The Second United Order Among the Mormons 9780231897280

Citation preview

STUDIES IN HISTORY, ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC LAW Edited by the FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

NUMBER 419

THE SECOND UNITED ORDER AMONG THE MORMONS. BY

EDWARD J . ALLEN

T H E SECOND UNITED ORDER AMONG T H E MORMONS

BY

EDWARD J. ALLEN, PH.D.

NEW

YORK

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON : P. S. KING & Sow, LTD.

«936

COPYRIGHT,

1936

BY COLUMBIA U N I V U S I T Y

PRESS

PKINRTD IN T H S UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PREFACE THE literature concerning the Mormons is very abundant, but most of it deals with the political and religious maladjustment of the Mormons to their " gentile" neighbors. Much of it is charged with intense feeling and is written with the purpose of either praising or condemning Mormon principles and conduct. The economic development of the Mormons has received scant attention. Yet their fundamental doctrine commands the establishment of an economic order to effect a more equitable distribution of income, eliminate dire poverty, provide employment for all, and create a centrally controlled and planned economy. The present study deals with the attempts of the Mormons to obey this command. It is a pleasure to acknowledge here the generous assistance of several persons. I am deeply indebted to Dr. Nels Anderson for the incentive to undertake this study, for invaluable aid in obtaining information, and for the manuscript of his forthcoming work, Dixie, A Mormon Frontier, and to Professor Angus Woodbury of the University of Utah for his kind permission to quote from his short but valuable manuscript on the United Order. I am especially grateful to Professor Carter Goodrich and Dr. Joseph Dorfman for numerous helpful criticisms and suggestions, and to Mr. Harley L. Sensemann and Miss Ida Pilling for editing the manuscript. I also desire to thank Professor Harold Hotelling and Professor Thomas P. Peardon for their help. I appreciate the many kindnesses of Mrs. Gertrude D. Stewart. I am indebted to Mr. Joseph Manno and Mr. Irwin Taylor 5

6

PREFACE

for assistance in collecting materials, to Harold F. Allen for typing the manuscript and to Fanny S. Allen for inspiration and help in preparing the work and seeing it through the press. EDWARD J. A L L E N .

CONTENTS rAGU

CHAPTER

I

INTRODUCTION

The First United Order

9 CHAPTER

II

T H E ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND OP THE SECOND UNITED

ORDER

Economic Development and the Breakdown of Isolation —Cooperatives as Stepping Stones to the United Order

20

CHAPTER III T H E SECOND U N I T E D

ORDER

Organization—The Opposition—Further Organization—Disintegration CHAPTER

49

IV

CONCLUSIONS APPENDIX

129

INDEX

147

7

CHAPTER

I

INTRODUCTION

FOR many centuries imaginative minds have created Utopias. Most of these have envisioned self-sufficient agrarian communities. Even in our highly industrialized society we have advocates of subsistence homesteads and cooperative arrangements among agriculturalists as means of solving some of our pressing problems. One hundred years ago agrarian communism of one type or another was advocated by numerous people and practised in several communities. Joseph Smith, the prophet-founder of the Mormon Church, was familiar with the Rappites community in Harmony, Pennsylvania, the experiment of Robert Owen at New Harmony, Indiana, and other contemporary communistic schemes. He was a man of great ingenuity and imaginativeness. He told his followers that he was guided by revelations which he received from God. 1 The Church was developed in accordance with these divine communications. In several of the revelations the Mormon people were commanded to establish a new economic order which was to be known as the United Order, or the Order of Enoch. The plan of this Order was similar to the contemporary communistic practises in that it provided for a more equitable distribution of income and a method of caring for the poor. It differed from other schemes in that all property was consecrated to the Church and each man was provided with property which he employed for his maintenance, as long as he was in good standing in the Church. 1

The revelations are published under the title of the Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City, 1886). 9

io

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

The United Order was introduced in Kirkland, Ohio, and Independence, Missouri, in 1831. T h e Order developed with the Church, but the gentile settlers in Missouri disliked the Mormons and finally drove them from the state. This action brought the affairs of the Order in Missouri to a close, but in Kirkland, Ohio, the Order continued to function until the panic of 1837. Shortly after the dissolution of the Order the law of tithing was introduced to provide for the poor and the leaders of the Church. It is said that Brigham Y o u n g worked out the plan of tithing and preferred it to the consecrations employed in the first United Order. 2 The leaders of the Mormons did not attempt to establish the United Order in Nauvoo, Illinois, or in Utah until the year 1874, but the " revealed plan " remained a part of the Doctrine and Covenants and was the subject of many earnest sermons during this period. The second attempt to establish an Order of Enoch took place in 1874 and continued until 1885. W e shall see that the Order adopted by Brigham Y o u n g differed materially from the plan presented in the Doctrine and Covenants. The Church was more powerful in 1874, the population was much greater than in 1831, and the facilities for recording the events of the day were well developed. Y e t the records of the second United Order are very meager, while those of the first United Order are more extensive. The study of these two attempts to establish a new economic order raises several questions: W h y did the first Order fail? I f it failed because of external forces why was the Order not reintroduced until 1874? W h y did the second Order deviate from the revealed plan? W h y was it more successful in the agrarian communities than in the northern cities? Why did it fail? JM.

R. Werner, Brigham Young (New York, 1925), p. 76.

INTRODUCTION

11

It is the purpose of this work to review the first United Order, and the activities of the Mormons after they left Missouri and to study the organization, operation and disintegration of the Second United Order. T H E FIRST U N I T E D ORDER '

T h e principles of the first United Order as set forth in various parts of the Doctrine and Covenants may be outlined as follows: ( i ) the earth is the Lord's; ( 2 ) the people are stewards only over their possessions which are to be known as stewardships or inheritances, but each steward is to have a deed to his stewardship; ( 3 ) those who have surplus property, i. e., more than is required to provide a frugal living for the family, are to consecrate it by deed to the Church, for the benefit of the poor. Surplus production beyond family needs from each stewardship is to be turned over to the Bishop's Storehouse; ( 4 ) the Bishop is to apportion the inheritances among the people on the following bases: a ) equal according to their families, b) equal according to their circumstances, c ) equal according to their wants and needs; ( 5 ) those who are either excommunicated from the Church or leave it voluntarily are to keep the inheritance deeded to them but are not to receive back the surplus that has been deeded to the poor; ( 6 ) in other respects, business relations are to be carried on in the usual manner under the competitive, capitalistic system. Simplicity, frugality, cleanliness, industry, and honesty are enjoined.* T h e Mormon people who participated in the first United Order consecrated or gave their worldly possessions to a Bishop of the Church. They received in return a steward* T h e discussion of the first United Order is based primarily upon The United Order Among the Mormons ( N e w Y o r k , 1922), by Joseph A . Geddes, Professor of Social Science and History in Brigham Y o u n g University, Logan, Utah. •Joseph A . Geddes, op. cit., pp. 31-32, 13S-

12

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

ship which consisted of land or an enterprise and the usual equipment to operate a farm or the given enterprise together with their household effects. The device of stewardship placed the essential private interests of the individual in his own hands.' However, any surplus obtained beyond actual need was to be given to the Bishop of the Church, so that it could be used as new capital to strengthen and enlarge the stewardships. People who had little or nothing to consecrate but were permitted to enter the order were provided with stewardships from the surplus. The usual functions of government were maintained by taxing the individual stewards, and the religious activities were provided by voluntary donations. 6 The control of the United Order was vested largely in the priesthood. In April, 1832, the Central Board of the United Order was established.' Five church leaders including Joseph Smith were placed on this Board. Later, however, provision was made that the surplus was to be controlled by common consent rather than by the Bishop. 8 A t all times the officers of the Order were selected by the priesthood but these officers were passed upon by the stewards. A majority of the stewards could say " no " to the appointment of an officer.® The deep religious fervor of the people and their belief in Joseph Smith as one who walked and talked with God made them exceedingly obedient to the priesthood. For all practical purposes, therefore, the control of the Order rested with the leaders of the Church. Under the United Order the rich as well as the poor were to consecrate all they possessed. The more able stewards s

J. A. Geddes, op. cit., p. 44-

«Ibid., p. 44. * Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 8a: li-ia.

«Ibid., Sec. 104:68. • J. A. Geddes, op. cit., pp. 153-155-

INTRODUCTION

13

would create a larger surplus than the less gifted. T h e more capable would also need more capital. T h e r e was no direct compulsion to force a steward to turn over his surplus, while on the other hand the Doctrine and Covenants required the treasurer to provide capital to those w h o needed it. Ordinarily money in the treasury was to be used " only by the voice and common consent of the O r d e r . " 10 O n e exception was m a d e : " A n d this shall be the voice and common consent of the O r d e r ; that any man among you, say unto the treasurer, I have need of this to help me in my stewardship; if it be five talents, or if it be ten talents, or twenty, or fifty, or an hundred, the treasurer shall g i v e unto him the sum which he requires, to help him in his stewardship, until he be found a transgressor, and it is manifested before the council of the Order, plainly, that he is unfaithful, and an unwise steward; but so long as he is in full fellowship and is faithful, and wise in his stewardship, this shall be his token unto the treasurer that the treasurer shall not withhold. B u t in case of transgression, the treasurer shall be subject unto the council and voice of the O r d e r . " 1 1 T h i s provision would seem to give great latitude to the steward's use of his surplus and the funds of the treasury. T h e Mormon leaders, however, were kept informed constantly of the financial affairs of every family. Each ward was divided into districts which contained from six to ten families. " In each of these districts t w o teachers were called to labor." Every month they visited each family and ascertained their financial condition. Once a month all of the teachers of the ward met together with the Bishop and reported to him. T h u s through the efforts of these workers the exact condition of every family was known by the Bishop. T h e United Order attempted to prevent poverty by providing each household with 10

Ibid., p. 148 and the Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 104:71-75.

u

Ibid., p. 1S0. See also Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 104:68-77.

14

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

a stewardship which enabled the family to make a living. Whatever charity was needed was forthcoming through a central controlling agency, the church hierarchy." In discussing the operation of the first United Order, it is important to note that both Kirkland, Ohio, and Independence, Missouri, were small agricultural communities in 1 8 3 1 . The economic functions performed by the people included farming, the maintenance and management of " mechanic " shops, the grist mill, the storehouse, the United Firm, the Printing Concern, and the Literary Firm. Of course most of the families who consecrated their possessions and in return received stewardships were farmers. No one was forced to go to Zion (Missouri). The wellto-do, however, were reluctant to leave their homes in the East and to consecrate their all in an uncertain adventure in Missouri. From the very outset the church leaders were concerned with the large number of very poor families who emigrated to Zion with high hopes of improving their lot by joining th« United Order. B y revelations, exhortation, persuasion, and promulgation of rules, the Church leaders attempted to encourage the immigration of the well-to-do and to discourage the immigration of the very poor. The influx of poor families continued throughout the short life of the Order and added a great burden to the leaders of the movement." At one time they had hoped that a substantial number of the better-to-do people would enter the Order. The large consecrations of these people, together with the consecrations of all other Saints, and the surplus produced over and above the needs of the more prosperous would create, it was thought, a very adequate storehouse. From these goods or funds in the storehouse, new stewardships could be provided and new capital added to old. « J. A. G«ddes, op. cit., p. 69.

™ Ibid., pp. 45,

INTRODUCTION

15

The storehouse came into being with the first settlement at Independence. It was hoped that the storehouse with its attendant consecrations of property and of surplus would greatly reduce the need of capital for the mercantile house. However, the rapid influx of poor Mormon settlers reduced the surplus and created an urgent need for a properly financed store. In response to this need the United Firm was organized to manage the stores at Kirkland, Ohio, and Independence, Missouri. The printing concern was organized in the fall of 1 8 3 1 for the purpose of publishing newspapers and religious books, but after a fourteen months existence the plant was destroyed by the old gentile settlers. The Literary Firm was brought into being by the Revelation of November, 1 8 3 1 . " S i x men, including Joseph Smith, were organized into a joint stewardship, with the understanding that the income from " sacred w r i t i n g s " should go to them. If there should be available more than was needed for their support the surplus was to go into the storehouse. It was not intended, however, that the Literary Firm should have a monopoly on church writings. 1 5 The support of the leaders of the church, the elders engaged in the ministry who needed financial support, and the needy families of elders who were absent on missions, was a difficult problem for the organizers of the first United Order. The various functions of the Church were supposed to be supported by voluntary donations. The poverty of the people caused gifts to be uncertain and inadequate. Inheritances and stewardships were provided for the leaders of the Church and the needy elders and their families, by resolutions adopted in conference and by revelations. " It follows, therefore, that in addition to the caring for the numerous 11

J . A. Geddes, op. cit., p. 70; Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 70: 1 - 1 1 .

« J. A. G«ddes, op. cit., p. 80.

16

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

poor within her own borders, the new Zion was called upon to sustain that portion of the ministry which could not support itself." i a The " mechanic " shops and the grist mill are mentioned only in the Historical Record. The grist mill was also listed in the Jackson County losses.11 CENTRALIZED CONTROL

Although the Doctrine and Covenants made provision for democratic processes and also for the exercise of much freedom and initiative by the stewards, the actual control of the Order was exercised by the priesthood. The nomination of all officers was made by the priesthood and the " strongly entrenched belief that the officers of the priesthood, when faithful, are guided by inspiration " almost always resulted in the election of those who had been nominated.18 The Bishop had the power to receive consecrations and to apportion the inheritances among the stewards. It will also be recalled that the ward teachers made monthly reports to the Bishop upon the moral and financial welfare of each family. In addition the Bishop had great power over whatever surplus accumulated in the storehouse. These devices enabled the church leaders to organize and control the economic life of the new Zion. If too much of one article and not enough of another were being produced they could adjust the stewardships so that an equilibrium would be established. The first United Order was established by the Saints in Kirkland in the winter and spring of 1831. The site in Jackson, Missouri, was selected in July, 1831, and actual 14

Ibid., pp. 40-42.

Historical Record (Salt Lake City, 1886-1890), vol. v, no. I, p. 3No information is available as to the ownership or operation. 1T

18

Ibid., p. 154-

INTRODUCTION

17

settlement continued until the spring of 1834. During the spring and summer of 1834, the " old settlers " drove the Mormons from Jackson County. They destroyed or confiscated most of the fixed property of the Mormons." This action together with the financial difficulties of the Church in Kirkland, caused the council of the United Order to agree that the Order should be dissolved. 20 The Order did not last long enough to test its merits; nevertheless during its short existence certain weaknesses and elements of strength developed. Dr. Geddes makes the following statements concerning the leadership: " A s an important movement the Independence effort fell short in leadership; " . . . " From the standpoint of executive direction Zion did not produce a single real leader." Furthermore the leaders quarreled among themselves. 21 The laws and procedures of the Church were in the early stage of their development. The presidency of the Church did not carry the authority and dignity which it came to possess in later decades. Some of the leaders thought Joseph Smith was seeking too much power. They were also afraid that no one could be sure of even a stewardship if the consecration and surplus were to be disposed of by revelation through Joseph Smith. 22 Discontent grew among the leaders in Independence because the controlling group of the hierarchy lived away from Independence and were not available to help solve many pressing problems. If the Order had not been terminated by external forces, strong leadership might have developed, but these leaders would have been faced with most difficult problems. The Order offered greater inducements to the poor than to the more prosperous. The religious zeal of the more wealthy Ibid., pp. 103-126. 21

20

Ibid., p. 15.

Ibid., pp. 24 and 96.

22 The rule of disposing of the proceeds of the general treasury " by the voice and common consent of the Order" was introduced at a later time.

l8

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

was exploited to induce them to consecrate their all and receive in return an inheritance equal to others in accordance with the size of their families, their circumstances, and their wants and needs. This matter was of such importance that the revelations of August, 1 8 3 1 provided that the law of Consecration, i. e., the United Order, was to apply to all who received an inheritance in Zion, and that Martin Harris, a man of some wealth, was to set the example. 38 In 1874, Brigham Young speaking of this earlier movement said, " The Lord endeavored to establish the Order of Zion then, but while some considered it a privilege to consecrate their property to the Lord, others were covetous, and thought about looking after their own interests in preference to those of the work of God." 24 Many of the well-to-do stayed in the East rather than consecrate all of their property to the Church and in return obtain a stewardship in the hard pioneer life of early Missouri. The lack of a sufficient number of financially competent people together with the extreme difficulty of establishing a new community within a brief period, caused the priesthood to seek loans for many activities both in Independence and Kirkland. In spite of protests from Mr. Gilbert, the agent for the store in Independence, they insisted that he extend credit to the poor. The result of this action and borrowings for numerous enterprises was that the financial structure of the Church collapsed. The leaders had caught the widespread spirit of speculation of the eighteen-thirties and suffered the consequences after the panic of 1837. The factors which assisted the leaders of the first United Order were: the cooperative spirit of a pioneer agrarian community ; the intense religious zeal of the people; the compara23 24

Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 38.

Latter-day Saints' MMenial Star (Liverpool, 1840-), no. 22, vol. 36, I874, P- 337-

INTRODUCTION

19

tive equality in temporal goods; the incentive offered by the arrangement to each steward to increase his wealth and that of the community; and the centralized control and planning of economic life. The United Order experience in Missouri was not conclusive. The Mormons held that they were not ready to live in Zion as God intended, and that gentile opposition made it impossible for them to proceed with their plan.

CHAPTER

II

T H E ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND OF THE SECOND UNITED OHDER T H E persecution of the Mormons lasted f o r several decades and did much to unite the Saints and strengthen the temporal and spiritual power of their leaders.

It also forced

them to seek isolation f r o m their gentile oppressors. In the autumn of 1 8 3 3 the M o r m o n s were driven by violence f r o m Jackson County, Missouri.

T h e governor did

nothing to prevent the forceful expulsion of the brethren. 1 T h e M o r m o n s settled in C l a y County, Missouri, where they were kindly received, and also in the counties of L a f a y e t t e , V a n Buren, R a y , and Clinton.

T h o s e who settled in L a f a y -

ette and V a n Buren Counties were soon driven out, and in J u l y , 1 8 3 6 , the M o r m o n s were forced to leave C l a y County. 2 Then the M o r m o n s petitioned the legislature to assign them a place of residence, and the thinly populated region, a f t e r w a r d known as Caldwell County, w a s designated. 3

With

great energy and amid extreme hardship the M o r m o n s built several towns and developed the agricultural resources of the country.

Peace with those w h o worshipped in a differ-

ent manner w a s not of long duration.

Their old enemies

of Jackson County stimulated their new gentile neighbors 1

W . A. Linn, The Story of the Mormons (New York, 1902), pp. 169-179. See also, Hubert Howe Bancroft, History of Utah (San Francisco, 1889), pp. 97-108. 2 Parley P. Pratt, Late Persecution of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (New York, 1840), p. 57; and W. A. Linn, op. cit., p. 186. 3

Hubert H. Bancroft, op. cit., p. 117. 20

THE ECONOMIC

AND

SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

2

1

to war upon them, and physical violence ensued. The former enemy of the Mormons, L . W . Boggs, had become Governor of the State. He ordered the militia to the affected region, and later, issued an unguarded order to these troops which stated in part, " The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State." * On the 20th of April, 1839, the last of the society departed. " Thus had a whole people variously estimated at from ten to fifteen thousand souls, been driven from houses and lands and reduced to poverty, and had removed to another state during one short winter and part of a spring. The sacrifice of property was immense . . . " 5 The Mormons moved eastward and finally settled in eastern Iowa, and at Nauvoo, Illinois. They purchased the village of Nauvoo in 1839. At that time there were twenty houses in the village. A year later it had three thousand people.6 " During the winter of 1840 the Church leaders applied to the legislature of Illinois for several charters; one for the City of Nauvoo, one for agricultural and manufacturing purposes, one for a university, and one for a military body, called the Nauvoo Legion. The privileges asked were very extensive, but were readily granted; for the two great political parties were fairly equal in numbers in Illinois at this time, and the leaders of the party in office, perceiving what a political power these people * W. A. Linn, op. cit., p. 205; John Hyde, Mormonism (New York, !857), p. 204; William Earl La Rue, The Foundations of Mormonism (New York, 1919), p. 24. 5

Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography (Chicago, 1888), p. 245. E. E. Erickson says three causes were responsible for the persecution of the Mormons in Missouri: " ( 1 ) purely religious differences, (2) the claim which the Mormons made to the land for their Zion, and (3) their attitude toward the Negroes." The Psychological and Ethical Aspects of Mormon Group Life (Chicago, 1922), p. 19. «Times and Seasons, January I, 1841. op. cit., p. 227.

Quoted from W. A. Linn,

22

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

were, determined to secure them." T Thus began the recognition of the Mormons as a political power in Illinois which had much to do with finally driving them beyond the Rockies. 8 The control of the government of Nauvoo and Hancock County by the Mormons, the unwise use of Mormon votes in political campaigns, proselyting by the Mormons, the introduction of polygamy, dissension within the Church which resulted in public statements concerning Mormon practices, and political aspirations fanned the flames of neighboring gentile hatreds. By 1845, m ° b violence against the Mormons forced Governor Ford to send troops to Nauvoo. A mob, composed largely of the militia, entered the jail where Joseph and Hyrum Smith had been detained, and murdered them.9 Brigham Young was now recognized as the new leader of the Mormons and continued to be their leader in temporal and spiritual affairs until his death. 10 The change in leadership did not bring peace with the gentiles. The danger of large mobs attacking Nauvoo became imminent, and an aroused public opinion among the gentiles demanded that the Mormons leave the state. The Church leaders prepared to move their people to California, which was then a part of Mexico. 1 1 The exodus began in the Spring of 1846. Even after large numbers had left Nauvoo the mob became so impatient for the remainder to leave that open warfare broke out between the Mormons and gentiles. 12 The mobs forced the Mormons to leave quickly, regardless of the suffering which such a procedure necessarily entailed. Comment7

H. H. Bancroft, op. cit., p. 141.

8

W. A. Linn, op. cit., p. 221.

9

Ibid., p. 304. Latter-day Saints

See also, Lieut. J . W . Gunnison, The (Philadelphia, 1857), pp. 123-124.

