rate of from five to ten thousand annually. The converts to
Mormonism now are almost exclusively confined to English and
Germans--Wales and Cornwall have contributed largely to the
population of Utah during the last few years. The
population of Great Salt Lake City is 20,000.--The streets
are eight rods wide--and are neither flagged nor paved. A
stream of pure mountain spring water courses through each
street--and is conducted into the Gardens of the Mormons.
The houses are mostly of adobe--or sun-dried brick--and
present a neat and comfortable appearance.--They are usually
a story and a half high. Now and then you see a fine modern
house in Salt Lake City--but no house that is dirty, shabby,
and dilapidated--because there are no absolutely poor people
in Utah. Every Mormon has a nice garden--and every Mormon
has a tidy dooryard.--Neatness is a great characteristic of
the Mormons.

The Mormons profess to believe that they are the chosen
people of God--they call themselves Latter-day Saints--and
they call us people of the outer world Gentiles. They say
that Mr. Brigham Young is a prophet--the legitimate
successor of Joseph Smith--who founded the Mormon religion.
They also say they are authorized--by special revelation
from Heaven--to marry as many wives as they can comfortably
support.

This wife-system they call plurality--the world calls it
polygamy. That at its best it is an accursed thing--I need
not of course inform you--but you will bear in mind that I
am here as a rather cheerful reporter of what I saw in Utah