OCR Text |
Show PRIESTLY HOSTILITY TO MINING. Wo quote from a Dcscret News editorial edi-torial of last Friday evening tho following fol-lowing statement with respect to early mining in Utah: Sometimes It has been said that the pioneers of Utah were opposed to mining enterprises, and that it look military force lo open up tho mines In Utah. This is another piece of fiction, the purpose pur-pose of which Is to array easily influenced influ-enced people against the church. Tho leading- spirits among: the pioneers pio-neers foresaw clearly tho necessity of establishing agriculture and other food producing Industries before tho people went to prospecting. It was necessary, as the News says, that tho people who first made permanent perma-nent settlement in this valley devote themselves to tho cultivation of food products; and it was not so particularly wiso as it was perfectly natural for tho "pioncor" leaders to advocate this .branch of industry first. But let us look into tho history of tho case in order to get at the facts. The first Mormon company came hero in July, IS47, and they were soon followed fol-lowed by others. The first thing douo by tho first companies was to plant seed for the purpose of reaping as good a harvest as possiblo the first year, and to bettor prepare the land for crop raising in the year following. As Hon.iW. C. A. Smoot said at tho American Amer-ican lovo feast on last Thursday evening, even-ing, the land was rich and produced readily. Mr. Smoot was ono of the first company, and he knows whereof ho speaks. In his official report, under dafo of July 21, 1S61, General P. Edward Ed-ward Connor, commanding at Camp Douglas, described tho persistent efforts he was obliged to make to assist in opening Utah mines, snj'ing: "With Mils view I have bent every energy and means of which T was possessed, both personal and official, toward the discovery and development of tho mining min-ing resources of the Territory, using, without stint, tho soldiers of my command, com-mand, w'hercver and whenever it could bo done without detriment to tho public pub-lic service." This report was made seventeen years after the arrival of the first Mormon company. Agriculture Agricul-ture was well under way; tho crops were fairly good; and the principal difficulty dif-ficulty then cncounlered -was to find a market for them, so that inoncj' could bo obtained in order to do away with the old trading in chips and whetstones. The condition had arrived when one farmer had nothing to, trade to the other farmer but what tho othor farmer farm-er possessed. Consequently tho situation situa-tion was stagnated and roquirod monoy-producing monoy-producing enterprises in order to stimulate stimu-late industry. Notwithstanding this fact, however, Brigham Young and his ecclesiastical satraps bitterly opposed mining, because he could "foresee clearly" that tho prosecution of that industry would bring in a large Gentile Gen-tile population tlat would finally break his political power, at least in certain localities. Ho placed all manner of difficulties in tho way of mining, and hampered the minors .by ovcry means at his command; and it .was necessary, as Gouoral Connor says, to utilize the United States soldicrj' in many instances to protect tho industry and facilitate ils development. . In the year ISGD (more than twenty years after the arrival of the "pioneers," "pio-neers," and at a time when agriculture was still further developed and moro firmly established) tho Utah Magazine printed an editorial advocating mining development hero. That was a wcoklj' paper published by Messrs. Godbc, Harrison Har-rison and Lawrcuco. Brigham Young had admitted that there was plenty of mineral abounding in this country, but gave it out with his usual ecclesiastical audacity that whenover it became desirable de-sirable lo develop mining the word would bo given through the priesthood of tho Mormon church. This editorial in the Utah Magazine having anticipated antici-pated the .i me when tho "word should no forth from the priesthood." it gave great offense to Brigham Young, tho ccclesiaslicaj dictator and opponont. of mining. At a meeting of the "school of the prophets," hold on tho Saturday nighr. following publication of tho editorial, edi-torial, Messrs. Godbc and Harrison wcro publicly upbraided for their contumacy in "raising tho heel and the voice" against "the Lord's anointed." They wcro accused of having exhibited n spirit of apostasy. In order lo plneo the matter definitely before tho "school of tho prophets," Brigham moved that the people no longer sustain the Utah Magazine. When tho negative vole was called for, Henry W. Lawrence opposed op-posed the motion. He was called to tho sland to state his reasons for opposition opposi-tion and pave such a good account of himself thai Brigham closed-tho incident inci-dent by directing that Messrs. Godbo and Harrison appear before the high council and answer to tho charge of apostasy. That meeting was held the following Mondny eveniug in an upper room of the old city hall, and Messrs, Harrison and Godbo wcro placed on trial. They wero accused of apostasy, the charge being staled by the clerk reading the editorial that had nppcared in the Utah Magazine, advocating development devel-opment of Utah's mining resources. Willi littlo ado they wore excommunicated, excommunicat-ed, Eider JSli B. Kelsoy protesting and voting against this summary cxcommu'iii-cation. cxcommu'iii-cation. Brigham Young jumped to his feet and yelled, "J move that Brother Kelsey bo cut off tho church;" and Mr. Ivclsoy was also "turned over to the buifotings of Satan." .During the course of the "trial," one of tho high priests constituting the high council arose, and pointing his shaking finger at. Messrs. Godbc and Harrison, shouted: "No mon since the foundation founda-tion of Ihc earth over had blacker hearts than those two men sitting there! They want to open up the mines and bring all hell and tho dovil in here!" And all this because of a printed article, ar-ticle, recommending development of the mining resources of Utah, and suggesting suggest-ing that; tho time was ripe for extensive exten-sive work. The case is so complelo as against the assertion of the News that it is surprising that the church organ should havo brought the mailer for-ward. for-ward. Its own columns of the older days contain the history to confound it todai'. |