10

W. A. Linn. op. cit., p. 315 et seq.

11

M. R . Werner, op. cit.. p. 204.

12

William A. Linn. op. cit., pp. 348-351. op. cit., pp. 228-231.

Mormons

or

See also, Hubert H. Bancroft,

THE ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

ing upon these events, the Millenial Star of December i , 1845 said, " T h i s government has given thirty thousand American citizens The Choice of Death or Banishment beyond the Rocky Mountains. O f these two evils they have chosen the least, What Boasted Liberty, What an honor to American character!" Mormon history from 1832 to 1846 is one of cruel persecution, repeated forced movings, rebuilding, and great losses in life and property. These experiences seemed to increase the faith of the great majority, and at the same time, make them more dependent upon the wisdom and ability of their leader, Brigham Y o u n g . T h e organization and administration of the exodus was the task of Brigham Y o u n g . H e ruled every action of his people, as the following quotation will suggest William Clayton had a music box and a set of china which he thought of selling to an Iowa family, but before doing so, he went to Brigham Young's wagon to ask permission. The President was busy, but Heber Kimball, his first counsellor, gave Clayton permission to sell his possessions. Frequently the band was requested to play by the people of the towns and villages near which the Mormons camped. The members of the band earned money and provisions in this way. Once they played for a pail of honey, and again for eight bushels of corn. At one town they earned $25 and their meals, but at another, owing to the opposition of priests, they earned only $7. Before the band played in any town, it was necessary for Clayton, who was its manager, to get the permission of Brigham Young. Winter quarters were established near what is now Council Bluffs, Iowa. Crops were planted, a mill to grind corn was built, log cabins and dugouts were constructed and the people were set to work building a council house, " for it was his object to keep them as busy as possible, in order to prevent dissension." Regular religious meetings were held, and

24

SECOND UNITED ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

dances and parties kept the people amused. Brigham Y o u n g was delighted with the sight of what he described in his journal as " the Silver Greys and spectacled dames, some nearly a hundred years old, dancing like ancient Israel." 1 3 T h e recreation of his people was not left to chance. " They say that Brigham Y o u n g never started a caravan forth to settle the desert that he did not send musicians along. A m o n g the first arrivals to Salt L a k e Valley were several musicians and poets. It is said that one company going to some settlement in the central part of Utah was delayed in starting several days waiting for a hand cart company to come in, hoping there might be a tenor among the new arrivals . . . Although he was himself anything but a merry-maker, Brigham always went to the dance and the theatre, always taking two or three wives along . . . H e considered the dance and the theatre as much a part of religious life as worship. F o r this reason the recreational functions in the Mormon community are always open and closed with prayer." 1 4 On April 6, 1847, Y o u n g , with an advance party of 1 4 8 of his people, left the Winter Quarters and started West. " A f t e r over three months' journeying, the pioneer band reached the valley of the Great Salt L a k e ; and at the first sight of it, Brigham Y o u n g declared it to be the halting place—the gathering centre of the Saints." 1 5 T h e main party arrived in the valley on J u l y 24, 1847. 1 8 T h e valley was " a barren arid plain, rimmed by mountains like a literal basin, still occupied in its lowest parts by the dregs of what had once filled it to the brim; no green meadows, not a tree 11 14

M. R. Werner, op. cit., pp. 210-212.

Nels Anderson, Dixie, A Mormon Frontier, unpublished manuscript. James E. Talmage, The Story of Mormonism (Salt Lake City, 1914), PP- 52-5314 J . W. Gunnison, op. cit., p. 133. 18

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

worthy the name, scarce a patch of green sward to entice the adventurous wanderers into the valley . . . a more forsaken spot they had not passed in all their wanderings." 1 7 The settlement of the Mormons in the desert gave them isolation and also a breathing spell from their sharp maladjustment with the gentile world. W e shall see that the breakdown of their isolation was instrumental in the establishment of the second United Order. The conquest of the desert was accomplished under a theocracy which held that " property and human effort have but one purpose, the establishment of Zion." 1 8 Cooperation was not only essential but natural for those who believed in the revelations of Joseph Smith. The growing of crops was an immediate necessity, but the ground was too hard f o r their plows. However, " within a few hours after the arrival of the vanguard . . . a dam was thrown across the stream and the softening liquid was spread upon the flat that had been chosen for the first fields." These pioneers were the first among Anglo-Saxon people to practice irrigation. 1 ' This method of obtaining moisture involved a tremendous outlay of energy and much engineering skill. The task of constructing many miles of canals, often through rock and porous soil, required the united efforts of the entire community. 20 Each man received water rights in proportion to the labor he contributed and the streams and canals were owned by the community. The maintenance of the canals was the duty of all the farmers. The water tax in Dixie, which was usually paid in labor, ranged, between 1862 and 1876, from $ 9 to 17

James E. Talmage, op. cit.

18

E. E. Erickson, op. cit., p. 5.

19

Charles Hillman Brough, Irrigation PP- 1-320 E. E. Erickson, op. cit., p. 41.

in Utah

(Baltimore, 1898),

26

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

$ 1 6 per acre. 21 Irrigation made it possible for the Mormon leaders to proceed with the building of Zion. This was accomplished by colonization, polygamy, and immigration. Instead of adding suburbs to Salt Lake City the Church leaders ordered parties of the brethren to new locations, many of which were in remote valleys. 22 " When, for instance, at the close of 1850 it had been resolved to form a settlement in the neighborhood of Little Salt Lake, a notice appeared in the Deseret News of November 16th, giving the names of those who had joined the party, and calling for a hundred additional volunteers. They must take with them 30,000 pounds of breadstuffs, 500 bushels of seed wheat, 34 plows, 50 horses, 50 beef cattle, 50 cows, 25 pairs of holster pistols; each man must be supplied with an axe, spade, shovel and hoe, a gun, and 200 rounds of ammunition. Among them there should be 5 carpenters and joiners, a millwright, a surveyor, and two blacksmiths, shoemakers, and masons. Thus equipped and selected, the settlers, with their marvelous energy and thrift made more progress and suffered less privation in reclaiming the waste lands of their wilderness than did the Spaniards in the garden spots of Mexico and Central America, or the English in the most favored regions near the Atlantic seaboard." 23 Colonization was too important and the need for diversity of crops too great to wait for volunteers. The authority of the priesthood was sufficient as the following quotation from a letter written by Heber C. Kimball will suggest: There has been court in session here for weeks and weeks and I suppose that one hundred and fifty or two hundred of the 21 Nels Anderson, op. cit. Labor on canals and ditches was credited to the account of each worker at a specified sum per day. 22

Hamilton Gardner, " Cooperation Among t!ve Mormons," Journal of Economics (May, 1 9 1 " ) , vol. 31, p. 464. 23

H. H. Bancroft, op. cit., pp. 319-320.

Quarterly

THE

ECONOMIC

AND

SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

brethren have been hanging around, with the council house filled to the brim. This scenery continuing for a long time, one day Brother Brigham sent Thomas Bullock to take their names, for the purpose of giving them missions, if they had not anything to do of any more importance. So Brother Brigham counselled me to make a selection—for Los Vegas, some thirty, who are ordered to sell their possessions and go with their families as soon as the weather will permit, for the purpose of going down on the Rio Virgin to raise cotton; another company of fortyeight to go to Green River to strengthen up that settlement, make farms, build mills, etc., and some thirty-five or forty to go North to Salmon River . . . some thirty to go to Carson Valley . . . some thirty to go into the lead business near the Los Vegas and eight to go to the East Indies. There are eighteen called to Europe, and seven to Australia." In commenting upon this phase of cooperative endeavor Dr. Nels Anderson says: Whatever Mormonism was in the East and Middlewest under the leadership of Joseph Smith, the prophet-founder, it was a planned and rigidly controlled enterprise in the West under Brigham Young. . . However inexperienced in the ways of pioneering, the converts generally went where they were sent. They did what they were told and praised God for the ' call'. There was no promiscuous wandering about except in defiance of church authority. . . Most saints were glad to go where called and to stay until released by the same authority of the priesthood.25 It was Young's policy to have his people settle at the earliest date all of the suitable land in the valleys. He sent missions to settle the many valleys in Utah and also dispatched pioneers to lands in Idaho, Arizona, Colorado, « Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball pp. 420-421. 25

Nels Anderson, op. cit.

(Salt Lake City, 1888),

28

SECOND UNITED ORDER AMONG THE MORMONS

Nevada and Wyoming. It was important that these lands should not fall into the hands of gentiles. 28 The Church leaders carefully supervised the various colonization projects and at all times insisted upon cooperative endeavor. " Individualism was out of the question, and in Mormonism we find precisely the cohesive strength of religion needed at that juncture to secure economic success." 2T A large population was needed to build the New Zion. The Biblical injunctions to go into all parts of the world and preach the gospel and to multiply and replenish the earth produced the necessary religious zeal for proselyting on the one hand and increasing the birth rate on the other. " The Perpetual Emigration Fund " was established in October, 1849 t o assist converts from all parts of the world to reach Utah. 28 The money was loaned and as it was refunded it was employed again and again. 29 E v e r y member of the Church was expected to make contributions to this fund. 3 0 Bancroft, the historian, writing in 1886, said " that in forty years some fifty thousand have been assisted in removing to Utah by this f u n d . " 3 1 Of even greater importance in building Zion was early marriage, the rearing of large families, and polygamy which was indulged in by a minority. The Mormons believed in the revelations of Joseph Smith concerning marriage. 3 2 Furthermore, the Old Testament appeared to place God's sanction upon plural marriage. The hope of Brigham 24

E. E. Erickson, op. cit., p. 42.

21

R. T. Ely, " Economic Aspects of Mormonism," Harper's Magazine, vol. cvi, April, 1903, p. 669. Hamilton Gardner, of. cit., p. 467. 28

W. A. Linn, op. cit., pp. 414-415.

29

E. W. Tullidge, History pp. 97-102.

of Salt Lake City (Salt Lake City, 1886),

so

E. E. Erickson, op. cit., pp. 43-45-

31

H. H. Bancroft, op. cit., p. 416.

32

Doctrine and Covenants,

Section 132.

THE

ECONOMIC

AND

SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

Y o u n g to obtain admission to the Union as a state rather than as a territory intensified his desire for a large population." E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T A N D T H E B R E A K D O W N OF ISOLATION

T h e Mormons had sought refuge and isolation by leaving the United States. 34 Nevertheless for pecuniary reasons as well as patriotic, they sent a battalion of men to fight Mexico. 3 5 They had resided in Utah less than one year when the United States by the proclamation of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, on July 4, 1848, made Utah a part of the Union and political isolation became impossible. In 1849 f ° u r Mormons who were working with Mr. T h o m a s Marshall, in digging Captain Sutter's millrace, surprised Mr. Marshall in the act of washing gold. M In the months and years which followed thousands of gold seekers passed through Utah. The Church leaders were quick to sense this danger and used all of their influence to prevent their men from participating in the gold rush. 37 A s early as March, 1852 the territorial legislature had memorialized Congress to provide for the construction of a M

W . A . Linn, op. cit., p. 428.

34

John Hyde, an apostate, describes the Endowment Oath and alleges in part, " W e were, therefore, s w o r n t o cherish constant enmity toward the United States government for not avenging the death of Smith, or righting the persecutions of the S a i n t s ; to do all that w e could toward destroying, tearing down, or overturning that g o v e r n m e n t ; to endeavor to baffle its designs and frustrate its intentions; t o renounce all allegiance and r e f u s e all submission." (Mormonism, N e w York, 1857, p. 97). See also W . A . Linn, op. cit., p. 355. Many Mormons have denied the existence of this oath. 85

H . H . Bancroft, op. cit., pp. 241-246.

38

E. W . Tullidge, op. cit., p. 61.

M B. H . Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church of Latterday Saints ( S a l t Lake City, 1930), vol. iii, pp. 345-346; H . H . Bancroft, op. cit., pp. 301-304; James E. Talmage, op. cit., p. 61.

3o

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

telegraph line from some point on the Mississippi river or the Missouri river to the Pacific Coast, via Salt Lake City. On October 18, 1 8 6 1 , the Overland Telegraph Line was completed to Salt Lake City. 3 * Brigham Young sent the first message which said in part, " Utah has not seceded, but is firm f o r the constitution and laws of our happy country, and is warmly interested in such useful enterprises as the one so f a r completed." M The exclusively Mormon territorial legislature of March 1852, petitioned Congress to provide for the construction of a national central railroad from the Mississippi River or the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast and pledged cooperation in the enterprise. Subsequent legislatures renewed this request.40 The Mormons realized that the railroad would enable converts to reach Utah more easily, and would reduce the cost of importing necessary raw materials, finished goods and machinery for local factories. Brigham Young was fully alive to the effect of the railroad on the isolation of the Latter-day Saints, but contended that the faith of his people was great enough to withstand any evil which might result from closer contact with the gentile world. The Union Pacific reached Ogden March 8, 1869 and the Eastern and Western divisions were joined May 10, 1 8 6 9 . " During this period of transition the Mormon leaders had been most active in both political and economic undertakings, but the elimination of isolation in their mountain valleys not only 88

B. H . Roberts, op. cit., vol. iv, p. 548.

39

Ibid.

See also, James E . Talmage, op. cit., p. 78.

40

B. H . Roberts, op. cit., vol. v, p. 245. See also H . H. Bancroft, op. cit., p. 463, and Susa Young Gates and Leah D. Widstoe, The Life of Brigham Young (New York, 1930), pp. 218-219. 41

Ibid., p. 241. Brigham Young and his associates obtained large contracts to build the railroad. It is alleged that he made $350,000 in this way. (Susa Young Gates and Leah D. Widstoe, op. cit., and Thomas B. H. Stenhouse, The Rocky Mountain Saints (London, 1874), p. 666.

THE ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

changed economic relationships but seriously affected their control over their people. From 1847 t o *&49 Utah was a theocratic state in form as well as in fact. 42 The Church leaders laid out the City of Salt Lake and selected the blocks of the city on which the companies under each should settle.4" They did not quarrel about the fertile eligible plats, but put a portion under cultivation jointly, and made a distribution of the proceeds of the crop, according to wants, labor, and seed bestowed.44 Agricultural products alone however were not sufficient to satisfy their needs. From the very first the priesthood preached the value of self-sufficiency. 45 Young saw the advantage of starting branches of manufacture. The prices of imported products were exceedingly high. Home industries would free them from the need of paying exorbitant prices and provide employment for the population. Orson Pratt, who was in England, was told to send on cotton operatives and " all the necessary fixtures and to seek diligently in every branch for wise, skillful, and ingenious mechanics, manufacturers, potters, etc." 4 4 The General Conference of October, 1849 ordered one man to build a glass factory. English capitalists contributed more than $ 1 0 0 , c o o for the construction of a sugar factory. " The General Epistle of April, 1852, announced two potteries in operation, a small woolen factory begun, a nail factory, wooden bowl factory, and many grist and saw mills. The General Epistle of October, 1855, enumerated as among the established indus41 L. H. Creer, " Mormonism," Encyclopaedia of the Social Sciences, vol. xi, p. 16. ** W. A. Linn, op. cit., pp. 396-398. See also E. W. Tullidge, op. cit., p. 48. ** J. W. Gunnison, op. cit., p. 145. 40 Journal of Discourses (Salt Lake City), vol. ii, p. 156; vol. vi, pp. I34-I3S. 192, 213. 248 and vol. vii, p. 272. 44 W. A. Linn, op. cit., p. 403.

32

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

tries, a foundry, a cutlery shop, and manufactories of locks, cloth, leather, hats, cordage, brushes, soap, paper, combs, and cutlery." 41 The Dixie mission w a s established with the purpose of raising cotton, sugar cane and grapes. The women of Dixie were also urged to cultivate mulberry trees and silk worms for the purpose of spinning and weaving their own silk.*4 These products were transported 300 miles and more over constructed roads to the various settlements. Wood had to be obtained from the canyons, many miles distant from most of the valleys. Road construction and control of timber rights were for a time acute problems. 48 In spite of all difficulties the population, and agricultural and industrial production increased rapidly. 10 Throughout this period a small group of church leaders planned, organized, and administered the economic, social, and political development of the Mormon empire. 51 « ibid. 48

Nels Anderson, op. cit.

*» Brig-ham Young in conference speaking on trouble between the brethren in getting wood in the " kanyons " said: " The motion is that we, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the capacity of a General Conference assembled, give it as our opinion, that the best method of disposing of the kanyons is to put them in the hands of individuals to make good roads in them, and obtain their pay by taking toll from those who use the roads, at a gate erected for that purpose at the mouth of each kanyon." Vote is unanimous. Then, " Let the judges in the county of Great Salt Lake take due notice and govern themselves accordingly. . . . Put these kanyons into the hands of individuals who will make good roads in them, and let them take toll from the inhabitants that go there for wood, timber and poles. Now this is my order for the judges to take notice o f ; it does not come from the Governor, but from the President of the Church; you will not see any proclamation in the paper to this effect, but it is a mere declaration of the President of the Conference." (See Journal of Discourses, vol. i, pp. 216-317.) 50 For statistics of roads, communication facilities, agriculture and industry in 1875 see Utah (Territory) Legislative Assembly Journals, 1876. 5 1 In speaking before his congregation on May 31, 1857, Brigham Young said, " If I should tell one of my wives to go to Box Elder and transact

THE

ECONOMIC

AND

SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

33

The people paid their tithes, made contributions for immigration and the poor and paid taxes, but their ownership of property was modified by the authority of the Church over their temporal affairs. Young informed his people that all they possessed belonged to God but he opposed an equal division of property by saying, " It was preached thirty years ago, that nothing belongs to us, and if I have a thousand dollars, to at once give it all to the poor, that is your enthusiasm and ignorance. Were you to make an equal distribution of property today, one year would not pass before there would be as great an inequality as now." S2 The course of events in the ensuing year was to cause Young to become the active advocate of the Christian communism of the second United Order. COOPERATIVES AS STEPPING STONES TO T H E UNITED ORDER

To understand the renewal of interest in cooperative activities, it is essential to appreciate the threats to temporal supremacy which were involved in the organization of the Territory, the completion of the railroad, and the development of trade with the gold-seekers, the Army and the States. The advent of the gold seekers was like manna from heaven to the Mormons. The gold seekers brought a great variety of goods from the East and were so anxious to travel fast that they sold their surplus for little and paid high prices for their purchases. 53 However, as stated above, the discovery of gold and the outcome of the Mexican War had business for me, she has more authority in that matter than any king upon his throne, or the President of the United States. Why? Because she goes in my authority. She says, ' I go in Brigham's authority, which is the authority of G o d ' . " Journal of Discourses, vol. iv, May 31, 1857. 52

Journal

of Discourses,

vol. iv, August 17, 1856.

" H. H . Bancroft, op. cit., p. 300.

34

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

forced the Mormons to become a part of the gentile world. They now preferred to enter the Union as a state and thought that the organization of a state government first might promote their cause. On March 4, 1849, a convention was called, which adopted a constitution for the State of Deseret and petitioned Congress to be admitted as a state.54 Congress however organized the area as the Territory of Utah and President Fillmore appointed Brigham Young as the first Territorial governor." A s far as the Mormons were concerned there was really no need of a civil government. Nor was a state government necessary. The laws which they obeyed were the laws of their church. Adjudication of personal or property conflicts was made before the Bishop's Court or the High Council. The Mormons were disciplined if they employed lawyers and resorted to the Territorial Courts. 58 The organization of a civil government might assist them to control the gentiles, but the appointment of gentile officials, many of whom were incompetent and antagonistic to the Mormon people and their works, inevitably gave rise to serious difficulties. 57 These culminated in the dispatch of a part of the United States Army to quell an alleged rebellion in Utah and did much to insure the domination of Brigham Young. 58 Continued friction between Mormon leaders and territorial appointees of the Federal government united the Mormons against the gentile opposition. Under the able leadership of Lorenzo Snow the inhabitants of Brigham City in 1864 began an extensive developM

H. H. Bancroft, op. cit., pp. 440-443; W. A. Linn, op. cit., pp. 429-430.

M

M. R. Werner, op. cit., p. 270.

Nels Anderson, op. cit. See also, D. D. Lum, Social Problems Today (New York, 1886), pp. 24-33.

of

" H. H. Bancroft, op. cit., p. 446. f8 E . W. Tullidge, op. cit., pp. 121-252. op. cit., vol. iii, p. 526 et seq.

