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Show FREE AMERICA SURE TO RESPOND Will Answer Great Cry Utah Gentiles. Public Opinion of Country Certain to Back Them Up. Eighty-Five Millions of People Can-not-Concede Respectful Countenance Counte-nance to Hierarchy's Rule. An nmnzlng editorial appeared on the morning of "Wednesday, January 25, In Tho Salt Lako Tribune, tho Gentllo dally in the Mormon capital. Its title was one word "PIclp1" Tho editor declares that at tho private Invitation of a prominent citizen, twelve of the ablest, wealthiest and strongest residents of Salt Lake City men eminently representative met secretly se-cretly on n recent day to discuss tho situation sit-uation of tho non-Mormon population of Utah- After free expression of opinion nil around the circle, the gentleman who had convened tho conference submitted u memorandum of existing conditions, it was. though, couched In terms that bespoke be-spoke precision and even restraint, a lor-rlfic lor-rlfic document. A few running ciuota-llons ciuota-llons will Indicate Its tono and the character char-acter of tho complaint which It embodied:' The Complaint. "As now utilized, Statehood is hut a protection to tho Mormon hierarchy. Tho hierarchy holds Itself superior to constitution and law. It lu spreading plural marriage nnd plural marriage practice prac-tice through the ranks of thQ church. Through Its agents It dominates tho politics pol-itics of tho State and of every county and city In the State. It exerts such sway over officers of tho law that the hierarchy nnd Its favorites cannot bo touched by tho hapd of Justice It Ib master of the Statu Legislature und the Governor. It dominates domi-nates every lino of business In Utah except ex-cept mines and railroads. It holds nearly every Gentllo merchant and nearly every Gentllo professional man at Its vengeance ven-geance by Its Influence over pntroniigc which he must havo In order to bo successful. suc-cessful. It corrupts every Gentile who Is affected by either fear or venality. Kvory Gentllo who refuses to testify at Its request re-quest and In lie behalf becomes a marked and endangered man In tho community. Tho Gontlles who havo gono to Washington Washing-ton to testify for Smoot are aware of this frict." And finally, tho conclusion to which this tremendous Indictment leads, was forcibly and solemnly stated thus; "Unless tho Gentiles of Utah shall soon bo protected by tho power of tho United States, ihey will miffer either ruin or exile ex-ile at tho hands of the hierarchy." Tho Need Explained. The twelvo .representative citizens listened lis-tened and consented. Thoy arccd that every word that tholr host had written was unexnggernted truth. It was also tho common opinion of tho group thnt tho present crisis demanded tho summoning summon-ing of a great mass mooting of Gentllo peoplo for protest. Each bcllovcd that at this meeting reaolutlonp should be of fered covering all these complaints and representations, and that whon adopted, tho paper should bo forwarded to the Senato to offset tha testimony of Gentllo witnesses for Smoot and to draw official attention to tho mediaeval tyranny prevailing pre-vailing in Utah So far thoro was positive posi-tive agreement but at the next step an equally unanimous negatlvo agreement supplanted It. Somebody had to bo designated des-ignated to move the resolutions, and somebody cIbo second them. The scrlptu-ral scrlptu-ral story was roallzcd again: "Thoy all with one consent began to mako excuse" Not a man among them would stand out and lead tho movement for rolcaso from what thoy all described as a crttshlng bondage. No mass meeting was held They Are Not Cowards. Tho Tribune forbids nny critic to call thorn cownrds. They wero men above the average In courage. It says; but they had not the courage for a forlorn hope, thoy woro not quite martyrs. The merchants know that If they stood sponsors for such condemnation of Mormonlsm, there would bo no trade In their stores next day. nnd the Sheriff would shortly be selling the goods thnt thov could not soil. Tho attorneys at-torneys realized that nobody would retain re-tain an advocato who had spoken, publicly for theso resolutions, for Mormon Jutica would thoreafter be sure to decide against his clients. Tho physicians for-saw for-saw that If the responsibility fell upon them, their professional cllentclo would melt nwav. Tho mining men knew that unfair legislation could be used to punish them. And ns much ns