Of which he was the founder, exploded
a great commercial enterprise. and
exiled thousands OF people. Somewha.
indirectly, but none the less effective
~. the paper affected the political his
tory OF the nation. The stormy de-
bates In congress, the fierce accusa-
tons by enemies, and stubborn resis-
lance by friends Of Mormonism in re-
cent years, the grave influence of the
Mormon vote upon political leaders
and policies. and the complicated story
OF polygamy, with it's dangerous social
phases, can be traced TO the one issue
of this ill-fated newspaper.
In 1874 Nauvoo ILL.,, now a placid
little village, was the most important
city politically and numerically, in the
state In that year Chicago had less
than 10000 inhabitants. while Nauvoo
contained nearly $4,000 Nauvoo then
teerled with industries. Steamboats,
were landing immigrants from Europe.
a respectable college was fiourishing
A temple costing hundreds OF thou
sands OF dollars in labor and material
vas approaching completion upon the
high brow of the plateau which formed
part OF the site OF the city. A real es-
tate boon" was on. Occupying one
of the most beautiful sites for a city
anywhere in the Mississippi valley,
NauvOO, in 1874, justified great expec-
tations Politically the city was to be
feared Astute politicians courted the
solid Mormon vote. Abraham Lincoln
termed Joseph Smith a friend and
courted his political favor. Stephen
A Douglas, from the beginning of
their residence in Illinois. was a prime
friend OF the Mormons and favored
them in substantial and frequent fash
ion. Congressional and county candi-
dates bargained for Mormon votes.
The city also boosted i'm 1914 OF can
didate for the presidency and a can
dldate for the vice presidency. Joseph
Smith had been put forward for the
presidency in January, 1874, and 1877
elders, among them Brigham Young
had been sent out TO electioneer for
him through eastern states. Later
Sidney Rigdon was named for vice
president. Nauvoo comp.acently com
pllmented itself upon these political
ventures, and II Is an open question
how far the issues of 1914 would have
been affected If the Expositor had not
been issued, II Smih had not been
murdered and the Mormons had casl
their votes for their candidates in tht
autumn Until that fateful day il
June. 1914. Nauvoo was power il
Illinois, and dreamed Of unlimited
growth and influence.
The one number OF the Exposition
changed all this. II was issued OF
Friday. BY Monday evening. follow
ing the press had been destroyed, tn,
papers and office furniture burned, tn,
building wrecked in Part. and the own
ers and editor had fed for their lives
Within q little more than two year
the Mormon community was hasten
ing across the savage-swept prairie
20 an undiscovered home, the street
Of the city had been stained wit
blood OF citizens s.aiu in civil strife
the gorgeous parades and ceremonie
had ended. the imposing temple wa
desecrated, and the city itself was 70
sale. The paper. aiming only to re
form the Mormon religion. had mad
the prophet a martyr aroused tn
state Of Illinois to warfare against IN
so-called Saints" and left the ono
prosperous city 20 dwindle 10 a vi
lage slumbering quietly amid straw
berry beds ana vineyards.
The copy OF the paper before m
contains four we printed pages of 81
columns each. The edition numbere
1000 copies II was published
Mormons who had lived in Nauvo,
some OF whom had been high in tn
confidence OF Joseph Smith and I'll
church. Their newspaper venture wa