See also, B. H. Roberts,

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

ment of cooperative endeavor. In a letter written d u r i n g October, 1 8 7 6 to Bishop L u n t , S n o w spoke of their activities as f o l l o w s : In accordance with your request, I send you the following brief account of the rise, progress, and present condition of " Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association " . W e commenced over twelve years ago by organizing a M e r cantile department, which consisted of four stockholders, myself included, with a capital of about three thousand dollars. T h e dividends were paid in store goods, amounting, usually, to about twenty-five per cent, per annum. A s the enterprise prospered we continued to receive capital stock, also adding new names to the list of stockholders, until we had a surplus of capital, or means, and succeeded in uniting the interest of the people and securing their patronage. W e resolved, then, to commence home industries and receive our dividends, if any, in the articles produced. Similar fears and notions were entertained by the stockholders when this was proposed, as you stated agitated the minds of your capitalists, v i z : a possible diminution of dividends. It required some effort on the part of our stockholders to reconcile their feelings with a knowledge of their duty and obligations as Elders of Israel and servants of God. A good spirit, however prevailed, and a desire to build up the Kingdom of God, and work f o r the interests of the people, outweighed all selfish considerations; hence, consent was granted by all the stockholders to establish home industries and draw dividends in the kinds produced. H e spoke of the erection of a tannery at a cost of $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 and a woolen factory at $ 3 5 , 0 0 0 and went on to say that, A sheep herd has increased from 1,500 head to 5,000 head— for a dependable supply of wool. . . Our dairy now is the finest, best, and most commodious of any dairy in this Territory. A horn stock herd supplies a meat market owned by the Association. W e also have a horticultural and agricultural depart-

36

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

ment, a hat factory, tinware, pottery, broom, brush, and molasses factory—etc., and a cotton farm of 120 acres. O u r association now comprises between thirty and forty industrial branches—a superintendent over each, who is responsible to the general superintendent for its proper and judicious management. T h e accounts of each department are kept separate and distinct—stock taken annually—separate statements and balance sheets made out and kept by the secretary of the association, so that the gain or loss of each may be ascertained and known at the end of the year, or oftener if required. A t the close of each year a balance sheet is made from the several statements, giving a perfect exhibit of the business. From this exhibit a dividend on the investments or capital stock is declared. The profit or loss of each department, of course, is shared equally by the stockholders. W e aim to furnish every person employment, wishing to w o r k ; and pay as high wages as possible—mostly in home products. The past two or three years we have paid our employees five-sixths in home products and one-sixth in imported merchandise, amounting in aggregate, at trade rates, to about $160,000 (one hundred and sixty thousand). In the year 1875 the value of products in trade rates, from all our industries, reached about $260,000 (two hundred and sixty t h o u s a n d ) . . . . T h e employees in the various departments are paid weekly, at the secretary's office, in t w o kinds of scrip; one of which is redeemed at our mercantile department, the other is good and redeemed at our various manufacturing departments. . . T h e plan of L o r e n z o S n o w w a s cooperative only in the sense that most of the people owned some of the stock in the corporate enterprise.

It did not

involve the

United

O r d e r principle of making consecrations of property. In commenting upon cooperation in B r i g h a m C i t y , B r i g ham Y o u n g once said, " President Brother S n o w has led 5 9 Eliza R. S. Smith, Biography and Family ( S a l t Lake City, 1884), pp. 291-296.

Record

of Lorenzo

SHOW

THE ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

37

the people along, and got them into the United Order without their knowing it Although Young was fully aware of the progress of Lorenzo Snow's experiment he did not recommend it to the rest of the Saints until events made action imperative. A new peril to the temporal supremacy of the church had developed gradually, and this danger was rooted in the fact that home manufactures could not satisfy all of the needs of Mormons and gentiles. A commercial class developed. Men of great business acumen established stores, prospered with the growth of the community, and held in their hands most of the money of the Territory.' 1 Young had opposed mercantile pursuits and had advocated self-sufficiency, but both Mormons and Gentiles had become merchants.82 The invasion of the United States army in 1858 had stimulated their trade. Indeed, Tullidge goes so f a r as to s a y , " It was at Camp Floyd, where the principal Utah merchants and business men of the second decade of our history may be said to have laid the foundation of their fortunes." 83 The ready cash of the immigrants also assisted the merchants to obtain funds with which they purchased their goods from the States. The growth of a powerful business group, the concentration of wealth in a few hands, the development of the Utah mines largely by gentile interests and the approach of the railroads Journal of Discourses, vol. xix, April 21, 1878. 81

E. W. Tullidge, op. cit., pp. 378-384-

43

" Early in our commercial history, there grew up a conflict between the merchants and the Church. To become a merchant was to antagonize the Church and her policies; so that it was almost illegitimate for Mormon men of enterprising character to enter into mercantile pursuits; and it was not until Jennings, Hooper and Eldredge redeemed Utah from this conflict by resigning to the Church their own business that Utah commerce developed into proper forms and became inspired with the true genius of mercantile enterprise." Ibid., p. 384. M

Ibid., pp. 247, 381.

38

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

" Coupled with the antagonistic movements inaugurated against the policies of President Young, rendered it necessary that he should fortify the position of the Mormon community by a commercial combination of the entire people." 84 " The Mormon Church was brought face to face with implacable necessities which seemed about to weaken her; and these necessities were of a commercial and financial character. She had to subdue or be subdued,—a point on which the dominant will of a man like Brigham Young could decide in a moment. The issue of those times was—should she hold her temporal power or loose it?—Should the vast money agencies which had so grown up among her own people, in the country which she had settled at length overwhelm her; or should she, by combinations of her own, place those agencies at her back and preserve her supreme potency? " 85 The Mormon author Tullidge said, " It was the moment of life or death to the temporal power of the church." 88 The corporate, cooperative experience of Brigham City was utilized at this time. The Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution was organized. It began business in March, 1869, and was incorporated December 1, 1870. 8 7 Prominent Mormon merchants entered the Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution and one of them, William Jennings, rented his store to the new enterprize. The goods possessed by other merchants was reduced by purchase or investment to shield them from financial embarrassment and to retain their good will.98 1,772 of the 1,900 shares of 64 E. H. Anderson, Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (Chicago), pp. 196-197; see also E. W. Tullidge, op. cit., p. 7 2 5 . 85 Ibid., p. 384. See also, James H. Snowden, Truth about Mortnonism (New York, 1926), p. 272 et seq.

" E. W. Tullidge, op. cit., p. 385. 97

Ibid., p. 725.

88

E. W. Tullidge, Life

444-446.

See also D. D. Lum, op. cit., pp. 10-23. of Brigham

Young (New York, 1876), pp.

THE ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

stock were held by four men and the control of the cooperative was vested in the hierarchy." All of the authority of the Church was placed behind the Z. C. M. I. It became dangerous for a Mormon to purchase goods from other concerns.70 " Local organizations were formed in all of the settlements of the Territory; each feeling itself in duty bound to sustain the one central depot and to make their purchases from it. The people, with great unanimity, became stockholders in their respective local cooperatives and also in the parent institution; so that they might enjoy the profits of their own investment and purchases." 7 1 Membership in the Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution was limited to Mormons by a provision which confined the membership to those who had paid their tithing. 72 Opposition to this mercantile endeavor developed rapidly from both gentile and Mormon merchants. A reform movement attacking the " one man rule " of the church assumed ominous proportions. 73 The Church's power was sufficient to stem the tide of opposition for a time. The sales of the chief gentile store, that of Walker Brothers, declined from $60,000 to $5,000 per month and other gentile firms were 89

Hamilton Gardner, op. cit., p. 487. Orson F . Whitney, a Mormon historian said, " It is true that a large proportion of the stock has been concentrated in a few hands and that the original idea of having all the people shareholders has in a certain sense been defeated." History of Utah, vol. ii, p. 194. See also Ruth K a u f m a n and Reginald Wright Kauffman, The Latter-day Saints (London, 1 9 1 2 ) , pp. 262-264, a n d Tullidge, op. cit., pp. 444-446. 70

W. A . Linn, op. cit., p. 558, James H . Snowden, op. cit., p. 272, and Thomas B . H. Stenhouse, op. cit., p. 623. 71 E. W . Tullidge, History of Salt Lake City, p. 391. Most of these local ventures failed, especially during the panic of 1873. See H . H . Bancroft, op. cit., p. 653.

™ E. W . Tullidge, op. cit., p. 727. 73

W. A . Linn, op. cit., pp. 441-447. See also, Andrew Jenson, Chronology (Salt Lake City, 1914), p. 82.

Church

4

o

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG

THE

MORMONS

affected in like manner. Several of these business men offered to sell their property to Z. C. M. I. for fifty cents on the dollar and leave the Territory, but their offer was refused. 7 * The Z. C. M. I. prospered but by 1870 many Mormons disregarded the warning of their leaders and traded freely with gentile stores." The supremacy of the Church in temporal matters had not been made secure by the Z. C. M. I. A n apostolic circular of July, 1875 defended the establishment of the Z. C. M. I. This document asserted that the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few threatened the liberties of the many and was contrary to the teachings of the Church. Lack of faith made it impossible to enter a more perfect order but the Z. C. M. I. had brought great material benefits to its stockholders, had benefited the community by keeping prices stable, had maintained its credit in the face of a most active opposition, and had proven that it was worthy of the most dutiful support of all Latter-day Saints. 76 However, one month after the Z. C. M. I. started, the leaders of the Church were discussing the reestablishment of the United Order. 77 Clearly, they were not sure of the success of the Z. C. M. I. In May, 1870, George A . Smith exhorted the people to " seek after the Lord with all your hearts. Cooperate in building factories, importing merchandise and machinery, taking care of your cattle, and in every kind of business; remember that, United we stand, divided we fall " . Young emphasized cooperation by saying, " This cooperative movement is only a stepping stone to what is called the Order of Enoch, but which in reality is the Order of Heaven. . . . If we would work together in our farming, in our mechanism, be obedient and work as a family for « H. H. Bancroft, op. cit., p. 654. ™Ibid. 7

• The Apostolic Circular is printed in full in Appendix A.

77

Journal

of Discourses,

vol. xiii, A p r i l 7, 1869.

THE ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

the good of all, it would be almost impossible for anyone to guess the success we would have. But we have got to do it in the Lord, always ready and willing that H e should have it all, to do with us as H e pleases. I have asked a favor of the Lord in this thing, and that is, not to place me in such circumstances that what he has given me shall g o in the hands of our enemies. But let it g o for the preaching of the Gospel, to sustain and gather the poor, to build factories, make farms, and set the poor to work, as I have hundreds and thousands that had not anything to do. I have fed and clothed them and taken care of them until they have become comparatively independent. I have made no man poor, but thousands and thousands rich, that is, the Lord has through me." 78 On April 7, 1873, Brigham Y o u n g said further, I will say first that the Lord Almighty has not the least objection in the world to our entering into the Order of Enoch. I will stand between the people and all harm in this. He has not the least objection to any man, every man, all mankind on the face of the earth turning from evil and loving and serving him with all their hearts. With regard to all those orders that the Lord has revealed, it depends upon the will and doings of the people, and we are all at liberty, from this conference to go and build up a settlement, or we can go to join ourselves together in this city, do it legally—according to the laws of the land—and enter into covenant with each other by a firm agreement that we will live as a family, that we will put our property into the hands of a committee of trustees, who shall dictate the affairs of this society. If any man can bring up anything to prove to the contrary I am willing to hear it. But no man can do it.79 Brigham Y o u n g and his fellow leaders were convinced that a more thorough combination of labor and capital was ™ Journal of Discourses, vol. xxii, Sept. 21, 1878. See also Gates and Widstoe, The Life Story of Brigham Young (New York, 1930), p. 204. ,B

Journal of Discourses, vol. xvi, April 7, 1873.

42

SECOND UNITED ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

necessary to preserve the temporal supremacy of the church. T h e Z. C . M . I. w a s substantially a combination of capital. In the general conference of October 1 8 7 2 , B r i g h a m Y o u n g discussed the United O r d e r in a detailed manner. H e urged his people to practice division of labor in order that they might become more productive and cautioned them against waste. H i s originality is displayed in the f o l l o w i n g digest of his r e m a r k s : Suppose we should examine a city in a stake of Zion, conducted after the order of Enoch . . . no person is fit to be a ruler until he can be ruled; no one is fit to be L o r d of all until he has submitted himself to be servant of all. . . Would we build our houses all alike no. 80 H o w should we live ? I will tell you how I would arrange f o r a little family, say, about a thousand persons. I would build houses expressly for their convenience in cooking, washing, and every department of their domestic arrangements. Instead of each woman getting up to cook breakfast for a few, she could go direct to her work. Have a hall large enough f o r 500 people to eat in and sufficient cooking apparatus in rooms attached to the hall; a person at the further end of the hall telegraphs that he wants a beeksteak, coffee, toast, etc.; it would be conveyed by a little railway under the table. When through, dishes would be placed on the railway and carried back to the kitchen. For washing use Chinamen if you prefer. Women could make clothing, hats, bonnets, etc. Adjoining the dining room would be the prayer room, large enough f o r 500 at a time f o r morning and evening prayers. Then to business, each one to his own job. Houses would be built in a variety of styles. There would be no loafing. Dairies in one place, pigs and horses in other places, all out of the city. City streets would be gravelled and paths paved. Sleeping rooms up high with plenty of air. In the evening, no theatres, 80

The stake is a geographic division of the Church. Each stake is divided into wards. The stake is administered by a President and his two counselors, while a bishop and his two counselors preside over the ward.

THE

ECONOMIC

AND

SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

shows or reading of novels—these falsehoods got up expressly to excite the minds of our youth—but go to evening school, both adults and young. Day schools for the youth to be taught by the best of teachers. N o work on Sundays, everyone would be required to go to church or Sunday School, and not out riding or hiking: to improve their minds by scriptural readings and prayers. T h e M o r m o n leader took advantage of this occasion to impress upon his people the importance of self-sufficiency by saying, The Latter-day Saints waste enough to make a poor people comfortable. Save rags for paper-making; organize each branch of industry so that it would be properly balanced. If we could see such a society organized as I have mentioned you would see none of this waste. Such a society would never have to buy anything; they would make and raise all they would eat, drink, and wear, and always have something to sell and bring money to help increase comfort and independence. No lawyers would be needed in this society and doctors only for the purpose of setting bones and amputating diseased and damaged members. Where are we going to find the greatest difficulty and obstruction with regard to this organization? In the purse of the rich ? No. Not by any means, I have got some brethren who are just as close, tight and penurious as I am myself, but I would rather take any money man in this community and undertake to manage him, than some men who are not worth a dollar in the world. Some of the latter are too independent. 81 T h e leaders of the C h u r c h became active in their advocacy o f a new order which w o u l d again place the temporal a f f a i r s of the M o r m o n empire in their hands and thus enable them to present a united front to gentiles and to the M o r m o n s w h o were becoming rich and p o w e r f u l .

Orson Pratt, in con-

Angus Woodbury, The United Order, p. 3. Unpublished manuscript. For the full address see the Journal of Discourses, vol. xv, Oct. 9, 1872. 81

44

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

ference, April 7, 1 8 7 3 , a f t e r first discussing a certain order existing among the Nephites of the Book of Mormon in which all things were held in common, thus eliminating inequality and poverty, then referred to the heavenly order set up in Missouri in 1 8 3 1 , and said, " that the people who entered had to consecrate themselves and their property to the Church, thus making them all equal and possessing everything in common." A f t e r being driven f r o m Missouri, the order was replaced by a partial consecration—one-tenth of one's income—the law of tithing. " H o w soon will we be ready to go back to the early law of full consecration? Perhaps we will have to start a new settlement to do so." " In the conference at L o g a n City of J u n e 29, 1 8 7 3 , George Q. Cannon advocated the establishment of the United Order. Individualism and its consequences were disturbing and contrary to God's plan. H e spoke as f o l l o w s : In the early days of this Church God revealed unto his people a system for them to live in accordance with. It is known by us as the Order of Enoch; and it seems to me, everyday, that events are so crowding upon us as to compel us to reflect upon and to prepare our hearts to enter upon the practice of this order; and that, unless we do enter upon it, sooner or later, as God shall direct through his servant, Brigham, we shall be subjected to all the disasters and evil consequences which have attended the present system of things, under which all men seem to live and labor for self only, and few, very few, think about the good of the whole. In the Book of Mormon we read that after Jesus came, the Nephites had all things in common, or, to use the language of the book, that " they had all things in common among them, therefore they were not rich and poor," regulated of course, by revelations he gave unto them. . . . I believe that the thousand years of millenial glory will be ushered in by the practice of this system by the Latter-day 82

Journal of Discourses, vol. xvi, Apri! 17, 1873.

THE ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

Saints. When that system is practiced the hearts of the children of men can be devoted to God to an extent that would be impossible under the present organization of affairs. Now we are tempted and tried and exposed to evils which we should know nothing about if we lived under the order I have referred to. I do not believe that, if we were to live as we now are for a thousand years, Satan could ever be bound in our midst so that he could not have power over our hearts. There must be a change in our temporal affairs, there must be a foundation laid which will knit us together and make us one. How is it with us now? If a man have a horse and he should want to sell it to his brother, he tries to get the most he possibly can for it. . . . There is a constant appeal to selfishness under the present system, there is a constant temptation for a man to do the best he can for himself at the expense of his fellowmen, and there is no remedying it to its full extent; in fact there is a constant struggle, as we are, at the present time to keep down within us the desire to profit at the expense of our fellow-men. There is something unnatural in this condition of affairs, something opposed to God. Why should we be subjected to these things, and have to struggle with them continually ? Many Latter-day Saints have refrained from taking hold of merchandising and other branches, because by so doing they should have exposed themselves to hazards that were very dangerous for them to encounter. There was the temptation to make immense profits out of the necessities of their brethren and sisters. Under the Order of Enoch men would not be thus tempted. Individual benefit would not then be the aim and object of men's lives and labors. God did not create us for the purpose of striving for self alone; and when we are rightly situated under a proper system, our desires will flow naturally along, and we will find room for the exercise of every faculty of mind and body without endangering the salvation of our souls. We can then trade and exchange, sell and buy, and enter upon business without being surrounded with these evils we now have to contend with.

46

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

God has revealed the plan, and it is a very simple one; but it will require faith on the part of the Saints to enter upon it. There are a great many evils which would be stricken out of existence were that system practiced. Why are men tempted to be thieves? Why do they steal—take property that does not belong to them? Would they do this if society was properly constituted? 83 At this same conference Brigham Y o u n g anticipated the question of why the Order had not been established before by saying: I say to the Latter-day Saints, that the only reason why we do not take up the subject and enter into the organization of Enoch, or a city of Enoch, is simply because we have not yet been able to find every item of law bearing upon this matter, so as to organize in a way that apostates cannot trouble us. This is the only reason. It is a matter that I am paying particular attention to, to see if we have skill enough to get up an organization and draw up papers to bind ourselves together under the laws of the United States, so that we can put our means and labor together and join as one family. As soon as we can accomplish this, and get an instrument that lawyers cannot pick to pieces and destroy, and apostates cannot afflict us, we expect to get up this institution, and enter most firmly into it. . . . If we were to pick and choose today, we should find a large majority of the people called Latter-day Saints, who are ready and willing, with open hands and pure hearts, to enter into the Order of Enoch and to live and die in this order. 84 W i l f o r d Woodruff in a sermon asserted, " W e must give our earnest support to co-operation (in building Temples), f o r it is a step in advance toward establishing the Order of Enoch and the building up of the Zion of God." 85 Lorenzo Snow of Brigham City informed the people that they must 83

Ibid., June 29. 1873.

«Ibid. «5 Ibid., October 8, 1873.

THE ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL

BACKGROUND

" submit themselves " t o the C h u r c h in their temporal a f f a i r s a n d predicted the establishment o f the U n i t e d O r d e r .

He

said: I wish this afternoon to confirm m y observations to the subject of our temporal interests and obligations. B e f o r e we are prepared to return to Jackson County, to build up the Center S t a k e of Zion, I believe that a system or order of things will be introduced for our practice, requiring more faith and devotions than, I fear, some of us possess at the present moment. T h i s will call forth a perfect submission in respect to our temporal affairs, equal to that in which w e now yield ourselves in spiritual matters . . . similar to that preached and practiced in the A p o s tolic dispensation; to that of the Nephites f o r 200 y e a r s ; and to that given to Joseph Smith more than forty years ago. T h e s e things are intimately connected with the principles of cooperation, which is now strongly recommended by our president. . . I view cooperation, when properly understood and practiced, as being a stepping stone to the O r d e r of Enoch. . . . I notice the great interest which is now being taken by the Saints in various settlements in establishing cooperative institutions. T h e people of Brigham C i t y have been operating a number of years upon these principles, and are beginning to derive t h e r e f r o m various financial advantages, as well as many spiritual blessings. Products may be obtained on dividends, labor, or by exchange of p r o d u c t s — a great blessing to the people especially at the present time of scarcity of money. 8 8 T h e panic o f 1 8 7 3 h a d m a d e itself felt in U t a h .

Prices

had been reduced, a n d g r a d u a l l y " as the p a r a l y z i n g e f f e c t s o f the panic surely w o r k e d their w a y s into the lives o f the people, t h e y w e r e r e a d y to listen t o s u g g e s t i o n s o f a w a y t o alleviate the economic d i s t r e s s . "

87

T h e leaders

promoted

the U n i t e d O r d e r a s a m e a n s o f i m p r o v i n g economic c o n d i 8a

Ibid., October 7, 1873.

