Show BISHOP JOHN SHARP interviewed there is no social or religious question which absorbs fco io much attention or elicits so much anxious inquiry as tho 31 mormon ormon question docs does at the present time people of all shades of colors of religion politics or social ethics are deeply in interested te in the subject and especially are they watching for its solution which many expect P and still very many more hope to see in in the dissolution of tho the mormon system this is a very vain hope wherever a person appears who holds a prominent position in the mormon community tho the irrepressible news gatherer for tho the press rushes to interview him and oftentimes in the hope of discovering something in his utterances that will confirm the wildest munchhausen Munch Munell hausen stories they have heard of the people of utah A few wo we believe seek such interviews ter views with a desire to obtain correct information of the real status of utah and her people with the in intention to spread the truth before the world and let them draw their own conclusions on the subject recently a reporter of the new york tribune interviewed bishop john sharp while staying at the st nicholas hotel he says the bishop is a plainly dressed intelli gent looking man following are extracts from the reported interview being asked how the mormons cormons Mor mons regarded the presidents message bishop sharp replied there is no alarm in the church in regard to the matter it ia is an old subject and no more talked of now that it was twelve years ago we do not fear any action of congress A great deal more interest ia is taken in the admission of the delegate to congress whether it will bo be mr cannon or sir campbell mr cannons name was placed on the roll by the old clerk but I see ace that mr campbells name is now on the roll though he be has not been sworn in he ile is governor murrays Mur rays delegate I have lave no personal personal knowledge on the question aut but it is my opinion that neither ne t her will w 11 be admitted and that a new election will have to be held beld to decide the matter do you not think the president is in earnest in his determination to enforce the laws against you you president arthur deals with the question in the same way as president garfield jar field the batters lat message was very pointed but it was his aim as I bavo have private means of knowing know ing to prevent the further extension of poly eamy PTY while not interfering with ith existing family relations I do nc not t see what more could be done are families to be broken up brothers and sisters husbands and and wives separated B rated that is something which we e esa doat believe will over be attempted or carried out supposing it ia is attempted what then if the strong arm is brought down upon us in in such a way I do not think it would b be le wise for us a mere handful of people to resist but as I said before I d do not think eliat the followers follower of the church who have joined it as a religious duty will be persecuted how illow many members are there in in the church about believe although the census has not net been taken of its membership alone alone ie Is it growing more rapidly in pro ali portion than the gentile population of yes I think eo so its natural increase is greater then there is a mormon immigration of about two thousand a year most of these im hn migrants mi in I granta ailts have friends or relatives tegra there they scatter throughout ut our settlements in utah montana new mexico and elsewhere Is there any thought of removing the beat seat of the church from salt lake cit city 11 no work on the new temple is advancing it is now about sixty feet high iab and the walls ni will ill bo be feet high ligh when finished we are not anticipating any trouble I find it to be the lie sentiment of the masses of the eave people eople outside of utah with whom I have been brought in contact to limit t the he church to its present proportions or at least to prevent tb the e extension of polygamy we recognize chatin time some such action may be taken FF 11 you do not fear then such aa in C crease ease of gentile population in utah as will outvote you and take the territorial rit government out of your hands no we do not fear it because if they will give us as good a government as we have always had we will have no objections whatever we have always selected mca men to administer the government because of their fitness and of course had to go into the church to get the best men the taxes are lower low er in utah much lower than in any of the other territories the city tax in salt lake is only one half of one per cent and the entire city county and territorial tax is on only I aj percent per cent bellave we have good schools affard and are building up and improving the city and territory there is is a railroad now running miles north of salt lake and another running miles south there ia is great undeveloped mineral wealth the mining interests however bow everre are in the hands r of the gentiles principally as the cormons mormons Mor mons have engaged very little in that industry Agrical agriculture ture and grazing are our principal employments employ mente we have bave to resort to irrigation but there have been some successful experiments peri ments in dry farming in the last three years cars one person raised bushe bushela s of wheat thia this year without ana any irrigation 11 Is it true that the cormons mormons Mor mons conduct a system of government inside the church as lias has been stated recently cent ly to this extent wo we have salt lake city for instance divided into twenty wards A bishop atrid two counselors presides ol over creach each ward that is in tho the church ach whenever any disputes arise between the brethren they are settled in the bishops court an appeal can be taken talen from the bisho Bi Is court to the tile high council council of the church and then to the first presidency of the church that is as far as it can po go we ave charge no fee and collect no fines finesia in tho the church courts if cither either side refuses to abide by the church decision the only punishment is is severance from the tile church of ca course u arse we only take cognizance of civil ca cases ses not of criminal tho the bishop explained that became lie came east cast two or th three rea times a year and hat that he be should remain in the city but day or two in his trip from utah lie eaid said there was very little snow visible and that only on tho the hills ho ile added that there were many false and ridiculous stories being published in in regard to the cormons mormons Mor mons and ho wondered that they were credited nearly all religious denominations have churches and school in salt lake city CLYDE SHIPPERS w were ere unusually busy the past year from a direct dir act source we karn learn that the aggregate of tile tonnage of the clyde launched during the first eleven months of 1881 P amounted to over tons ton which is an unprecedented tonnage ange and eclipses anything hitherto launched in twelve months Is |