thoy hated their Blavery. thoy hated beggary more. Thoy could not stake their ail on such a hnz-ard-lf, Indeed, that may be called a hazard haz-ard which amounts to a sheer certainty of ruin. The Appeal. So tho newspaper which relates these facts makes Its appeal alono to tlo people peo-ple of tho Nation at largo. In Its tragl-cally tragl-cally serious and passionate conclusion Tho Tribune says. "This case demonstrates demon-strates all tho olements of a reign of terror ter-ror Liberty Is an empty word where such things can be. The Mormon church exercises its power with such relentless absolutism that no man daro offend lest he be mado to porlsh In goods and chattels In means of maintenance. Utah Statehood State-hood Is a tvranny for ull who do not servo tho Mormon church. "Will the Government Govern-ment of tho I'nlted States help us7 Will the American people protect us and demand Justice for us? In tho name of all that is glorious In our hlBtory, In tho name of humanity, we appcnl for help." May Well Startle. Such fervid words from such a source may well startle Into profound attention those lndirTerent persons who hnvo Imagined Imag-ined thoro lu nothing the matter In Utah but a perennial sectarian Jealousy bo-twecn bo-twecn tho Mormon elders nnd tho missionaries mis-sionaries who aro trying to proselyte their people. These new protcstants are not enthusiasts contending for some opposing op-posing rollBlons faith, but lay citizens asking for nothing but ordinary American liberty. Will this corroboration not con-vlnco con-vlnco the doubtful thnt the mlHsIonarlcs speak true whon they aver that fundamental funda-mental civic freedom Is threatened by the Insidious development of Mormon power? Tho churches will undertake as churches and with rollglous means to counteract tho religious monstrosity of Mormonlsm. But Mormonlsm as a political conspiracy must be fought by citizens In the capacity of citizens and with political means. Men who love freedom must bund together and force the hlorarchy back out of tho sphere of government Into the proper sphere of a religious organization. Aftor It Ib onco confined there, the missionaries niay bo relied upon to tnke care of It, but until It Is confined there, Its Insolence and trickery constitute something more than a missionary problem. Deserves Proper Response. To thf "exceeding great and bitter cry" of tho Gentiles of Utah, free America ought to make sympathetic and encouraging encour-aging responoe. In great part. Indeed, thoy must needs work out their own salvation. sal-vation. Hard ns Is tholr plight, thoy must themselves grapple with It more courageously. Some of them may vorv likely havo to undergo a financial martyrdom mar-tyrdom for their boldness, but It Is by martyrdoms that great cnuseB always havo been vindicated nnd redeemed. Utah's non-Mormon slave will break their bonds when they defy their . mas-tors; mas-tors; acquiescence Is only putting off tho ovll day, for they themselves confess that thoy aro being driven anyhow towurd ruin and oxlle. But to nerve them to n braver stand they must be backed up by .i mar-a mar-a oVmul militant Pb ? opinion from all parts of the country. The sinooth and urbano defense made In behalf of Senator Smoot has already lulled 'nto com plnlsanco some who "nd been sllfehUi aroused, but this now picture from Salt Lako City. bCHldos Indicating the motive and value of omo of tho testimony of-forrd of-forrd for tho Senator, brings out once more tho essential fact that not Smoot but tho hierarchy behind h m is tho object ob-ject of aesnult at Washington. Let Smoot's expulsion bo demanded moro om-phntlcnllv om-phntlcnllv thun over On the. simple ground that the Federal Government cannot In dignity conccdo respectful countenance to a Mormon official so long aa the Mormon's Mor-mon's officiary continues, either by tno encourasemont of polygamy or by intor-foronco intor-foronco In politics, to violate tho terms of Utah's admission. Onco Compelled to Sue. A determined public spirit pervading tho entire country once compelled tho pompous Mormon hlcrophnnta to nue for lenience and promise decent amendment. It Is only becauso In relenting that public pub-lic spirit alao forgot that now tho ambl- tlous charlatans havo grown ao daring and themselves so merciless again. If only the samq force of 9cntlment that humiliated hu-miliated them before can be Invoked against them now, their dlscomllture will bo as Hpccdy. The Interior, Chicago, Feb- j ruary 'J, 1 |