James Bonwick, The Mormons and the Silver Mines (London, 1872), p. 169. 87

48

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

tions and also to reinvigorate a faltering f a i t h , since a new generation had arisen and many of these youths were influenced by gentile conduct and teaching. 8 8 T h e United O r d e r might stimulate them to become more amenable to the wishes of the church leaders. Furthermore, B r i g h a m Y o u n g w a s getting old and wished to leave his people more united in spiritual and temporal a f f a i r s . In explaining w h y the United Order had not been established sooner, Tullidge says, The reasons of this delay were—first, the extraordinary and unfavorable circumstances of the Mormon people during that period. There was the exodus from Nauvoo and then the peopling of these numerous valleys with the tens of thousands of destitute immigrants from Europe. They had also to convert the desert into a fruitful field. The law of their condition might have been well expressed in Lincoln's homely injunction — " Root hog or die " . This period was, therefore, not the one to establish the Order of Zion—for such the " Order of Enoch " is—nor to open effectively a probationary and preparatory period with some prudent cooperative plan upon which the monied men of the country as well as the people could unite.89 Hamilton Gardner, however, states that " N o t h i n g is m o r e remarkable than the fact that during this time the M o r m o n s f o u n d no time in their activities f o r the United O r d e r . "

90

F o r several years B r i g h a m Y o u n g had spent the winter in the mild climate of

St.

George

and

Dixie.

This

was

an isolated a g r a r i a n area little touched by Gentile influences. H e now left Salt L a k e City on N o v e m b e r 28, 1 8 7 3 , with the determination to start the United O r d e r in S t . George. 88

Ibid., p. 170.

«» E. W. Tullidge, op. cit., p. 386. 94

Hamilton Gardner, " Communism Among the Mormons," op. cit., P. 137.

CHAPTER

III

T H E SECOND U N I T E D ORDER ORGANIZATION

IN a sermon delivered in St. George on January I I , 1874, Brigham Young announced that he wanted the people to enter the Order of Enoch. Robert Gardner prepared a small list of men who would be willing to work together in a united order and on January 26, 1874, this group met with Young at the home of the president of the Stake, Erastus Snow. Young spoke freely of the advantages of organizing the people into the United Order, and plans were made to establish it.1 A special meeting was called for February 9th at which Young addressed those present on the principles and organization of the Order, and officers were elected.2 A t this time Brigham Young referred to the desire of the people to return to Jackson County, Missouri, by saying, " None would go to build up the central stake of Zion at that place unless they belonged to a United Order in temporal things according to the Gospel plan ". 3 He concluded by referring to the great benefits, socially, morally, and educationally, resulting from building together in a United Order. 4 1

James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 307. The material from Bleak's books was obtained from the temple records at St. George by Dr. Nels Anderson. 2

Ibid., p. 310.

8

Geographically the church is divided into stakes and each stake is divided into wards. A president presides over the stake and a Bishop administers the ward. * James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 315. 49

5

o

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

On February 14th and 15th a large meeting of the people of Dixie was held in the tabernacle where the plan was announced to them. A t this gathering Young, in one of the great moments of his life said, " Go to, and combine yourselves into a Holy Order to unite your labors and efforts." He went on to say that he was ready " when the Elders in this part of the land would unite in such an Order " to give the Order $40,000 which he had invested in the cotton factory at Washington, Utah. He tried the sense of the meeting by asking all who were ready to enter the United Order to raise their right hand. In response a very large majority raised their hands. He then invited those not ready to signify it in the same manner and not a hand was raised. He said: " L e t the brethren and sisters come and have their names entered, and they would be called together in their respective settlements." Urging the cause upon the people, Young continued, " We want to raise sugar cane sufficient to supply our southern consumption of molasses and some to export to the north, cotton and broom corn the same. Pitch pine should be obtained and the tar extracted therefrom for our use and for exportation to the north." It was considered desirable to organize the sisters and get them to make straw hats, and to have some of the children work in the cotton and woolen factory. " Combined labor and means will enable the members to send for tin and the fruit of this region can be canned. Wine can be made from our grapes and stored until it can be marketed." He stated that the Provo factory expected to make $100,000 worth of shawls during the coming season and that machinery would be imported soon to work up the fine merino wool. He pointed out that they could make their own indigo and madder and concluded by saying, " I f we are disposed to enter into the Order of Enoch, now is the accepted time and blessed are the Latter-day Saints. But if we are not dis-

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

51

posed to enter this order the curses of God will come upon this people, I cannot help it. I will not curse them. But the time has come for this work to be commenced." At the close of this meeting some 300 names were entered on the United Order roll." In speaking of this stirring meeting Orson W . Huntsman said, " This order of things caused much talk and excitement among the people, some meeting it with joy and some with sorrow, some approving it and some disapproving it." 6 The die was cast and with his characteristic vigor Young proceeded to organize all of the surrounding towns. On February 17th the farmers on the Heberville Bottoms were organized and on the same day an order was formed in Washington. 7 Those who attended the Church's conferences returned with the United Order uppermost in their minds. Every one talked of it and awaited the arrival of the church leaders. " On March 2nd, Brigham Young and party including George A . Smith started on a tour of the settlements up the Virgin River holding meetings wherever they went. They organized Rockville and Virgin City on the fifth and Toquerville on the eighth. From Toquerville, John R. Young was dispatched into Kane County as an emissary of the United Order. He organized the Order in Kanab on the 12th, Johnson on the 13th, Paris on the 15th, Mt. Carmel on the 19th and Glendale on the 22nd. " In the meantime, Erastus Snow, and party including Mile Andrus and Angus M. Cannon, had started on an organizing tour to the North and West. They organized the United Order at Pine Valley on March 15th, Pinto on the 17th, Panaca, Nevada, on the 22nd, and Hebron, Utah, on the 24th. Brigham Young organized Morristown in the 6

Ibid., p. 317. ' Orson IV. Huntsman's Journal, Feb. 14, 1874 (unpublished diary). 7 James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 322.

S2

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

Washington fields on the 18th. O n March 19th, Leeds and Harrisburg were organized by Robert Gardner, Shunesburg on the 18th by the Rockville people."* T h e reaction of the people was most stimulating to their leaders. Brigham Y o u n g returned to St. George to definitely formulate the articles of the Order. O n March 26th he had an opportunity to address the Relief Society Sisters. In this discourse he explained the need for economy and retrenchment in order that the necessary capital for home industries might be created. He seems to have changed his mind in regard to the type of people he would like to have in the Order. O n this occasion he expressed a preference for poor men who were willing to obey commands. H e said in part: W e have begun in St. George and if the people are faithful the citizens of this city will have the honor of being the first to enter into the Holy Order of Enoch. W e want a fund . . . now we do not call upon any members of the community to give one dollar to this fund, but by the proper application of their time and by curtailing of needless expenses create this fund. T o create the fund I would rather take a number of men without a dollar, than to take men worth thousands, for in taking those who are willing to be dictated to in the application of their labor and talents, even though without a dollar to be put into the fund to begin with, they can say after the result of their combined labor is manifest. . . " This fund is created by the right application of our labor." Y o u may say, " What do you want of us? " I will tell you what is wanted. I want the sisters to take the lead in customs and fashions. W e want the hearty cooperation of the sisters. I want to see a fund in this community so that we may send for machinery and other appliances to save the labor of the sisters. I want to see the sisters practice prudent economy. 8 Angus Woodbury, The United Order, pp. 12-13. See also James G. Bleak, Book B, pp. 322, 329. And Huntsman's Journal, March 23, 1874.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

53

I will refer to the article of shoes. Y o u expend altogether too much on the importation of shoes. They are so light and flimsy that they soon wear out. I recommend the wearing of wooden-bottom shoes. They are better f o r damp weather and also f o r hot weather when the ground and sand become extremely heated. B y doing this you can save in St. George alone from $10,000 to $ 1 5 , 0 0 0 per annum. Now, I refer to hats. W h y not use our old pantaloons and make our caps out of them? Just as well wear them as the hats we import f o r the men and boys. B y making our hats and caps we may save from $5,000 to $8,000 per annum. Take care of your fruit. Can it up and send it off. This will help create the fund. Gather the grapes. Have a f e w general places in which to make wine; first by lightly pressing make white wine then give a heavier pressing and make colored wine. Then barrel up this wine, and if my counsel is taken, this wine will not be drunk here but will be exported and thus increase the fund. $20,000 may be saved right here in clothing and the same can be realized from our fruit and wine.® T o these f a i t h f u l followers the w o r d s of B r i g h a m Y o u n g were accepted as the voice of God. T h e plans f o r the Order had now been formulated and on M a r c h 29, 1 8 7 4 , the Preamble and Articles of A g r e e m e n t of the United O r d e r of the City of St. G e o r g e were announced. T h e preamble called attention to the struggle between labor and capital, moneyed monopolies, the faithlessness of men in politics and business, e x t r a v a g a n t speculation,

bankruptcy

and panics, economic insecurity, the imperative need f o r s e l f sufficiency, and the possibility of obtaining it by the combination of labor and capital.

It also stated that those w h o

signed the articles of agreement did so without mental reservation and without coercion. 1 0 8 10

James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 356.

The full text of the preamble and articles of agreement is in Appendix B.

54

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

The articles of agreement called the United Order a " co-partnership " and declared that the objects of the Order were " to carry on a general business of farming, manufacturing, merchandising, fruitgrowing, stock raising, dairying, and as many other pursuits " as would tend to develop the material prosperity of the Order. A board of management elected by two thirds of the entire membership, was to conduct the business of the Order. This board was to consist of the " President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, two Assistant Secretaries, one Treasurer and three directors." The property offered for investment in the Order was to be appraised by a committee and thereafter entered on the books as a credit of capital stock. T h e same committee was to determine the price of labor " and all individual services rendered." A foreman was to be placed in charge of each branch of the business. H e was to give credit for labor performed and to charge the members " with all they may draw." T h e board of management was to make a report at the annual meeting. A t this meeting, the board together with the by-laws which they had enacted, were to be presented for the approval or disapproval of the members. Article 12 stated that the members agreed to place in the Order all of their time, labor, energy, and ability; " and such property as we may feel disposed to transfer to the Order, to be controlled in the interest of the Order, as may be deemed best by the Board of Management." A t the end of every five years an inventory of property was to be taken and a dividend credited to each member in proportion to the capital invested. If a member wished to withdraw from the Order he was to receive one half of the capital stock credited to him and one half of the dividend to which he was entitled. The Order was not to assume any individual's debts unless he presented property with which the debts could be cancelled. The articles provided for the encourage-

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

55

ment of home manufacturing and self-sufficiency. In several articles the members were called upon to agree to be temperate, frugal, plain and neat in their dress, energetic, industrious, and " faithful in the management of all business entrusted to us; and to abstain from all selfish motive and actions," and finally they were to agree " not to patronize in our business relation those who are not members of the Order unless absolutely compelled by our necessities." Brigham Young and George A. Smith issued a circular letter at once to the United Order of St. George Stake. They emphasized the need of securing more complete unity in " earthly things " as well as in " heavenly things " so that their people might " be more completely one." They referred to the revelations by saying: More than 42 years ago, the Lord said to the Church through Joseph: Verily I say unto you the time has come and is now at hand; and behold and lo it must needs be that there be an organization of my people, in regulating and establishing the affairs of the storehouse for the poor of my people, both in this place and in the land of Zion, or in other words, the City of Enoch, for a permanent and everlasting establishment and order unto my Church, to advance the cause which ye have espoused to the salvation of man, and to the glory of your Father which is in Heaven, that you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly thing; yea. and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things; for if ye are not equal in earthly things, ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things; for if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you. They admitted that this " law and commandment," together with other revelations on the Order of Enoch had been before the Church for many years, " but now, after increased experience, and that we may prepare ourselves to

56

SECOND

UNITED ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

live more completely in accordance with the spirit of the gospel, we have commenced to give organizations of the United Order, or Order o f Enoch, to the settlements, and shall continue to do so until every settlement of the Saints shall share this privilege and blessing." T h e y proceeded to give the people detailed instructions concerning

their

economic

activities.

Fruit

was

to

be

canned, or dried and " put up in such a manner, that it will be fit f o r any market." places.

W i n e w a s to be made in just a few

It was to be properly graded and then stored in

oak barrels.

In this manner wine could be prepared

exportation, " rather than f o r home consumption." or lucern was to be protected by cheap moveable roofs.

for

Forage More

grain was to be planted so that the people of D i x i e would not have to import bread f r o m the " N o r t h . " were urged to raise more cotton.

T h e people

T h i s endeavor was of

particular importance if the M o r m o n s were to avoid importing textiles f r o m the States.

M o r e attention was to be given

to improving animal stock.

" S c r u b horses " were to be

killed and their hides tanned, their oil preserved and their bones used f o r buttons.

Small bushes of oak were to be

pounded up f o r tanning purposes, and a f t e r the bark had been stripped, the poles were to be " hauled a w a y for use and not left to waste."

T h e shortage of leather was so

acute that the people were urged " f o r health purposes, to say nothing of economy," to use wooden-bottomed shoes. Hats were to be made of "native material" as far as possible. F o r all trading with the " N o r t h " one " reliable agent " f o r the southern country was to be used and teams under the control of the Order were to be employed in " the freighting."

Members of the Order were not " to g o trading to

the N o r t h on their individual responsibility." Further elaboration of the organization was carried forward during the following week.

T h e stake coordinating

THE SECOND UNITED ORDER

57

board was increased to twenty members, and superintendents selected to manage the various activities of the Order. "The United Order was the chief topic of conversation and Sunday meetings were devoted mostly to variations of the theme: ' B e ye one in both temporal and spiritual a f f a i r s . ' " 1 1 But the preamble, the articles of agreement, and the circular letter said nothing of the consecration of property to the L o r d and the receipts of stewardships. Surely this is not the Order of Enoch that God revealed to Joseph Smith. To be sure by Articles 10, 1 1 , and 1 8 the people are placed under the Board of Management and their foreman or superintendent and are pledged to abstain f r o m selfish actions and to seek the welfare of all. But by Article 1 2 the members agreed to give only such property as they felt disposed to transfer to the order together with their time, labor, energy and ability. This is not the law of " full consecration." Furthermore, the plan of the founder prophet said nothing about a five-year settlement withdrawal from the Order with one-half of the original investment of property. Joseph Smith had called f o r full consecration f r o m all who would live in Zion and did not emphasize home manufacturing and self-sufficiency. The careful wording of Article 1 2 left the door open f o r all, but it also made it easy f o r the rich to withhold their property even though they gave their labor. Erastus Snow occasionally spoke of consecrations and stewardships, and while helping to organize various settlements, frankly stated the need f o r a different order than prevailed in Jackson County. 1 2 11 14

Angus Woodbury, op. cit., pp. 14-15.

" I n q u i r e s one: What is it, what kind of an order is it? Tell us about it. I would tell you as much as I thought was wisdom if I understood it m y s e l f ; but I do not; I have had but very little information about it. Suffice to say that I know that the order of the things that could have been carried out successfully in Jackson Co. cannot be carried out here on the same principle without a little variation. It cannot be done—circumstances require different laws, different counsel,

58

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

The articles of agreement stimulated local endeavor but did not provide for central control. O n the other hand, they encouraged the development of numerous types of cooperative activities ranging from pure communism to the establishment of corporations to develop home manufactures. The panic as well as the desire for isolation stimulated the organization of the United Order. Prior to the panic of 1873 much capital had been brought into the territory by immigrants. Besides, capitalists, both in the East and Europe, had made investments in the manufacturing enterprises and mines of Utah. The panic and ensuing depression reduced the capital available from all sources. Apostle George Q. Cannon recognized this difficulty when he explained the need for home manufacturing, praised the divers abilities of the people of Utah, and went on to say: " But we have not capital; yet by combining our means we can obtain all the capital that is necessary; and then, if there can be a public sentiment developed here which will induce the people to sustain these manufactures, the whole question is solved, and we are placed on a pinnacle of greatness that we never can attain to unless we pursue this policy." 13 In the same discourse Mr. Cannon revealed the unemployment problem which faced the Church by saying, " W e ought not to have an idle man, woman, or child in these valleys. Says one, ' But we cannot afford to pay the prices that are asked for home manufactured goods.' Let me ask, can we afford to sit idle? Can we afford to do nothing, and to pay money too, and employ others? " 14 The United Order would combine capital, provide labor for the idle, build up home industries and enable the mass of the people to provide for the poor an order of things suited to the conditions of this desert county." of Discourses, vol. xvii, April 6, 1874. 13

Ibid., October 8, 1875.

"Ibid.

Journal

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

59

without overtaxing the resources of the Church. A s Erastus S n o w put it, " E a c h one f o r the whole and God f o r all." 1 5 B r i g h a m Y o u n g made it clear that communism was not the goal of the United Order by saying: I do not wish for one moment to recognize the idea that in order to establish the United Order our property has to be divided equally among the people, to let them do what they please with it. But the idea is to get the people into the same state of unity in all things temporal, that we find ourselves in with regard to things spiritual. Then let those who possess the ability and wisdom direct the labors of those not so endowed, until they too develop the talents within them and in time acquire the same degree of ability. 19 Although Brigham Y o u n g had stated repeatedly that the Order would have been established long ago, if the law had been such that apostates could not disturb them, nevertheless the organization of the settlements into the United Order proceeded rapidly without a change in the law and without legal incorporation. T o be sure corporations were formed, and credit f o r stock was obtained by the members either with cash, property or labor, but it was not until the following fall that steps were taken to incorporate under the laws of the Territory. Because temporal supremacy, and thus the fundamental foundation of Mormonism, was at stake, haste in the establishment of the Order of Enoch was considered imperative. The leaders were aware of the futility of attempting full consecration. They realized f r o m their experience in organizing the Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution that they could not coerce the wealthier Mormons to give all they possessed to the United Order. Perhaps they as wealthy 15 16

Millenial Star, vol. xxxvi, p. 337.

Journal of Discourses, vol. xviii, April 6, 1877. See also statement of Lorenzo Snow, Journal of Discourses, vol. xix, April 21, 1878.

6o

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG

THE

MORMONS

men were not sufficiently sure of the outcome to hazard their own fortunes and the wealth of the Church in this new venture. 17 In any event they felt sure that to the extent the Order succeeded the drain upon the Church funds to provide for the poor would be lessened. The occasion was propitious for a rapid campaign throughout the Mormon empire. Brigham Young and a large party, including such prominent church leaders as George A. Smith, Erastus Snow, Mile Andrus, and Angus M. Cannon left St. George early in April for the North. They held meetings in the communities along their route and organized the United Order at every opportunity. Central Stake Boards were established and the communities of the respective stakes were organized thereafter. In the smaller places one meeting was held, but in the larger settlements regular conferences were called to discuss and organize the Order. Within two weeks the Order had been established in Belleview, Toquerville, Kanarra, New Harmony, Cedar City, Parowan, Paragonah, Beaver, Kanosh, Fillmore, Holden, Scipio, Nephi and Payson. In the meetings along the way the leaders stressed the importance of the people " being one in both spiritual and temporal affairs." In the meeting at 17

On April 5, 1874, Brigham Young said " that those who did not join the order were not to be disfellowshipped or cut off, because it simply meant that they were too weak." James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 385. George Q. Cannon in one of his many exhortations on the United Order said in part, " A s k me if I am going into the Order with all that I have. Yes, as I told them in a meeting not long ago, I am going in with hat, coat, vest, pants, shirt, boots, and all I have, and if the question is asked, If your family do not go into the Order, what are you going to do with your property? I am going to seal it up to the Kingdom of God, for I do not mean that the enemies of the Kingdom shall have a penny if I can help it." Journal of Discourses, vol. xviii, October 8, 1875. This great leader had not become a member of the Order more than a year and one-half after its organization. His remarks indicate how the more prosperous leaders joined the Order, but left their property with members of their families who did not join.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

6l

Beaver, it was stated that the object of the United Order w a s " to be self-sustaining and not to import anything that could be produced in the mountains, and to classify labor, so that each man could fit into the scheme to best advantage." Brigham Y o u n g said that he would place all he possessed in the Order; that he wanted no poor people and that he would make them comfortable as well as the rich. A t Nephi he told his audience that he had started the Order in St. George because they were the only people whom he could get to organize and went on to say that St. George was one of the choicest places on earth. " I see more wealth in that small place than in any other location of its size in this territory or in these mountains; and I always have." 18 Branching from his favorite theme of unity in temporal as well as spiritual affairs he scolded the people for the poverty which existed among them. 19 H e asserted that if they lived in the United Order they could economize by living together and offer their children better opportunities for education. He said in part: Organize the brethren and sisters and let each and every one have their duties to perform. Where they are destitute of houses, and it is convenient, the most economic plan that can be adopted is to have houses erected large enough to accommodate a large number of families. For instance, we will say there are a hundred families in this place who have not houses fit to live in. We will erect a building large enough to accommodate them all comfortably with every convenience for cooking, washing, ironing, etc., and then instead of each one of a hundred women getting up in the morning to cook for father and the large boys, These were encouraging words to the people of St. George, for throughout its history the standard of living of its people had been low. The building of the Temple was in part a public works project to help the community. Nels Anderson, op. cit. 18

19

Angus Woodbury, op. cit., pp. 15-16.

