THE MORMON.
How the Sons of Brigham are Mul-tiplying in Our Land—They Ex-press a Determination to Build a Belt of Towns Across the State—Two of Them Confess to Having a Plurality of Wives, Which They Call Concubines.
Denver Tribune.
An article published in the Tribune a few days ago concerning the Mormon set-tlements in Conejos and Costilla coun-ties, near the southern line of this State, calling attention to their increase and condemning them as an accession not to be desired, has attracted no inconsider-able attention both in the State and be-yond our borders.
A REVELATION ON OATH.
"Moss Agate," the Tribune's regular correspondent, who has recently visited San Louis Valley, where the Mormons are settling, writes from Del Norte as follows;
"There are those, particularly among our Democratic friends, who scoff at the idea of the Mormon element becoming an important factor, socially or politi-cally, in Colorado. I desire here to state a few facts. One Russell, a counsellor and leading Mormon of the Conejos com-munity, recently visited the United States Land Office here for the purpose of homesteading lands near Manasseh. Whilst under oath he stated to the Re-ceiver—Colonel Claighorn—that the plans of the Saints were to secure lands and start Mormon communities every twenty-five miles from the Utah line to the West line of Kansas, Southern Colorado; that they proposed to make their homes in this State and obey the laws, etc.
"When interrogated regarding his do-mestic affairs and his views on polygamy, he replied that he had only one wife and five concubines and twenty-six children; that the laws of Colorado only permitted the marrying of one wife and thus the law was respected, but that concubinage was practiced by Solomon of old, and they religiously follow his example."
“A son of Russell, a beardless youth, stated that he had one wife, three con-cubines and six children."
Thus it will be seen how far the Col-orado saints have renounced the demor-alizing tenets of old Brigham's creed."
If there was previously any doubt as to the intentions of the Mormons as to "spreading" in Colorado this sentiment must remove it. "Moss Agate" is a care-ful correspondent, and Colonel Claig-horn is a man whose word no one doubts.
FAIR TO SEE.
Writing to the Deseret News, the Mor-mon organ at Salt Lake, D. G. Campbell draws an enchanting picture of the val-ley, which, there can be no doubt, is in-tended to attract settlers of the Mormon faith. Says he: "This valley is 150 miles long by 60 miles wide, with a gentle slope to the southeast, with the Rio Grande, San Antonio and Conejos riv-ers, and several small streams, running through it, giving ample facilities for ir-rigating many thousand acres of very rich land, which seems to be very pro-ductive. The land has been principally farmed for the past thirty or forty years by Mexicans, who now constitute a ma-jority of the population of this valley. The Denver & Rio Grande railroad runs through our valley, and furnishes trans-portation for our products. The lands of this valley are pretty equally divided, the State owning our half and the Gov-ernment the balance. All Government land is subject to homestead by heads of families, and all the State lands can be bought from the Board of Land Com-missioners at from 50 cents to $2 50 per acre, at seven years time by paying one-third valuation down, the remainder two-thirds annually for seven years. Our population is fast increasing. You can find people from all parts of the world."
Continuing, he says: "The Latterday Saints are settling in this valley, and are fast developing its resources. I find the Mexicans, which are Catholic in faith, are very kind to the Mormons. Those that have been gathered out of the Southern States by President Morgan all seem to be well satisfied with their new homes, Manasseh, a city eight miles east of this, being built up by the Mor-mons, bids fair to be one of the leading cities of our country ere long. We find the Mormons to be an honest, industri-ous and enterprising people. Such a population will soon build up a coun-try."
THE POLITICAL ASPECT.
He closes as follows: "The State has been carried by the Republicans for two years, but the State will go Democratic this fall, as the Mormons cannot nor will not assist in keeping in power a party that is trying to exterminate them." Republicans can hardly desire any-thing more to convince them that they have a class of people in our State which should be carefully watched.
THE GIST OF THE SITUATION,
The important facts arrived at in this matter are these:
The Mormons are settling in all the States and Territories with the evident purpose of controlling legislation.
Numbers of them have located in Colorado.
They invite others to come, and offer inducements.
They declare it to be the purpose of their people to build a line of towns across our entire State, from Utah to Kansas.
They openly evade and violate our laws with respect to the connubial rela-tion.
They expect to be able to cast a sufficient vote to turn the election to the Demo-cratic side.
To make sure of this they have intro-duced into Colorado immigrants only from Utah and the Southern States.
These are the counts of the indictment upon which the State of Colorado and the Republican party are called to act.
THE CANCER SPREADING.
Longmont Ledger.
What is to be done with the vast horde of polygamists that is now flocking into the southern portion of our State? This is a question of the greatest mo-ment and demands the immediate atten-tion of every one interested in the cause of civilization and common decency. The question, "Must the Ute go?" should no longer agitate the public mind until this far more important question be settled—Shall we allow these Mormon reptiles to settle in our midst?
Heretofore Utah has been looked upon as the home of the Mormons, but they have been for the past few years and are now rapidly spreading over the sur-rounding Territories, and at present a settlement of new converts from the Southern States is forming within our own borders.
The Republican party, recognizing the terrible course of this relic of barbarism in our country, wisely inserted in the platform at Chicago the following: "We affirm the belief avowed in 1876, that slavery having perished in the States, its twin barbarity—polygamy—must die in the territories." The Demo-crats made no allusion to this matter in their platform, expecting undoubtedly to get the Morman vote, and they were not deceived, for in a letter of a promi-nent saint to a Salt Lake Mormon paper is the following:
"Colorado will go Democratic this fall, as the Mormons cannot nor will not assist in keeping in power a party that is trying to exterminate them."
Be they Democrats or Republicans, they are alike obnoxious, and should be banished from our midst without cere-mony. We had far better have a settle-ment of almond eyes among us. The Republican party may have as great a task in wiping this horrid stain from our territories as they had in liberating the slaves, but it must be done at any cost, and should be done speedily. Let every one give this matter earnest thought.
A COLORADO SPRINGS OPINION.
Mountaineer.
The Denver Tribune in a vigorous editorial recently called attention to a dan-ger which threatens the Republican party of Colorado. It is the great influx of Mormons into the southern part of the State. That the Mormons should sup-port Democracy is selfevident, and that the Democratic party desires additions to their not overwhelming number in this State is likewise obvious. A logical conclusion, therefore, to arrive at from these premises is that the Mormon emi-gration will accrue to the benefit of the Democratic party, unless steps are taken to prevent it. Colorado certainly does not need any additions to her population from any such source as the Mormon stronghold of polygamy, sensuality and beastial vices, and it is decidedly for her interest to take every precaution possi-ble to prevent any such accessions. So-cial and political sentiment should set strong against receiving any of Utah's citizens or Utah's religion. What a har-monious combination, the Utes and Utahans! But we don't need any such sweet communing people, indeed we don't. Colorado will trade off that por-tion of her population for almost any-thing that could be mentioned.