62

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG

THE

MORMONS

that they may go to their labor, while the little children are crying and needing attention, breakfast for the whole can be prepared by five or ten women with a man or two to help. Some may say " this would be confusion." Not at all, it would do away with it. Another one says, " It will be a great trial to my feelings if I am obliged to go to breakfast with all these men and women. I am faint and sick and do not eat much and I want my breakfast prepared in peace." Then build side rooms by the dozen and score, where you can eat by yourselves, and if you wish to invite three or four to eat with you, have your table and everything you call for is sent to you. " Well but I do not like this confusion of children." Let the children have their dining room to themselves and let a certain number of the sisters be appointed to take charge of the nursery and see that they have proper food in proper quantities and at proper times, so as to preserve system and good order as far as possible. . . Then let there be good teachers in the school room and have beautiful flower gardens and take the little folks out and show them the beautiful flowers and teach them in their childhood the names and properties of every flower and plant. When old enough, place within their reach the advantages and benefits of a scientific education. Let them study the formation of the earth, the organization of the human system and other sciences. Take for instance, the young ladies now before me as well as the young men, and form a class in geology, in chemistry or mineralogy; and do not confine their studies to theory only, but let them put in practice what they learn from books, by defining the nature of the soil, the composition or decomposition of a rock, how the earth was formed, its probable age, etc. All these are problems which science attempts to solve, although some of the views of our great scholars are undoubtedly very speculative. In the study of the sciences I have named, our young folks will learn how it is that, traveling in our mountains, we frequently see sea-shells, shells of the oyster, clam, etc. Ask our boys and girls to explain these things and they are not able to do so, but establish classes for the study of the sciences and

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

63

they will become acquainted with the various facts they furnish in regard to the condition of the earth.20 Young did not plead with his people or beg them to join the United Order. He thoroughly appreciated his power as their leader and realized that he must devote his energies to explaining the plan and to pointing out how it might improve their condition. Brigham Young's party had been enlarged by other leaders who joined them at Nephi. All were greatly encouraged by the reaction of the people. They decided to proceed to Salt Lake City and other large towns in the North. The next Sunday, April 26th, Erastus Snow and Wilford Woodruff went to Provo, where they held several meetings and organized both a Utah County Central Board of the United Order and a Provo branch. With the help of A. O. Smoot, President of the Utah County Order, the two apostles organized branches at Pleasant Grove and American Fork on the 27th and at Lehi on the 28th. The Utah County Central Board organized a branch at Spanish Fork on May 2nd. On the succeeding Sunday, May 3rd, the Mormon church authorities George A. Smith, D. H. Wells, Joseph Young, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor and Lorenzo Snow converged on Ogden where they organized a central board of the United Order. The record shows that at least the following branches of this organization were formed: second Ogden district on May 17th, third district on May 18th, and Plain City on May 23rd. 2 1 The Forty-fourth Annual Conference of the Church was held on May 7th to 10th in the new Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. The United Order was the main topic before the con20

Journal of Discourses, vol. xvii, April 17, 1874.

21

Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 17.

64

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

ference. President Y o u n g opened the conference by requesting " that the brethren who would speak during conference, should express their views regarding the system of cooperation called the United Order." " H e called upon any man, merchant or business man to show how the Order might militate against the interests of the community. 23 George A . Smith spoke o f the earlier effort to establish the Order and traced the building of Utah by cooperative endeavor. He emphasized that in earlier times they were more self-sufficient and " not subject to the inconveniences produced by the financial panics and trade fluctuations continually occurring in the world." 24 He concluded " that God had spoken from the Heavens which would show them that the present movement was but another progressive step of the grand work that the Lord proposed to accomplish." 25 Elder John Taylor recognized the protest against the Order by saying that those who objected were opposed to the work of God, but that the Latter-day Saints could not conform to such ideas and give up their religion. 28 He also mentioned a large number of industries that might be in operation and insisted that the time had come for the people to make their own goods, so that they could stop purchasing them from the gentiles. By this time it would seem that Erastus Snow of St. George had been won over to the United Order, but he still emphasized the values to be obtained from the Order of Enoch as revealed by God to Joseph Smith. Nevertheless he asserted during the second day of the conference that the Order was a " grand, comprehensive, cooperative system, 23

Millenial Star, no. 22, vol. x x x v i , 1874, p. 337.

23

Journal of Discourses, vol. xvii, May 7, 1874.

« Millenial Star, op. cit. 25

ibid.

26

Ibid.

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

65

designed to improve those who went into it, morally, socially, politically, domestically and in every w a y , " and went on to point out that the Order would remove the conflict between capital and labor, develop home industries, enable the strong to sustain the weak, and make the people " discreet in manners, dress and deportment." 21 Elder David McKenzie read the preamble and articles of agreement adopted in St. George. Brigham Y o u n g extolled the Order and went on to say: W e shall not ask the people, at present, how they like the rules and regulations that have just been read, but before we get through with the Conference we expect to organize the centre stake of Zion in these mountains. Then we shall ask you how you like these rules, and shall perhaps have them read to you again.28 The following day Y o u n g called for a vote and the conference established the center stake of the Order and unanimously elected the following officers. President of the United Order in all the world wherever established First vice-president Second vice-president Assistant vice-presidents—a list of names then constituting the twelve apostles of the Mormon church Secretary Five assistant secretaries Treasurer One assistant treasurer and nine memibers of a board of directors."

Brigham Young George A . Smith Daniel H. Wells

David McKenzie George A . Smith

" Ibid. 28

Ibid. See also Matthias F. Cowley, Wilford City, 1909), p. 41+ 29

M Menial Star,

48S-487.

op. cit.

Woodruff

(Salt Lake

See also B. H. Roberts, op. cit., vol. v, pp.

66

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

Wilford Woodruff, who was one of the twelve apostles, recorded in his Journal that on May 10, 1874, Brigham Young called a council meeting to discuss the United Order. It was decided that " the twelve " should go throughout the territory and " organize the United Order of Zion." Wilford Woodruff immediately departed for the settlements to the Northeast of Salt Lake City. Within three weeks he had organized more than a dozen towns in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho. 30 Orson Pratt and John Taylor started south for Sanpete and Sevier counties, visiting and preaching the principles of the United Order in the settlements from Nephi southward. Meetings were held at Nephi, Fountain Green, Moroni, Mount Pleasant, Spring City, Ephraim and Manti. Conferences were held at Richfield at which a new stake was organized on May 22nd-24th, including an organization of the United Order. On their return the United Order was organized at Manti, Ephraim, Spring City, Mount Pleasant, Fairview, Moroni and Fountain Green. 31 Brigham Young, Jr., was active in Cache County. Erastus Snow and Lorenzo Snow started north through B o x Elder and Cache Counties into southern Idaho, but their records are incomplete. The records do indicate that they organized Malad, Idaho, Clarkston and Mantua, Utah. 3 2 In Salt Lake City and environs, the twentieth ward had been organized as an Order on April 29th under the personal 30

He made the following entries in his Journal, "United Order organized: May 13—Randolph, Bear Lake Co., Utah; 17—Paris, Idaho (Here he also organized Bear Lake Stake) ; 18—Montpelier, Idaho; 19—Bennington; 22—Liberty and Ovid; 23—Bloomington; 24—St. Charles, Idaho (Meeting only organized labor) ; 26—Fish Haven, Idaho; 27—Laketown, Utah; 28—Woodruff and Randolf, Utah: June 7—Almy, Wyoming." 31

Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 18. 1874. 3J Angus Woodbury, op. cit.

See also Deseret News, July 22,

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

67

direction of Brigham Young, who was assisted by George A . Smith, Erastus Snow and Brigham Young, J r . While many of the apostles were out in various directions, the work at home was pushed with vigor by those available. Many of the wards of the stake were organized." The first intensive organization drive seems to have come to a climax at the stake conference at Brigham City on June 28th. Brigham Young, George A . Smith, Daniel H. Wells, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor and Erastus Snow were all there. Brigham City, which had been operating successfully several departments of a cooperative capitalistic enterprise, was to reorganize under the United Order. The change was easily made and the economic life of the city continued much as before. The general United Order of Zion had stake branches in nearly all the stake headquarters. Each stake had many branches in the various wards or settlements; some stakes reported that every ward had a United Order branch. " The personnel of the United Order was in the majority of cases identical with the church officials. The president of the church was president of the United Order of Zion, the presidents of stakes were in most cases heads of the stake branches of the order, and the bishops of the wards were usually selected to head the ward branches of the order. This produced two mammoth organizations that were prac33

The progress of the work is indicated by the following records of organization: May 13th, 14th ward; 15th, 7th ward; 19th, 8th ward; 20th, 16th ward; 21st, n t h ward; 22nd, Sunday, 5th, 6th, 12th and 15th wards; 23rd, 1st ward; 24th, 19th ward (reorganized Sept. 9th) ; 26th, 3rd ward joined the 8th; 27th, Sunday, 9th, 13th and 17th wards; 28th, 2nd and 10th; June 1st, Mill Creek ward; June 4th, Bountiful; (G. A . Smith, Orson Pratt and John Taylor) ; 7th, South Cottonwood and Draper wards; 15th, Brighton, and June 24th, Centerville. Angus Woodbury, The United Order, op. cit.

68

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

tically identical in personnel. set up by the other." "

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

One was a mechanical robot

T H E OPPOSITION

The campaign to establish the Order met resistance from both within and without the fold. T h e gentile Salt Lake Daily Tribune started its vitriolic attack on March 7, 1874. The writer of the first article assumed that Brigham Y o u n g was attempting to establish an Order identical with the first United Order and proceeded to flay it accordingly. This system . . . will contain in itself the worst features of communism, aristocracy and priestcraft combined. . . . The Lord [i. e. Brigham] cannot enforce the simon pure article of Mormonism, including such favorite doctrines as polygamy ad libitum, Blood Atonement, Consecration, Order of Enoch, etc., where gentile influences prevail. Too strong are such influences in this " stake of Zion," hence the necessity of taking the initiatory step at St. George where the " d d gentiles " cannot interfere. 35 A non-Mormon correspondent of Beaver City asserted that some Mormons here say that he [Brigham Young] wishes to get hold of their property, then he will compel them to do anything he orders, or excommunicate them. A number of the faithful are distressed over this matter. They dislike to give up their fellowship in the church, and they dislike to give up their property.36 This correspondent also points out how the Order would reduce apostasy because of the fact that the Saint who apostatized would lose a part of his property. In an article ** Angus Woodbury, op. cit., pp. 18-19. 35

The Salt Lake Daily Tributw, March 7, 18-4.

3«

Ibid.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

on March 29th, entitled " N o Favoritism—Enforce Order on Rich and P o o r , " the Tribune said:

69 the

If the Profit don't make the rich men fork over as well as the poor, we shall think him an unjust, discriminating Profit, and shall tell the world that he is afraid of the strong rich men and is an oppressor of the weak and poor. Brother Brigham, sail in, and show a fair hand in this Euchre business! Don't slight Brothers Jennings, Hooper or any of the gilt-edged. One big pot, Brother Brigham, and no favoritism." Others accused the church leaders of attempting to establish a monopoly, of not putting their own property into the Order and of going forward with the organization of a settlement even though a very few voted f o r the Order. 38 These charges of the gentiles may have received careful attention by Y o u n g and his advisers because the articles of agreement either nullified them or made it comparatively easy for the priesthood to answer them. The hostility of the Gentile and apostate press did not diminish when they learned the details of the articles of Agreement which had been adopted in St. George. They delighted in showing weaknesses in structure or in the organization of the Order. On April 25, 1874, the Tribune reported that of seventyfive heads of families in Cedar City, forty had gone into the Order and thirty-five had stayed out. " The ' outsiders ' and the ' E n o c h e r s ' are beginning to scoff at each other." On April 30th the Tribune asserted that after Brigham Y o u n g had talked for a long time to the people in the twentieth ward of Salt Lake City only thirty of the six hundred present signified their willingness to join the Order. The Tribune of May 5th claimed that only three hundred out 3T

Ibid., March 29, 1874. >*lbid., March 15, 22, and 27.

7o

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

of seven or eight thousand who attended the meeting in the Tabernacle were willing to join the Order. They conceded however that " Either the novelty of the thing, or its quasiagrarian character suddenly introduced and seconded by the satellites of the Presidency met with much temporary approval in the villages and small towns." M But in Salt Lake City " Several of the Twelve and not a few of the Bishops and lesser lights have confessed " that their Order has received an " icy reception." 40 The opposition was particularly elated to report those of influence in the Church or in business who did not enter the Order or whose conduct or utterances reflected adversely upon it. The Bishop of Adamville, James Low, the Superintendent of the Beaver Cooperative, James Witaker, business manager of the same, John Hendock, a son of Bishop Hendock, a large stock-owner, the Bishop of the Third ward of Salt Lake City, and Captain W. H. Hooper, a wealthy and prominent Mormon, refused to join or encourage the Order. 41 " The wealthy Mormons say they will not go in . . . The middle-claS?"Mormons will follow the example of these prominent men, and if their obduracy should lead them to a break with the Church, they will all go out together. This will leave for Enochites the impecunious." 42 Mr. Watt, the church reporter and close associate of Brigham Young was alleged to have been cut off from the Church because he delivered an address against the Order. 41 Erastus Snow was reported to have inadvertently stated that " Zion's cooperative Mercantile Institution was busted. That it made 89

Ibid., May 5, 1874.

««Ibid., May 6, 1874. 41

Ibid., May 17, 27, and 28, 1874.

42

Ibid., April 30, 1874. See also, William H. Dixon, White Conquest (London, 1876), vol. i, p. 229. 43

Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 16, 1874.

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

71

the rich richer and the poor poorer, and their only relief was to get into the United Order of Enoch." 44 The opposition w a s made aware of Erastus Snow's doubts concerning the Order for they said, " This doubting apostle takes Enoch quite reluctantly. He had to be labored with long and assiduously in St. George before he would take hold worth a cent. He came to terms finally."45 The conduct of Brigham Y o u n g was treated in the following manner: Brother Brigham tells his followers that all he owns will be made over to the Order, and he is reputed to be worth millions; but it is mentioned among those best informed that for a year or two he has had an agent employed perfecting titles to his innumerable parcels of property; and as fast as the titles are secured he conveys them to chosen members of his multitudinous family. His contribution to the general fund is hence not likely to be very liberal.4* T h e gentile press also noted the fact that many Mormons were mortgaging their property. These people feared that they would be forced to give their property to the Order and were anxious to have hidden cash reserves, even though the Order would obtain mortgaged property. 47 Perhaps they too " were among the weak." T h e gentiles quickly perceived that one object of the Order was to make life more difficult for them.48 The emphasis upon self-sufficiency if applied would diminish their Mormon trade. They inveighed at once against this doctrine, and cited the lack of resources of Utah to emphasize their point. They employed the well 44

Ibid., April 30, 1874.

45

Ibid., May 9, 1874.

**Salt Lake Daily Tribune, April 30, 1872. The author was not able to find any record of Young placing his property in the Order. 47

Ibid., May 16, 1874.

48

Ibid., April 30, 1874.

72

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

known free-trade argument of trading according to the greatest relative advantage or least relative disadvantage." T h e Mormon leaders were thoroughly alive to the gentile opposition, but their chief concern at this time was in completing the organization of the Order and in helping solve the numerous questions which arose in connection with its operation. FURTHER ORGANIZATION

O n May i 6 , 1874, the leader of the mechanics of St. George met with the Board of the United Order and agreed that he and his group would join the Order. The owners of the Mt. Trumbull sawmill offered the use of the mill and all appurtenances thereto, to the Order of St. George Stake. W h e n they entered, their debts were subtracted from their capital stock. T h e St. George Gardener's Club Board of Directors tendered to the United Order their investment of about $2000 capital, which had been spent in the partial erection of a canning and wine house. The Order accepted the offer and adopted measures to complete the building. 60 A n interesting situation developed in Parowan. Only forty-five persons enrolled in the Order. Bishop D a w explained the meager showing by saying: " The others residing there feel pretty much that they belong to the gentiles because of the bondage of debt. Not a team is in the United Order. There are 6 steam saw-mills and 3 water power mills and 11 shingle mills in the canyons of Parowan ward and not one of them in the Order, but there is a prospect of one of the shingle mills being put." He stated further that the lumber trade with Pioche had been quite heavy and that the brethren while doing the hauling for this business had become indebted to the gentiles. 49

Ibid.

50

James G. Bleak, op. cit., p. 415.

See also, May 14, 1874.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

73

" Since the falling of the Pioche trade those debtors have been at the mercy of the gentiles."

81

This situation made it

difficult for the debtors to enter the United Order. The most enduring Order established was that of Orderville.

This community was settled by a group of people who

withdrew from Mt. Carmel during the fall of 1 8 7 4 .

Mt.

Carmel had been organized in March of that year, but trouble among the people had developed.

John R. Y o u n g said:

Bishop Bryant Jolley and his strong numerous family and relations formed a wall of opposition against cooperative labor that made life in the community unpleasant. T o avoid strife and contention, the members of the Order sold their homes and moved in a body on to a new unimproved piece of land two miles above Mt. Carmel. Here they commenced the town of Orderville, securing the title of the land to the Order. 52 From "Ibid. 52 A sample of the deed of gift used in entering the United Order: " Be it known by these presents, that I, Jesse W. Fox, of Great Salt Lake City, in the county of Great Salt Lake, and territory of Utah, for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred ($100) dollars and the good will which I have to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, give and convey unto Brigham Young, trustee-in-trust for the said Church, his successor in office and assigns, all my claims to and the ownership of the following-described property, to wit: One house and lot One city lot East half of Lot I, block 12 Lot I, block 14 Two cows, $50; two calves, $15 One mare, $100; one colt, $50 One watch, $20; one clock, $12 Clothing, $300; beds and bedding, $125 One stove, $20; household furniture, $210

$1,000 100 50 75 65 150 32 425 230

Total $2,127 together with all the rights, privileges, and appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining. I also covenant and agree that I am the lawful claimant and owner of said property, and will warrant and forever defend

74

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

that start onward, no man could say, " This is mine." All members were required to deed their property, both real and personal to the society; thus all wealth became common; there were no rich and no poor, for all were equal. The first building erected was a dining hall where all who were in health could eat at one table. Wm. M. Black was placed in charge of this dining hall, with seven sisters as a working force. When the order was in the zenith of its prosperity, those eight persons placed the food upon the two tables for eighty families. The meals were served at 7, 12, and 6 o'clock, and were as regular as a clockwork.53 Each person who applied for admission to the United Order of Orderville was examined carefully. He was asked to state his object in joining the Order, and whether or not he believed the Lord required him to take such action. If the applicant had a family he was asked, " Do you train your family in the fear of the Lord? Do they seem to practice your teaching and walk according to your example? " The amount of food and clothing possessed by an applicant were considered and inquiries were made concerning any indebtedness or claim against him. If he possessed property he was asked to give information concerning any incumbrance on the property. His attitudes toward his fellows and the Order were given careful attention. He was asked: Do you think that you could come and make your permanent home with this company of people and if necessary put up with all the inconveniences that older members had and have without the same unto the said trustee-in-trust, his successor in office and assigns, against the claims of my heirs, assigns, or any person whomsoever." B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. v, p. 419. 53 Angus Woodbury, op. cit. See also, Hamilton Gardner, Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. xxxvii, pp. 165-168, and Deseret News, July

IS, 1875.

THE SECOND UNITED

ORDER

75

murmuring or fault finding or becoming dissatisfied and wishing to withdraw from the company and thereby putting the company to unnecessary trouble and inconvenience ? A r e you willing to practice economy in all its points and bearings and try to content yourself although you may think your trials are hard at times ? Will you take a course, when you find a brother or sister out of temper, to maintain peace, by saying nothing to aggravate and silently walk away if he or she will not cease? A r e you willing to be subject to those who are placed over you and do as you are told cheerfully and not sullenly? A r e you willing to work the same as the rest of the company accordinging to your strength and ability and for the same recompense as your peers? A r e you willing to conform to the general rule of eating your food in company with the rest of your brethren and sisters ? Will you be diligent in trying to conform to the rules of good order in all things and not to appropriate to your own use or the use of the company any tool or implement of husbandry or any kind of produce without first obtaining permission to do so from the persons having charge of such tools, implements, produce or other property? Will you try to the best of your ability to maintain the peace and prosperity of this Order and as much as lies in your power deal honestly, impartially, and justly in all transactions you may be called upon to perform from time to time? 54 T h e r e w a s no hesitancy in asking very personal questions, each applicant w a s asked numerous questions concerning his habits.

Did he steal the property of others, use tobacco,

tea, coffee or indulge in drinking intoxicating liquor, or did he lie, backbite, slander, swear, quarrel, abuse dumb animals, give w a y to bad temper, employ vulgar and obscene language and indulge in obscene jests or conduct? T h e articles of incorporation were similar to those of St. G e o r g e except that Article 1 2 provided that a member could w i t h d r a w whatever property he had given to the company M

Hamilton Gardner, of. cit., p. 167.

76

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

after he had settled all indebtedness and paid a tithing of ten per cent of his annual labor to the corporation, and Article 1 3 stipulated that new members could be added by a two-thirds vote of the existing membership.58 Some localities organized themselves into a United Order after the Order had ceased to function in many other places. Springdale, Kingston, Monroe, Bountiful, Kaysville, and Wellsville had their experience with the United Order, and several communities in Arizona such as Allen's Camp, Haydens Ferry, Brigham City, Sunset Crossing, Obed and Mesa were organized. Mesa did not enter until 1880. 64 Signals of distress from St. George focused attention upon practical, every-day problems. On August 1 , 1874, Robert Gardner, James Nixon and D. D. McArthur addressed a letter to Brigham Young in which they reported upon the affairs of their stake and asked advice. They informed their leader that all of the settlements were in the Order and operating with varying degrees of success. The following is a digest of their letter: " Many members are in the order with their time and all their substance, fully controlled. Others are partly in and partly out, both in time and property. The first class move along with little trouble, the latter class are mostly of the fault finding and hard to please kind. Those who have interests separate from the order often have to use part of their time to see to those interests." The mechanics had their wages fixed by the Board at about their old rates and usually drew to the full amount of their credit. Being aware of this arrangement, the team85 66

Hamilton Gardner, op. cit.

Deseret News, October 24, 1874, April 17, June 12, and December 23. 1875, February 2, and March 5, 1876 ; May 10, 1877. Also see, Phil Robinson, Sinners and Saints (Boston, 1883), pp. 208-215 and James H. McClintock, Mormon Settlement in Arizona (Arizona, 1921), pp. 133 and 144-146.

THE SECOND UNITED

ORDER

77

sters also wanted to know the " rate and kind " o f their wages.

O n the other hand, the farmers had no rate assigned

to them and they felt they should supply their own needs first and then if there was a surplus it could be put into the treasury.

M a n y rumors had come from S a l t Lake to the

effect that the United Order was to be incorporated under the Territorial Incorporation Act, thus re-establishing the old cooperative system in which the dividend would maintain individual interest.

T h o s e who had put all o f their sub-

stance and time into the Order would have nothing to do with such an arrangement.

T h e y felt that it would be con-

trary to the spirit o f the Order.

" T h e principle of charging

a member f o r what is drawn for the support o f himself and his family, has given rise to some dissatisfaction."

A man

who had turned over all o f his property and yet had a large family might overdraw his credit.

Should this be charged

against his capital investment, ultimately consuming it, or " can the United Order be conducted on the system o f a wellregulated family, where each member of the family according to his ability, works to accumulate means for the family; doing so without a so-much-per-day or per-month, for such accumulation, and letting each eat and wear what is needful, consistent with the circumstances o f the family,

without

charging in dollars and cents for what is eaten and worn? " Farming, mechanical, manufacturing and stock raising departments had been organized.

" Shall they be authorized to

do, each, their own business, set their own prices, make trades and exchanges to suit themselves, and receive the full benefit o f their own labors; or shall the proceeds of the labors o f these respective organizations be controlled and disbursed through one treasurer under the Board of M a n agement, said Board regulating the prices of labor and produce? "

T h e y reported that they did not have a quorum at

their monthly B o a r d meetings because members from the

78

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

settlements outside St. G e o r g e were absent.

MORMONS

N o t because o f

carelessness toward the O r d e r but because they have " the feeling that each settlement

organization

considers

itself

empowered to do its business to suit its o w n convenience." " B r i g h a m Y o u n g , George A . S m i t h and Daniel H .

Wells

answered these very pertinent questions on A u g u s t 20th and their letter reached St. G e o r g e September 6th. T h e y understood the difficulties and answered each question.

T h e members of the B o a r d were to attend board

meetings " f o r the whole is w o r k i n g as a unity, though some do seem to be doing separate tasks."

T h e y were o r g a n i z i n g

the O r d e r under the Statutes of the T e r r i t o r y not f o r the purpose of " perpetuating individual interest, but to protect ourselves by law and that it m a y be a shield to us."

They

felt that the labels " stock " and " dividend " had created the w r o n g impression.

R e g a r d i n g the overconsumption of some

members and the lessening o f capital they said: " I f a man's substance is active he will d r a w a dividend upon it in addition to his labor; if the O r d e r , however, cannot make it produce as he can, let him retain it as a stewardship under the direction of the Board.

I f a man can support himself b e f o r e

entering the O r d e r , he can certainly sustain himself a f t e r entering i t ; f o r one grand feature of the O r d e r is retrenchment.

A m a n w h o cannot sustain himself before or a f t e r

entering the Order, will live as the rest of us, and probably his account will be more than his wages, still it is not a debt against h i m . " In regard to the members o f the O r d e r living as a well regulated family, they felt that such a manner of

living

would be reached eventually, but that in the meantime great care w a s to be exercised in keeping accurate records of all transactions because, " jealousies are apt to arise and people 57

James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 496 et seq.

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

79

may think they have not drawn as much as they have; by keeping books this will explain all, so that everyone should be perfectly satisfied." One treasury under the board of management was to control the proceeds of the labor of the farming, mechanical, manufacturing and stock-raising departments. The Board and the delegates from other organizations were to regulate prices. The authors of the letter refused to say anything on the subject of wages. " Each stake where there is an organization must appraise its own produce and labor. Men can be selected as appraisers, in whom the people have confidence and whose decision they will abide, to place the value upon the labor of each class." N o question had been addressed to them concerning the payment of tithes but in their letter they say: " The order will pay its Tithing in bulk and perhaps do a great deal more than those who do not join the Order." M This method o f paying tithes helped assure the Church of a reliable income for its needs and for the care of the poor. More reports were presented and numerous questions asked in the meetings of September 12th and 13th and the conference of the Board of Management of September 14th. 59 Some wards reported increased crops and others reported waning interest and carelessness in the handling of tools. One report stated that those who did not have an office were not so interested in labor. Some said, " W h y were we not incorporated under the law last spring, and if not then, why are we called upon now to do so? " President Erastus Snow answered by saying, " It has been better for the people to try the experiment of combination where they have been under the influence of moral suasion alone; than 68

Ibid., p. 451 et seq.

w

Ibid., p. 460.

8o

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

to have the strict letter of the law to govern them . . . while the people would maintain the spirit of union, this (a copartnership) would answer." He also explained that the law had been changed in the meantime so that it was broad enough not to limit the scope of the Order, and that under the incorporation the Order could sue and be sued. Apostle George Q. Cannon assisted President Snow in this difficulty by asserting that " The organization under the law will more completely develop the fact that the Order and not individuals, own the property, such as tools, harness, teams, etc. Thus the officers of the Order will find less obstruction to the carrying out of their labors." One representative informed the conference that after the Articles of Incorporation were received property ceased to come into the Order. Adolphys Whitehead stated that the United Order shoe shop was a success. Seven hundred pairs of clog bottoms were under way and forty pairs were ready for uppers. Important questions were asked by the members of the conference and answered by Apostle George Q. Cannon. " Can a person whose family resides in more than one branch put all of his property in the branch he p r e f e r s ? " Answer: " The property had better be placed in the branch where it is located." " Should mortgaged property be accepted by the Order? " Answer: " The Board of Directors is to exercise its discretion about accepting mortgaged property." " Shall there be a board of directors for each branch of business within an association, or shall one board direct all the branches? " Answer: "Let there be a superintendent for each branch of business in each association who will be under the direction of the Board of Directors." " Will voting be done by shares or will each member be entitled to one vote? " Answer: " The legal way of voting is by shares."

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

8l

" Shall houses and city lots be given to the Order ? " A n s w e r : " Houses and city lots can be deeded to the Order on appraisal and subject to its disposal, or in trust and remain in possession and control of the owners." There was a great demand from several individuals to have individual stewardships such as existed during the first United Order, but Apostle Cannon answered them by saying that " wherever a man is appointed to labor, there is his stewardship." Complaints were made regarding the wages of mechanics, and Erastus Snow replied by saying that " the rates of mechanics' wages should be toned down so that there may be more equality among the classes of the community—increasing fellowship." 81 These problems were met in part by the incorporation of the United Order of St. George Stake on October i , 1874, and by establishing a general price schedule. The articles incorporated the Order for twenty-five years with capital stock of $32,000 divided into 1600 shares of $ 2 0 each.62 Article 3 states: " T h e objects of this corporation are for mining, manufacturing, commercial and other industrial pursuits and the construction and operation of wagon roads, irrigation ditches, and the colonization and improvement of lands, and for establishing and maintaining colleges, seminaries, churches, libraries and any benevolent, charitable or scientific association." Article 1 5 stated that, " The directors shall have the right and power to declare dividends on said stock whenever in their judgment there are funds for that purpose due and payable. But when so declared the same may be paid to the stock holders in proportion as they may °° Ibid., p. 458. 81 aa

James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 468. Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 21.

82

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

be entitled, or credited to them on the books of the company. At this same time an attempt was made to centralize the sales of all stake units by having them handled by the selling agent at Salt Lake City, while within each stake all selling was to be conducted through a single agent and the money deposited with the treasurer. In the general stake conference of the United Order of St. George held in the early fall the question of wage rates and prices were discussed thoroughly. The report, drafted November 9, 1874, declared that wages for common labor should range from 50c to $ 4 per day and that ten hours should constitute a full day. Blacksmiths, shoemakers, carpenters, and masons were scheduled on a piece-rate basis. The pay of cotton factory workers varied from 50c to $2.50 per day. Prices were fixed on all products including building materials, farm products, livestock, and garden produce. B y this time, only six months after the beginning of the Order of Enoch, fundamental difficulties had developed. Those who were in the Order were to have as little to do as possible with those not in the Order. This stimulated many to join who were half-hearted concerning the new plan, and these people did not give their property. The time they spent on their own property was a constant irritant to those who had placed their all in the Order. The controversy over wages and the control of manufacturing left open wounds. The incorporation of the Order was repugnant to the most faithful because they had been taught from infancy to despise gentile law and to settle all difficulties within the Church. Furthermore, they thought that in effect incorporation meant the organization of another cooperative which would in time place control. in the hands of the wealthiest and gradually make the rich richer and the poor poorer. Much dissension M

¡bid., p. 472.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

83

arose because many were careless of the property which was owned by the Order, and others who were lazy were paid the same as the industrious. Many communities were having similar experiences, but others were making substantial progress. In some places, outstanding leadership, religious zeal, or favorable natural resources contributed to the success of their United Orders. T H E OPERATION OF VARIOUS T Y P E S OF ORDERS

The powerful leader Lorenzo Snow had started home manufacturing in Brigham City as early as 1864. The local people subscribed to the capital stock of their numerous enterprises, either by their labor or money, and the employees were also encouraged to buy stock. Dividends ranged from 9 to 15 per cent and were paid proportionately to the number of shares owned. This enterprise was hailed as a great cooperative. When the United Order movement began in 1874, Brigham City was organized. The incorporation of the Order continued the arrangements which had existed prior to 1874. Workers received credit for their labor against which they could draw. If they developed a surplus they could buy additional stock in the Order and thus be entitled to receive more dividends. A n eye witness of the Brigham City Order explained and defended it in an article which appeared in the Deseret News. The unemployment problem of other settlements seemed to have been solved in this city. The hypothetical " Brother S . " of his article may have been Lorenzo Snow. This author illustrates how the Order protected its members against loss by fire or by the death of the bread winner. He said: . . . I have just returned from an eight days' sojourn in Brigham City . . . I did not see a loafer, or an idle man, boy, woman, or girl during my visit; industry, prosperity and contentment seemed

84

SECOND UNITED ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

to characterize the entire community. The woollen factory, tannery, boot and shoe shop, mercantile institution, lumber yard, cabinet shop, farms, dairy, and a score of other departments of the U . O., in active operation, furnish employment to 250 persons, and the products of their labor will, it is estimated, amount to nearly a quarter of a million dollars for this year. The United Order, that is regarded by many people as a great " bug-a-boo," a sort of mysterious and voracious animal that will, when developed, gobble up the persons and property of all who come within its reach, has been accepted by the majority of the people in Brigham City, and the practical carrying out of the principles of the Order shows how ridiculous are the ideas of some people concerning it. I will briefly endeavor to state a little of what I observed and learned in regard to the U . O. during my visit. T o make the subject clear, I will mention, f o r example, Brother S., who is a member of the order. H e has endeavored to live his religion faithfully, and the Lord has blessed him with many comforts of l i f e ; he owns a farm, horses and cattle, comfortable houses and orchards, shares in the institution, factory &c., and in joining the U . O. the directors made him, as they do all others, steward over all his possessions. He, from the products of his farm, dividends from the mercantile institution, and other sources, reserves sufficient to supply the reasonable and present necessities of his family, the balance of surplus, of products, dividend, etc., he places in charge of the directors, who give him credit for the same on their books. Having the general welfare at heart, he decides to have the most, or all, of his surplus placed in the U . O. fund, and thereby becomes entitled to receive further dividends from the profits realized by the successful conducting of the various departments. It is sometimes necessary for him to make additions or improvements on his home or farm, and, being a faithful steward, he receives the requisite means to do so from the surplus that he has had placed to his credit. In addition to the example of Brother S., I would refer to Brother B., who owns no property whatever, but is simply a laborer in the adobie yard, a man of good in-

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

85

tentions, but not as much ability as Brother S. For his work he receives credit for about three dollars a day, but he can maintain his family in reasonable comfort for less than that amount, and he draws from the treasurer only sufficient for present needs, the balance stands to his credit. H e will soon have sufficient saved to purchase a building spot and commence to put up a house for himself, and, being a faithful servant, he will be assisted by the U . O. to finish his house, and will continue to work and increase his credit until it and other properties are paid for, and they become his inheritance, over which he or his posterity have stewardship forever. If either of these brethren should be so unfortunate as to have any of their property destroyed by fire, or otherwise, the U . O. will rebuild or replace such property for them. When these brethren, or any other members of the U . O., die, the directors become the guardians of the family, caring for the interests and inheritances of the deceased for the benefit and maintenance of the wives and children, and, when the sons are married, giving them a house and stewardship as the father would have done for them. Like care will be taken of their interests if they are sent on missions, or are taken sick. Looking at these with many other examples of the operations of the United Order, I fail to see wherein lies that " fearful despotism," " bondage," " sacrifice of individual rights," &c., that are by many people believed to be its characteristics. T o me it seems a God-like system, calculated to annihilate selfishness, and benefit, temporally and spiritually, all who embrace it with a desire to do right in all things before God and their fellow mortals. 6 1 T h e B r i g h a m City Order succeeded for a time not because of the intrinsic merits of the plan but largely because of the leadership o f President L o r e n z o S n o w . M o s t o f the Orders had been patterned a f t e r B r i g h a m City and St. George, but in Allen's Camp, Bunkerville, K i n g s t o n , M

Deseret News, August 31, 1875.

86

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

Springdale, Sunset, and Orderville the people went into the Order determined to establish a Christian communism. All property, time, and talents were placed at the disposal of their respective orders, and with the exception of Allen's camp, they ate in a common dining hall. A brief description of Bunkerville, Kingston, and Orderville will illustrate this type of United Order. T h e articles of agreement of Bunkerville are typical of this group and are presented in full in Appendix C. T h e various economic activities of Bunkerville were performed by means of a division of labor. These tasks were rotated so that the work would not become too monotonous. B y fall of the first year this small group of people had erected buildings f o r living quarters, constructed a burr flour mill, a cotton gin, and a molasses mill all run by water power, dug an irrigation canal 2^/2 miles long, and cleared, planted, cultivated and harvested 75 acres of crops. Later when " the company increased to 44 members who were considerably more scattered it became impractical to live as one f a m i l y " and a method of stewardships was adopted. U n d e r this plan one man would be responsible f o r a certain portion of the work and would act as director of several others. F o r example, a Mr. Freeman was made a steward of the vegetable gardens. He raised all the vegetables needed by the entire community and gave them out as they were needed. Others had charge of a certain tract of land and the produce raised was put in a common storehouse. 65 T h i s arrangement finally led to the abandonment of the Order. Some stewards were more industrious and economical than others. These had a surplus while others ran behind. A t a general meeting it was decided that each stewardship could draw 8 0 % of the proceeds of their labor 65

Dcseret News, C, p. 296.

August 31, 1875.

See also, James G. Bleak, Book

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

87

and the remainder should be retained by the treasury. This arrangement was unacceptable to some who gave notice of withdrawal. Dissatisfaction increased, and it was decided to dissolve the United Order. A f t e r operating 2l/z years they paid all capital stock invested and 1 8 % interest on all labor performed from January, 1 8 7 7 to August 5, 1880. Kingston was settled by a deeply religious philanthropist. Thomas E . King was a prosperous business man of Fillmore. He believed in the United Order, and after it had failed in Fillmore he sold all of his possessions and emigrated to a most desolate part of Piute County. He and his family settled in a valley surrounded by mountains except for a deep canyon to the southeast. The wind coming through the canyon blew the sandy soil so badly that it was exceedingly difficult for them to raise crops or live comfortably. A t first all were invited to participate in an extremely communistic United Order, whether or not they possessed means. Many without means answered the invitation and some of the more able original settlers became discouraged and withdrew. The original articles of agreement consisted of a " jumble of articles and by-laws written on a few slips of ordinary paper, a miracle of unworldly simplicity and in very indifferent spelling." 66 These articles are similar to those of St. George except, first, they provide that the wages of the Board were to be the same as those paid to farm hands or other common labor; second, that all members were to bequeath, transfer or convey all real and personal property that they possessed or might thereafter acquire to the company; third, that any members could withdraw with the same value of goods with which he entered, but in no case would he receive real estate; and fourth, that all credits for labor in excess of debits for food and clothing shall become the property of the company. 89

Phil Robinson, op. cit., p. 209.

88

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

All worked under the direction of a Board which decided what they were to do, and the compensation they were to receive. Phil Robinson, who visited the community after the Order had been in operation for five years found, first, that only eighteen families, all of whom were Kings or relatives of the Kings, were living in the community. The father had died and the four sons had divided the patriarchial government between them. The " deadheads " and the more able outsiders who had originally entered the company had withdrawn. Second, the wealth of the community was much less than when the original settlement had been undertaken; third, the families no longer ate in the common dining room; fourth, that the people of nearby settlements often remarked that " the Kingston men are simply killing themselves with t o i l " and furthermore considered these people to be scrupulously neat in their dress, intensely interested in the education of their children, temperate, and without profanity in their speech; fifth, that their standard of living was the lowest of all the settlements, which he visited; and sixth, that their failure was due to the unwise philanthropy of their father and the unfortunate selection of that particular geographical area for their settlement.87 The suffering of these people seemed to intensify their piety and also their faith in the principles of the United Order. The most successful order of the communistic type was that of Orderville. The people selected the fertile lands of Long Valley, and organized a corporation with capital stock fixed at $100,000 in 10,000 shares of $ 1 0 each. All property of the members, even their clothing, was appraised, and stock issued for the same. F o r that time on personal ownership in property ceased.68 The people lived in buildings 87

Ibid., pp. 210-215; see also the Deseret News, June 22, 1878, September 16, 1879. ei Phil Robinson, op. cit., p. 227.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

89

which had been constructed within thirty square rods. The dining hall, a building 25 by 40 feet, was in the center of this area. Around the buildings stretched the common fields upon which they raised their crops. The colony began with twenty-five families under the very able leadership of Bishop Howard B. Spencer and a Board of Directors of nine men." By 1877 the town had grown to three hundred inhabitants, and increased to five hundred and sixty in 1878. 7 0 A s the community grew, farming land throughout the valley was acquired. The possession of springs enabled them to control an enormous area of public lands upon which ranged their herds and flocks of cattle and sheep. They labored diligently to become self-sustaining, and at the zenith of their development the following departments were in operation: Farming, garden, stock and dairy, sheep, cloth manufacturing, boarding house, commissary, grist mill, shoe shop, soap and brooms, tailoring, public works (home improvement), tinshop, freight, poultry, but called henrie (hennery), tannery, sawmill, stock feeding, millinery, midwifery, board of sisters (women's labor), telegraph and telephones, cabinet shop, wagon and blacksmiths, store, coopering, school teaching, and perhaps one on church work which had to do primarily with the auxiliary organizations. 71 The members received compensation in accordance with the rulings of the Board. Each drew on his labor credit as needs arose and at the end of the year both debits and credits were cancelled and if there was any surplus it became the property of the Order. This procedure caused Brigham Young some concern, for he wrote Bishop Spencer on January 18, 1877. A f t e r assuring the Bishop that " We are Hamilton Gardner, " Communism among the Mormons," op. p. 166. 70

Ibid.;

71

see also Dcseret News, January 13, 1877.

Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 27.

cit.,

90

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

pleased to learn that your people continue their union and felt themselves ready to obey righteous c o u n s e l " he urged him to protect the Order against the " possibility of some becoming dissaffected and o f their instituting law suits . . . f o r what they will call unpaid labor." H e advised Bishop Spencer to " have a rate of compensation f o r day or j o b work, and give to each one credit f o r what they d o . " He emphasized the importance of accurate bookkeeping by saying: Have strict accounts kept, crediting individuals for means put in at the time they joined you, and afterward, for what they d o ; and charging them for what they receive in board and other expenses. This method will work no hardship whatever to the true and faithful, but will aid as a check to those who may apostatize from your organization and who may desire to bring trouble upon you. . . A n apt little girl can take account of the time and enter each day's credit under the respective names of the workers. This record can be taken, say every evening, about supper or prayer time. 72 T h e arrangement of compensation proposed by B r i g h a m Y o u n g did not affect the agreement to cancel credits and debits at the end of each year.

T h i s system of preserving

equality finally caused difficulties a m o n g the brethren, but before recording the last days of the Order in Orderville it would be well to consider other types of orders. In Sevier County membership in the O r d e r was voluntary, but to become a member one had to place all of his property in the Order.

H e received his stewardship of home, city

lot, and domestic animals, but devoted most of his time to the work of the Order.

J o s e p h A . Y o u n g , the eldest son

of B r i g h a m Y o u n g , w a s the president of this stake. 7J

James G. Bleak, Book C, pp. 4-6.

He

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

91

was one of the few leaders who put all of his property in the Order.7" The story of the organization and operation of this group of United Orders was given by Joseph A. Young to the Deseret News of July 19, 1875. He said that the Order had been established in April, 1874, and that about two-thirds of the people " have since been steadily working in it." Standing in the Church, " general good conduct " and willingness to place all of one's property in the Order were the qualification for membership. " In the admission of persons to membership, the question of capacity to render valuable service to the Association is not considered, the gospel theory and practice of the strong aiding the weak is recognized and carried out, that the whole community may rise together." The capital of the organization was under the control of a board of directors and each person was credited according to the amount of property or means which he placed in the Order. In regard to the method of paying labor he says: " Most kinds of work is done by contract, based on cash prices, and the surplus credits accruing from a man's labor, over what he draws for the sustenance of himself and family, are placed to his credit on capital stock." The "substantials" of life were furnished from the " main source of supply " of the Order, but each member could " by industry and tact " obtain " extras " from their stewardships. The Order in Richfield owned a grist mill, a steam saw and shingle mill, a horse herd, cattle herd, sheep herd, and a tannery. In addition to the farmers, there were shoemakers, carpenters, masons, furniture makers, and " other branches of business." A few of the older men " stayed around home and attended to the heavier labors in that department such as wood hauling, attending to water ditches, plowing, etc., so that everybody has something to do." " Deseret News, July 29, 1875.

92

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

He admitted that " some difficulty was met with the first year," but proceeded to say that " the organization and its operations being based upon benign gospel principles and a well defined business system, obstacles are fast disappearing, and a feeling of brotherly kindness is increasing." The Order in Sevier Stake differed from those of St. George and Brigham City in that no one was permitted to enter the Order unless he placed all of his property in the organization. It was similar in that membership was voluntary. The United Order of Sevier Stake lost a valuable leader when Joseph A . Young died in August of 1875. 7 4 In some cases a United Order was formed for a specific undertaking. President Orson Hyde of Fillmore proposed that the people organize a United Order to build a " substantial schoolhouse " and offered to give as much toward the project as any other man in the place.75 An association of tailors of Salt Lake City formed a United Order " to advance the interests of home manufacture and to supply the public with good and durable clothing from the products of the mills of Utah." 76 The Twentieth Ward United Order of Salt Lake City decided to raise the necessary capital, and to incorporate under the law, in order that they might build and operate a boot and shoe factory. 77 The United Order was flexible and readily adapted to meet the needs or desires of divers localities. In some places, such as Brigham City, it assumed the form of a corporation whose shares were widely distributed among the members of the community and the employees of its many departments. In numerous places the Order of St. George was used as a model. In these orders membership and the amount of Ibid., August 6, 1875. »• Ibid., July 17, 1874.

" Ibid., March 30, 1875. " Ibid., November 24, ¡874.

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

93

property placed in the Order was voluntary. In Sevier County membership was voluntary, but those who joined gave all their property to the Order. In many instances an Order was organized for a specific undertaking or to conduct a specialized vocation. And finally, a few orders were conducted on communistic principles, where to live in the community one had to be a member of the Order and as such possessed no private property, either real or personal. DISINTEGRATION

Mention of opposition to the organization of the Order has been made above. The gentile and Mormon opponents continued their efforts until the Order was abandoned. The superintendent of the mine at Star said that he would not hire a man at any price if he was a member of the United Order." In the same locality a doctor said that he would not attend a patient who was a member of the Order for less than five times his usual fee. 79 The quartermaster at the Government post asserted that he would not award a single contract to a man who belonged to the Order, 90 gentile opposition was to be expected especially in the larger towns where their financial interests would be affected by the Order. This opposition, together with the reluctance of the wealthy land-owning and mercantile classes of Mormons to enter the Order whole-heartedly, was responsible for the slight influence of the Order in the northern settlements. But even in the agrarian areas where the priesthood dominated the lives of the people dissension arose. Orson Huntsman, who lived in Hebron, recorded his doubts as early as March 23, 1874, when he wrote: " Sometimes I thought that I should like this Order of things very well and at other times I TS

Fish Hour, June 14, 1874.

" Ibid. 1° ¡bid.

94

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

thought I should not like it very well, in some things the United Order was better and in some things not as good." He thought that division of labor was more efficient in farming as long as they had an able superintendent.81 On June 4th he noted the spirit of fault-finding, and the desire of those who had put some means in the Order to do little and yet obtain much. Jealousy arose between the Bishop and the superintendent of the f a r m ; the latter stood the faultfinding for a time and finally resigned and withdrew from the Church. The unwillingness of some to labor diligently is depicted in an interesting paragraph of his Journal: It was about the tenth of August when our harvest was crowding us so hard when Bishop G. H. Crosby, Charles Pulsipher and Amos Hunt sent word to Brothers James Hunt, Joseph T. Wilkinson and myself to hurry the grain in the stack while they three went to see if birds ought to be scart off of the grain, it happened that when we drove in with our loads of grain the three Brethren that were looking at the birds were in the yard. I right then and there freed my mind by poring out my whole soul to them with all vengents. They apologized and things went much better for a time.82 At the end of the season Huntsman ruefully noted the fruits of his summer's work as " 1 5 bushels of grain, 1 0 bushels of potatoes, and cloth enough to make me one pair of pants, 58 pounds of beef, 20 pounds of salt, one gallon of molasses, and about one dollar's worth of other articles. This month or the close of this year about ends this United Order with most of the settlements of Zion." 89 The people in the United Order of Pine Valley had placed their grain in the bins of Messrs. Lund, Burgess, and Brocken, but when they sought to obtain the grain their 81

Huntsman's Journal, March 23, 1874.

82

Ibid.

83

Ibid., December, 1874.

August, 1874.

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

95

request was refused. Lund defended himself before the H i g h Council by saying that he had planted some of his land before the Order was organized and the Order had taken both the land and the crop and had not reimbursed him for his time. Mr. Burgess contended that he withheld the wheat because it was due him for work he had done. He was dissatisfied with the prices charged him for lumber and, furthermore, had told the Order he could not work for less than $5 per day. They also charged irregularities in the bookkeeping of the Order. It was admitted that Brother Sargent had been careless about the books and that most of the accounts were on scraps of paper. 84 The Order of Price, Utah, which was composed of farmers and had the special interest of Brigham Y o u n g , was in trouble. Y o u n g tried to stop the dissension by offering the company three thousand dollars in factory pay for work in his factory at Washington if they would remain together and carry on the Order, but to no avail. 85 Bishop McArthur urged the brethren to be diligent in their labor in the Order and recommended that they should not speak lightly of it, but to study and be prayerful so that they would obtain light on the subject. 88 Brigham Y o u n g returned to St. George for the winter and on January 10, 1875, he sent a communication to be read in church. In this he urged haste in the building of the temple and then referring to the United Order said: We did not ask for your gold, nor silver, nor houses, nor lands, nor goods, nor chattels, nor anything else of property kind; but we asked for you, your time, your talents, and all the 84

High Council Records, March 30, 1875.

Historical Record of Price, obtained from the files of the Temple of St. George. 85

88Minutes of May 30, 1874.

the Lesser

Priesthood

of St.

George

(unpublished),

96

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

ability that God has given to you, to enter into the United Order after the pattern of Heaven to build up the Zion of God upon this land. I should judge from some of the things that I have learned concerning those who have dictated in this Holy Order and some who have entered into it who have had no particular dictation concerning the property of others, that many of them . . . have not apprehended the Order that the Lord wishes to establish. . . . We should advise you to continue in this good work as far as you can see and understand. There is no failure in this Order . . . the failure is in man.67 This is the first indication that Young felt on the defensive. A little later he told his people that there could be no salvation for those who rejected the Order of Enoch, and continued by saying, " This Order superseded the law of tithing. The Order of Enoch was revealed at an early day, and the Saints being unprepared to enter into it at that time, the Lord introduced the law of tithing as a lower principle or law, which had continued to the present, and now God had again revealed the above Order for our observance, to prepare us for the greater things that were close upon us. Many who started in this Order a year ago have failed— what of that? Many private enterprises have also failed." 68 In several of the settlements dissatisfaction had become so intense that the people had dissolved the Order. Among these were Price City, Rockville, Washington, Pine Valley, Pinto, Panaca, Toquerville, Harmony, and Mt. Carmel. 68 In the quarterly conference in St. George of May, 1875, Bishop Parker of Virgin City said the United Order was acting as a sieve. Some were cooperating, but there were others who used their power to " throw blocks in the progress 8T

Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 21.

M

Millenial Star, vol. 37, p. 322.

89

James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 600 and Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 21.

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

97

of the United Order." 90 Mr. Zadoc K . Judd, a member of the Board of St. George said: " During the second year of the Order a number of the people became dissatisfied. It was said that there was only five cents difference between the man that worked and the man that idled, and the man that idled generally had the five cents, for he was always at home and knew when anything was brought into the treasury and would call for the first and the best." 81 In the High Priest Meeting of St. George of April 24, 1875, the report was made that many wrong ideas had entered the minds of the people. One man heard that the books were closed and the Order abandoned. H e was assured that the Order " never would be done a w a y , " and that he should not wait " f o r the L o r d to speak, but for others that will enable us to unite our hearts." 9 1 In other words, the United Order was sound in principle, the failure was in man, and the priesthood realized that man was failing, yet they were determined not to give up until they had exhausted their resources. O n June 27, 1875, at Ephraim, Brigham Y o u n g , several of the twelve apostles and a number o f ward bishops were re-baptized as a token of a covenant to live in the United Order. W i l f o r d Woodruff stated that on the 13th of July, 1875, in the evening, there was a priesthood meeting in the old Tabernacle, where the subject of renewing covenants by baptism was discussed. T h e whole assembly voted to renew their covenants, and later the Presidency, the Twelve, the Seventies, and the Presiding Bishopric were baptized and entered into a special covenant to observe the rules of the United Order. A m o n g them was this: " W e •« James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 564. 91 Diary of Zodock K. Judd, p. 23, in possession of his daughter Mrs. Charles Coltam of S t George. 92

James G. Bleak, High Priest Meeting of St. George, April 24, 1875.

98

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

will sustain home industry and patronize our brethren who are in the Order, as f a r as possible." " Faith and religious zeal were called upon to defend a tottering economic structure. Erastus Snow invited all the Saints to be rebaptized in this covenant and during the year all of the members of the United Order of St. George were rebaptized " for the remission of sins, the renewal of covenants and for the observance of the rules of the United Order." 94 Throughout all of the settlements of Utah the ministry preached the United Order and urged rebaptism upon their people.95 Erastus Snow on Sunday, August 8, 1875, spoke for over three hours on the principles of the United Order. 99 The enthusiasm of the people of Toquerville was rekindled to such an extent that thirty-one of them were rebaptized and thereafter reorganized the United Order and subscribed $7000 for a wine business.97 These efforts did not stop discontent nor did they strengthen the United Order in the northern settlements.98 The experience of Brigham City and Richfield with limited stewardships suggested a plan to the leaders. At Salt Lake City in October, Brigham Young urged the Orders to provide individual stewardships for their members. George Q. Cannon said: " There is something about this which appeals strongly to most men's minds. They can see how this can be 83

Matthias F. Ccrwley, op. cit., pp. 467-488.

M

James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 571.

95

Deseret News, July 23, 1875; August 16, 1875; September 27, 1875; October 19, 1875, and the Journal of Discourses. See also Charles L. Walker's Journal, August 11, 1875, and James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 597. M 87

Walker's Journal, August 8, 1875.

James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 575««For example a letter from Ogden City, Utah, Feb. 13, 1875. said, " There has not been much done here in relation to the United Order." Letter of William N. Fife to Joseph F. Smith, The Millemal Star, vol. xxxvii, p. T55.

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

99

effected; they can see that under such a system what are called individual rights might be better preserved, and property not be absorbed in such a way to cause loss or waste, and yet the great principle be carried out that is aimed at, namely, the uniting of the hearts of the people in one." This suggestion brought immediate response from the settlements. Some did not understand just what was meant by a stewardship, and others expressed a desire to put his suggestion into operation at once. In reply to a letter from Sevier County, Y o u n g made his position clear by saying: " The system of stewardships which we have counselled the people here to enter upon, is not as far advanced, and does not approach so near to the Order of Enoch, as that system which you have entered into in your county. But it seemed better adapted to the circumstances of the people of this city and we hoped they would receive it and unite themselves together on that plan. That disposition, however, that we hoped to see, has not yet been manifested. Still we are not discouraged. " For you to change your method of doing business to that of stewardships would be to take a step backwards and would not be in accordance with [our] feelings. " A s far as we know concerning your operations, you have been doing well, and the prospects before you are encouraging. W h a t can you possibly gain by changing your system ? " Suppose we here carry out the system of stewardships. W e shall have to make some progress and allow some time to elapse, before we reach the point you commenced at. A n d what end can be accomplished by your turning back? " 100 It will be recalled that the people of Sevier County to whom this letter was addressed had relinquished all of their property to the Order, but had a stewardship over their own 69

Journal of Discourses, vol. xviii, October 8, 1875.

'«o James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 583.

IOO

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

homes, city lots, and domestic animals. The stewardship plan proposed for the cities of the North did not involve the giving of property to the Order, but merely gave each a stewardship over what he possessed. In the General Conference of the United Order of St. George, held December 18, 1875, President Erastus Snow asked for a frank expression of opinion concerning the United Order. Some heartily favored it. One " expressed himself in favor of classifying labors; at the same time he was in favor of each individual having full control o f his own property and the proceeds thereof." Another " felt that it would be a good plan to have each family first unite in their labors, and when perfect in that, unite with another family, and so on until all were united," and still another " believed the people were ready for nothing higher than individual stewardships." 101 President Erastus Snow and Bishop D. D. McArthur were still in favor of the United Order and determined to go forward. A t the same time, however, President S n o w recognized some weaknesses when he said: " P r e j u d i c e d feelings against the United Order were entertained by some, which arose from a very erroneous conception of its workings, in effect that it wrested from the people their agency. There was a desire inherent in man to rule and obtain power over his fellow man. The spirit and genius of the United Order was to treat its members as children of a common parent, it being the duty of all to be industrious and to work for the common welfare of the whole . . . Because of imperfections we were not prepared to enter into the United Order so fully as was represented in the revelations." 102 Bleak reported that in February, 1876, " they were still 101

Ibid., p. 597.

102

Millenial

Star,

1876, vol. x x x v i i i , p. 581.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

101

baptizing people into the United Order even though it had been abandoned by many communities." 10 " Encouraging reports were received during 1876 from some of the settlements. The Price farm was reorganized by President Snow, of St. George. 104 Kaysville of Davis County was organized, and President Joseph F. Smith proposed the organization of a county cooperative association.10* George Lake organized an Order in Obed, Arizona, and optimistic reports were received during the year from Randolph, Springdale, Wellsville, Kanab, Paris, Richfield, Brigham City, Heber City, Moroni, Logan, and Orderville. 108 These reports of progress, peace and prosperity were the calm before the storm. The Order in St. George was still in operation but the interest of the people was concentrated upon the building of the Temple, rather than the Order. Brigham Young came to Dixie for the last time in November 1876. On February 24, 1877, a committee was appointed to visit President Young concerning the disincorporation of the United Order. David H. Cannon suggested that the United Order would not be necessary if the brethren complied with the requirements of the priesthood. He thought all property should be consecrated and that the course they James G. Bleak, Book B, p. 615. 104

Saxty people were in this Order, but there was considerable dissension among them. Bleak reports that President Snow " Found hard feelings in Sister Wuffestein's heart against some of the people. And before this matter was sufficiently talked over it became too late to administer the Ordinance." Bleak, Book B, p. 571. 10» Deseret News, February 9, 1876 and March 13, 1876. 10

« Deseret News, various issues during 1876, i. e., Obed, June 12, Randolph, Jan. 11. Springdale, Jan. 23. Wellsville, March 5. Kanab, April 17, Oct. 4 and Nov. 4. Paris, April 8. Richfield, Nov. 14, April 29 and May 16. Brigham City, Seipt. 20. Heber City, May 1. Moroni, May 2. Logan, May 15. Orderville, June 28.

I02

SECOND

were

taking

UNITED led

ORDER

AMONG

to destruction.101

THE

MORMONS

Brigham

u n a b l e t o settle t h e p r o b l e m s a m o n g the people.

Young A

was

meeting

w a s called f o r M a r c h 1 5 t h a f t e r s e v e r a l p r e l i m i n a r y m e e t i n g s o f the s t o c k h o l d e r s had been held.

A t this m e e t i n g it w a s

d e c i d e d that the U n i t e d O r d e r o f

S t . G e o r g e d i s s o l v e its

corporation.

T h e following voted yea.

Robert Gardner James W. Nixon Eli Whipple Olive C. Welley Wm. Carter W . H. Carpenter Josiah G. Hardy Jos. Harman John O. Angus Henry Schlappi Hector McQuerrie Benj. Johnson Lars Larson Wm. Fawcett X. F. Slawgowski Geo. Baker Steven R. Wells Daniel C. Sill John Alger Ephraim Wilson

$ 555 7564 2336 103 100 236 487 47 33 66 100 53 117 100 36 367 184 269 50 150

Frederick Blake Daniel D. McArthur David H. Cannon James G. Bleak Samuel Miles Joseph Orton John Watts William Lang William Atkin Wm. F. Butler David Milne A. A . Jackson Erastus Snow Sam. L. Adams Wm. Barnes George Jarvis Harvey H. Wilson Geo. Woodward Jos. Hammond Hyrum Bigelow

$ 63 1619 121 594 381 336 324 269 150 145 too too 1647 100 ioo 327 2138 ioo 140 150

No Noes were registered. Total capital stock represented by the Ayes $19,778 Necessary to a Yz vote of the capital stock $>7.683 Moved by Director Erastus Snow that the vote, now declared be certified to the probate judge by the President and secretary of the association, and that the executive committee take all necessary steps to procure the order for dissolving this corporation. Carried unanimously.10* T h e T e m p l e w a s completed a m i d g r e a t e x c i t e m e n t rejoicing of

the people, in time f o r the A p r i l

and

conference.

T h i s w a s a g r e a t m o m e n t in the l i f e o f B r i g h a m Y o u n g , b u t 107 James G. Bleak, High Priest Meeting of St. George, February 24, 1877. 1 0 8 J a m e s G. Bleak, Book C, p p . 13-14-

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

103

he was saddened by the dissolution of the United Order. In his conference speech he dwelt upon the feature of the system which regulated individual possessions by saying: " It was not a part of this Order to take away the property of one man and give it to another; neither to equally divide what we possess, but to afford to all the opportunity of enriching themselves through their surplus property which could not be used by individuals for the purpose of carrying on the work of God." 10* Apostle Joseph F. Smith said: " The United Order would be easily established when we were willing to recognize the truth that we did not own what we possess, but that it was the Lord's." 1 1 0 Erastus Snow went more directly to the point in his reply to President Young when he said: " Our cooperative institutions should be so conducted as to benefit the people at large, and not build up a few capitalists." 1 1 1 Brigham Young also stated " that the brethren here had not done as they should as to the United Order, for he had fasted and prayed and drawn the line for them to work to, had marked out the map for them, and after all this, was there one ready to go into it as they should? No, not even the twelve apostles, and if they did not turn round and embrace it they would lose their crowns, and others be appointed to fill their places." The following Sunday he went further and asserted " that the First Presidency and the Twelve had stood in the way of the people entering the United Order." 1 1 2 Nevertheless, despite the speeches of the priesthood, the stockholders voted to dissolve the Order. But in taking this action they had not foreseen the difficulty of making an lOT

Ibid., p. 50.

110

Ibid., p. 51. Ibid., p. 62.

111 112

Walker's Journal, April 1st and 8th, 1877. Shortly after this Young removed all of the Twelve Apostles from the presidencies of stake organizations. Eliza, R. S. Smith, op. cit., p. 320.

I04

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

equitable distribution of the property and surplus capital. Upon sober reflection some members decided they would work to save the Order. In the meantime the mechanics who had prospered under the Order decided to organize themselves into a builder's union, which would preserve some of the benefits they had enjoyed as members of the Order. 1 1 8 1 1 ' The following agreement was made by the builders of the St. George United Order:

Articles of Agreement of the St. George Builders' Union: 1. " W e the undersigned working men, representing the following trades and employments, viz. carpenters, joiners, cabinet makers, turners, wagonmakers, coopers, painters, masons, stone-cutters, plasterers, quarrymen, brick and adobe makers, lime burners, tending laborers, etc., form ourselves into an association for the purpose of laboring unitedly to promote our interests and those of the community." 2. " The members of this Union will work by the day or job at wages to be fixed by said Union, and subject to a general scale of prices which may be established hereafter in this community." 3. " Property in the shape of machinery, shops, tools, materials, etc., may be received when accepted by a committee of the Union appointed for that purpose. Such property shall be credited to the party or parties furnishing it but no dividend shall be paid on such capital." 4. " Should there be any surplus at the end of the year, said surplus shall be controlled for the benefit of the Union, or other useful purpose." 5. " N o person shall be admitted to the Union, who is not a member of the Church, in good standing." 8. " A l l contracts for work shall be under the immediate supervision of the Sup't. And no member shall be allowed to take any jobs or contracts on his own personal account." 11. " T e n hours shall be considered a day's work. W a g e s shall be paid to the workmen, as f a r as practicable, on each Saturday." 12. " No wine or other intoxicating liquor shall be drunk in any of the Workshops of the Union; or upon buildings where any of the members are employed." 14. " Punctuality shall be required of all the workmen; and those who come fifteen minutes after the specified hours for commencing work, shall be liable to reduction of wages. On the other hand, overtime shall be duly credited." James G. Bleak, Book C, p. 83.

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

In a meeting of the stockholders held on June i8th, David Mustard, James W . Nixon, Stephen R. Wells, George Jarvis, Joseph G. Hardy, W a r r e n Hardy, Joseph Orton, and James G. Bleak expressed their desire to continue with their " property, time and talents in the United Order according to their original intention." 114 O n July 2, 1877, the stockholders met to discuss the course they should pursue in liquidating the claims on the capital stock and the property held by the Order. O n July 10th, however, a reorganization took place with John D. T . McAllister, the new president of the stake and president of the St. George Temple as president of the Order. The new officers decided to start a tannery at the Whipple Mill in Pine Valley as a means of expanding the work of the Order and renewing the interest of the people. They also appointed a committee which should encourage the farmers to continue their cooperative endeavors, and by July 20th they had organized the farmers of St. George, Washington and Santa Clara Articles of agreement were approved by a majority of the farmers present at their meeting, but further records of the activities of this organization are not available. Brigham Y o u n g , the most earnest advocate of the United Order and the living spirit which had sustained it in many localities, died August 29, 1877. " T h e mainspring of the United Order had broken. It was but a matter of time until the rest of the machinery would stop." O n October 10, 1877, the absence of Erastus Snow and other church authorities, two " old time and prominent Elders " of St. George attacked the United Order. T h e first of these speakers classed the movement as Priestcraft instead of Priesthood. The second speaker said: " I have no idea that the thing which has been attempted here called the United Order, is the plan designed by the A l m i g h t y . " 111

James G. Bleak, Book C, p. 89.

I06

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

The difficulties within the Order of Price City came to a head on November 5th. " In January, 1876, a new cooperative company had bought out the previous company and had been working the farm since. Disagreements over the provisions of the sale and use of the land had become so acute that the difficulties were carried to the Church leaders at Salt Lake City for settlement. Upon final disposition of the case at St. George, the animosities were so great that no one was willing to continue the cooperative operations any longer. Milo Andrus said that four years' experience as director of the farm convinced him that it would be better handled by individuals. President Young's pet project of United Order farming had ended in complete disaster, leaving animosities that would take a new generation to heal." 1 1 5 The hardware department of the St. George United Order was sold to J . W . Nixon, the former manager of that department, but the method of payment was not decided upon. A t the Board meeting of January 7th " it was decided that all members who desire to draw out their capital stock should make formal application in writing to Secretary Bleak, without delay." 1 1 4 The list of applicants was read to the Board at their meeting of January n t h and action was deferred until a valuation of the assets could be made. 117 On March 4th an executive committee of two were empowered to liquidate the affairs of the Order. The Board accepted the offer of James Nixon to take stock in trade of the hardware department as payment for the hardware store. These amounts were to be entered against his capital stock account in the Order. It was also decided to offer the interest held in the United Order wine cellar building at St. George to the St. George Tithing Office. 118 115 114

Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 24. James G. Bleak, Book C, p. 141. Ibid., p. 145-

118

Ibid., p. 148.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

107

The available records of the St. George United Order end with these transactions and although the committee probably continued to function to wind up the tangled ends of its affairs the initial St. George experiment of Brigham Y o u n g had passed into history.

Out of the wreckage was yet to come a movement

initiated by President John Taylor for the establishment of a cooperative board of trade.

The movement was organized in

Salt Lake and was introduced in St. George by Erastus Snow on June 15, 1879, when the St. George Stake Board of Trade of fifty members was organized.

This was just one of the death

struggles, however, before the movement finally succumbed. 11 * W h i l e these events were taking place in S t . George, and before the death of B r i g h a m Y o u n g , appeals f o r advice and guidance in the solution of practical problems were addressed to the F i r s t President.

T h e questions and answers

were

suggestive of the forces which were undermining the United Order.120 119

Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 25. The Preamble of Zion's Central Board of trade read as follows: " T h e objects of this association are: To maintain a Commercial Exchange; to promote uniformity in the customs and usages of producers, manufacturers and merchants; to inculcate principles of justice and equity in trade; to facilitate the speedy adjustment of business pursuits, to arrange for transportation to seek remunerative markets for home products; to foster capital and protect labor, uniting them as friends rather than dividing them as enemies; to encourage manufacturing; to aid in placing imported articles in the hands of consumers as cheaply as possible; to acquire and disseminate agricultural, manufacturing, commercial and economic information; and generally to secure to its members the benefits of cooperation in the furtherance of their legitimate pursuits, and to unite and harmonize the business relations of the Stake Board of Trade, now and hereafter to be organized throughout Hie Territory, with those of the Central Association." D. D. Lum, op. cit., pp. 22-23. On May 14, 1877, Mt. Trumbull, Utah, established a United Order. Sporadic activities of this sort continued at the very time the Order was being abandoned in most of the settlements. James G. Bleak, Book C, P. 79-

Io8

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

In January, 1877, President L . P. Christensen of the United Order in Richfield had written to Brigham Y o u n g for advice on several matters. He wanted to know if the Board of Management was subject to local authority on Order matters, or only to " President Brigham Young as President of the United Order in all the world ". President Young replied that the board was subject to the High Council and the Bishop in regard to fellowship within the Church, but that it was not subject to them in temporal matters. The articles of agreement clearly stated that the board of management was subject to the approval or disapproval of two-thirds of the membership, but actual practice apparently had not been in accordance with the articles of agreement and the matter became an issue among the people. President Christensen wanted to know whether or not they were to " divide food, clothing, and other comforts, to the members of the Order according to their wants, needs, or merits? " He was told to " divide with all as f a r as prudence will allow, but you must see that there are no idlers with you." It would seem that some of the members desired to receive awards for their labor upon the basis of merit, rather than merely sharing with others. President Young was- asked whether or not the board of management had the right to donate to build temples, sustain missionaries and feed the poor, or whether the members should do it individually. He replied that " the Order is expected to give for the building of temples what we ask them to do, according to their capacity and means; and sustain missions and the poor as far as they can." In response to the question, " Shall we declare dividends on capital stock, if there are means to do so? " Brigham Young gave the emphatic rely, " declare 110 dividends, but let the Board manage surplus property." In other words, the people, as individuals, were not permitted to dispose of any surplus from their labor. The question of

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

log

indebtedness to the Order was raised and President Young said, " have them pay if they have it." He also informed President Christensen that he wanted the property of his son, the late Joseph A. Young, " to remain in the Order, and his family taken care o f ; " that disputes with irrigation companies were to be settled by the Bishops and High Council; that land as capital stock should be held in the names of individuals and that he wanted President Christensen to establish himself permanently in Richfield, Utah, rather than in Arizona. 1 2 1 During February, 1877, Edward Payne, the Secretary of the United Order of Glenwood, sought help from President Y o u n g . 1 " They had more applicants for admission than available jobs. President Young informed him that they were under no religious obligation to admit people to the Order regardless of whether or not they could furnish them with remunerative employment. Each Order was a distinct entity. People who moved from one place to another were given permission to deed over their property to the Order in their new home town, but were not compelled to do so. In regard to receiving credit for the payment of tithing, President Young said that they were to receive such credit as an organization and not as individuals. Because some of the community were members of the Order and others were not Mr. Payne inquired; " Should the families and members of the United Order be supported by the Order exclusively, if they are sent on missions to preach the gospel, or is it the duty of the whole settlement to do so? " Brigham Young replied that, " The Order should do so if the missionaries belong to the United Order, and the settlement should do so if the missionaries are not members of the United Order; " but 121

James G. Bleak, Book C, pp.

122

Ibid., p. n.

I xo

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

he proceeded to say that " there is no reason why the settlement should not help to support the families of members of the United Order who are on missions." T h e Order created two competing economic groups within the church and there was bad feeling between them. President Y o u n g closed his letter by saying, " In all things strive after peace, union and full fellowship in the gospel. Be not captious, contentious, or vaunting, as though you were in advance of your fellow members; but let the charity of the Gospel characterize all your deportment towards each other and towards all persons." During the month of March, 1877, Mr. S. J. Nuttal of Kanab informed Brigham Y o u n g that there were four distinct classes among the people of Kanab, " having at least as many different sets of views relating to the United Order," and asked how he should conduct the affairs of the Order. He was told that if all the people were Latter-day Saints he should conduct the Order on " the Gospel Plan," but if he was dealing with " Mormons who are apostatizing, or on the way to it you should take a course to head them o f f . " In relation to disaffected ones who were not in the Order he said, " Let them alone. D o not ask them to join you." Some of the people had been disturbed by the legal incorporation of the Order and wanted to disincorporate under the territorial law and continue the Order under the direction of the priesthood. Brigham Y o u n g said that " if the members choose to disincorporate they may do so." In response to an inquiry regarding the best method of securing titles to nearby lands President Y o u n g said, " Build on it, and enter what the organization desires in the names of such as can be relied upon to do right in ceding possession for the use of the organization." Mr. Nuttal also had asked his leader a personal question, namely; " D o you desire me to build at Kanab, to make that place my home? " Y o u n g replied, " I f

THE

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

III

you have lived long enough in Kanab to be satisfied that its climate agrees with you, now is the time for you to sell out at Provo and to use the means to make yourself and your family comfortable at Kanab." A f t e r the death of Brigham Young the United Order was abandoned in many localities. The hierarchy of the Church had been at best lukewarm toward the movement. They were carried along by the zeal and determination of their leader. George Q. Cannon frankly admitted that the people were far more willing to enter upon the United Order system than many of their leaders. 113 But when the Order was failing these leaders shifted the blame to the people. Erastus Snow contended: " One of the chief obstacles in the way of our progress toward becoming a self-sustaining people is the lack of this understanding among the people. They cling to the habits and customs of Babylon that they have learned abroad—the laborer wishing to eat up the capitalist, and the capitalist constantly guarded for fear he should be drawn into close quarters, and then to succumb to the demands of the operatives. This is the way of the world, and the warfare that is going on all the same; and why ? Because they comprehend not how to promote their mutual interests; covetousness of capital on the one hand and covetousness of labor on the other, each trying to enrich itself at the expense of the other." 124 Lorenzo Snow, in speaking of the breakdown of the Order in Brigham City, complained that the old ias

Journal of Discourses, vol. xviii, October 8, 1875. Many of the church leaders were men of means. Perhaps they felt that their fortunes would be impaired if they placed their property in the Order. On the other hand, if they did not offer their property, much of which consisted of local enterprises, they would prosper by the movement to develop and patronize local industries. The estate of Brigham Young was estimated at $2,500,000. (H. H. Bancroft, op. cit., p. 674. See also the pamphlet, Fraud On the mil.) 124

Ibid., June 3, 1877.

X i2

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

idea of things had such an influence over the people that it seemed difficult to get them to conform to the requirements of the United Order. He asserted that the principles of the United Order should be established so that every man could receive temporal blessings. He went on to say that it would not be right to give a man " who had just come from the old country the home and possessions of him who has been here and labored and toiled for years to accumulate them . . . but this man who has the blessings of God around him should be willing to sacrifice a portion of his surplus means to establish some industry," in order that the poor man can work, and also see " some comfort and convenience before him. This is the spirit and aim of the United Order and that, we should endeavor to establish." If this was done, he felt that the poor would not be dependent upon their neighbors or the Church. He insisted that man, who was made in the image of God desired " to gather the means around him, by his own, individual exertions . . . the United Order is not ' French Communism.' " i 2 5 In an address in Ogden, John Taylor, the new President of the Church, said: " We have long talked about the United Order and about cooperation; . . . have the institutions been exactly right? N o ; all kinds of foolishness and all kinds of blunderings have occurred in their administration. But shall we quit? I think not; that is just what the devil would like, just what many of our merchants want, and it would be the very thing that would suit the world, and the devil would laugh at us." 128 At a later meeting the President asserted that, " In many places cooperation and the United Order have been started under various forms; in some they have succeeded very well, and in other places have acted foolishly 135

Ibid., vol. x i x , April 21, 1878. Ibid., vol. x x i , April 9, 1879.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

n

3

and covetously, seeking their own personal, individual interests under the pretense of serving God and carrying out His designs." l i T Brigham Young's son, Elder Brigham Young contented himself with saying, " Many think that the United Order was a failure, but this was a mistake; for the center stake of Zion could never be built up on any other principle." 128 Reports of progress in the Order are almost entirely lacking for this period and after 1880 there is no mention of the Order in the Journal of Discourses.129 Yet the communistic endeavors of the brethren of Orderville were being blessed with prosperity. From its inception to the close of 1882 the community had been operated as a united family. Each drew upon the common fund and all surpluses and indebtedness were cancelled at the end of each year and all began again on an equal footing. This arrangement, coupled with an increasing abundance of goods, assured all of economic security. The stimuli for arduous endeavor were the approbation of one's fellows and the reward of one's conscience. This was sufficient for many of the original settlers, but the young men saw and heard of the progress of successful individuals in the competitive outside world. 130 They and others in the community desired the opportunity of receiving rewards in proportion to their productivity. This problem was presented to Erastus Snow in the quarterly conference at Mt. Carmel. He advised the brethren to disband.1*1 He admitted that there were defects in the United Ibid., September 21, 1878. Deseret News, July 8. 1878. las The only reports of progress came from Kingston, Hyrum, and Logan, Deseret News, Sept. 16, 1879, March 31, 1880, and Feb. n , 1881. No mention is made of the many other orders. 130 Phil Robinson, op. cit., pp. 223-232. 131 From a note on file in the Temple of St. George.

U4

SEC0ND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

Order which caused the people to become discontented, and went on to say that it was no better than a cooperative concern, that their system of giving an equal amount for unequal production was defective and that the United Order as practiced was not a commandment of God, but a financial experiment initiated by Brigham Young.1®2 An Epistle of President Taylor stated that: Cooperation had been talked about considerably from time to time as being a stepping stone to something that would yet be more fully developed among the people of God, namely, the United Order. We had no example of the " United Order" in accordance with the word of God on the subject. Our cooperation was simply an operation to unite together in our secular affairs, tending to make us one in temporal things as we were one in spiritual things. . . Our relations with the world, and our imperfections prevent the establishment of this system [i. e. the Order of Enoch as revealed by Joseph Smith], It cannot be carried out. But cooperation and the United Order fi. e. recent attempts at it] are a step in the right direction, and are leading our brethren to reflect upon the necessity of union as one of the fundamental principles of success in temporal things as well as in spiritual things. (Signed) " John Taylor " " President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." " We concur in the above (Signed) " George Q. Cannon " " Joseph F. Smith " " Counselors in the First Presidency." 133 13> Angus Woodbury, op. cit., p. 28. See also, James H. McClintock, pp. 132 et seq., and Hamilton Gardner, Communism Among the Mormons, p. 169. 1,4 Epistle of John Taylor, cited from B. H. Roberts, op. cit., vol. v, p. 498. This Epistle was addressed to the presidents of stakes, high councils, bishops and other authorities of the Church, under date of May 1, 1883.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

These statements, coming from such high Church authorities, intensified the discontent in Orderville. A new plan was developed under which the farmers received a proportion of what they raised and the stockmen either worked for wages or under contract. This arrangement did not prove satisfactory, and dissension increased; some wanted to dissolve the Order, and others wished to continue with it. The President of the Order, Bishop Thomas Chamberlin and Thomas Robertson, a director, discussed the matter with the First Presidency at Toquerville during May, 1884. In June, George Q. Cannon wrote them as follows: When you changed your system from that of equal labor credit and disbursements to that of giving men credit according to their skill, etc. just as is done in society elsewhere, you opened the door for selfishness and other feelings to enter. . . By this change . . . you dropped back to the old level. With such a change, it cannot be reasonably expected that your organization can hold together for any length of time . . . it was our counsel to you [at Toquerville], to return to your old system of giving people equal credit for labor. . . You informed us that some of the people desired the organization broken up . . . we did not think it advisable. . . We understand that the young people . . . have not felt entirely satisfied. . . From a reserve fund, you should give the young people, when they attain their majority, such shares of stock as your . . . wisdom may permit. . . . Would it not be possible . . . that a small amount could be given to each individual and family for them to spend as they please for the gratification of some personal want or taste. 1 " A situation, however, had developed within the county which reminds one of the early days of Mormon persecution. The Order of Orderville had rapidly obtained control of the best grazing and farming land in the county. This gave Angus Woodbury, op. cit., pp. 28-29.

1X6

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

them power over the social, economic, and political life of the county, and promoted local animosities and hostility toward the United Order. T h e people in other communities in the county were no longer living in the Order. The letter of George Q. Cannon, while delaying the final dissolution of the Order did not remove the causes for irritation among the brethren. The introduction of a differential pay for labor forced other modifications. The farmers " were given credit for what they raised, but freighting, sheep herding and saw mill operations were carried on by contractors at a fixed rate of pay per unit." m During the following summer the people were allowed to select city lots for their own use and to possess their own domestic animals. A t this juncture Francis M . Lyman, one of the twelve apostles, visited Orderville and suggested that, in view of the raids upon polygamists by Federal agents, the property of the Order might be seized, and that it would therefore be desirable for them to quietly dissolve the Order. The people, many of them most reluctantly, decided to divide up everything except the sheep, the tannery, and the woolen factory. These were to be kept intact to represent the stock of the Order which had been established in 1875 for a period of twenty-five years. Most of this property was sold at auction, each bidder being limited to his capital stock and work credit. A l l cooperation ceased, even the sheep herd, tannery and woolen mill were operated by contractors or lessees. 1 " The leasing plan proved to be the ruin of these properties. The tannery, which had been most profitable under the Order, declined rapidly. By 1889 it had ceased operations and was finally sold for a barn. During this same year the sheep were sold at auction and those who purchased them 135

Ibid., op. cit., p. 29.

138

Ibid.

THE SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

II7

" decided among themselves who should be allowed to purchase the ranches to go with them." The woolen factory was operated only part time during three or four years and again from 1893-96 during the depression, after which it was abandoned. The Orderville United Order was officially dissolved in 1900, at a home-coming celebration. 137 This final act signalized the completion of a dramatic social and economic experiment, the United Order among the Mormons. 1« Ibid.

CHAPTER

IV

CONCLUSION

THE revelations presented by Joseph Smith commanded the Mormons to establish the United Order. Brigham Young, however, was instrumental in introducing the " lesser law " of tithing and thereafter did not concern himself with the United Order until late in his life. When he spoke of the failure of the first Order, he contended that it failed because of the covetousness of the people and the violent expulsion of the brethren from Missouri. Yet during the early years in Utah, the Mormons enjoyed isolation and there was little to check the theocratic rule of Brigham Young and his Associates. They were not harassed by more pressing problems than those which confronted the early settlers of Missouri and the power was not lacking to carry out the command of their fundamental doctrine. They may have had grave doubts of the intrinsic merits of the plan or possibly the expedient of tithing removed the gnawing economic necessity of carrying out the will of God as revealed to his servant Joseph. Be that as it may, the records clearly indicate that Brigham Young and his priesthood did not need the United Order to give them temporal power—while tithing, the perpetual immigration fund, and the Relief Society Sisters provided for the needs of the Church. Furthermore, Young and his associates were men of great business ability, a trait woefully lacking in the make-up of Joseph Smith, and were eager to prosper personally with the growth of the community. Those who attempted to compete with them for women, property, concessions, rights, or privileges could be sent on missions either at home or abroad, or be disfellow118

CONCLUSION

ng

shipped or cut off. These leaders were in their full stride. They possessed both spiritual and temporal power. The destruction of their political and geographical isolation seriously undermined their temporal power and started the long series of changes which in time diminished their spiritual power. T h e coming of the railroad stimulated commerce with " the States " and helped to develop a class of merchants who rapidly concentrated most of the readily accessible wealth of the territory in their hands. Some of these were Mormons and a few were gentiles. The railroad created the spectre of Utah becoming indebted to eastern capitalists and dependent upon eastern manufacturers f o r finished products, thus transferring temporal power f r o m the leadership of the Church to eastern financiers and industrialists. Also, at this same time there was growing resentment toward the " one man rule " of the people. The Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution was established with the purpose of placing mercantile pursuits under the control of the Church, and although this endeavor prospered it did not obtain a monopoly of merchandizing. A f t e r the organization of Z. C. M . I. there remained the problems o f , first, developing numerous home industries with capital controlled by the Church, second, of welding together the divers and increasingly complex economic interests of the Mormon empire, third, of continuously, persistently, and effectively fighting the growing economic interests of the gentiles, fourth, of ameliorating the growing burden of the poor, and fifth, of maintaining the temporal power of the Church over all of the faithful. The panic of 1 8 7 3 , the age of Brigham Y o u n g , and his desire f o r unity among his people intensified these problems and hastened the adoption of the United Order as a means for their solution. The advent of the railroad enabled them to import at reasonable cost the heavy machinery needed f o r

I20

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

home industries, whose product could be sold to the Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution; and thus the Saints might become self-sufficient under Church control. The leaders were uncertain for a time concerning the best method of procedure. St. George furnished an ideal place for experimentation. The enthusiastic response at this place encouraged them to try a few other settlements and thereafter the plan to establish the Order throughout the entire area under Mormon influence became clear. The structure and control of the Order were developed with great care. The label of the United Order was employed, to be sure, but the revelations of the thirties were of little assistance. The co-partnership plan which was later incorporated made it possible for the hierarchy to obtain control of the organization. The articles of agreement provided for the combination of capital and labor and stimulated home manufacturing. A t the same time, the method of organization created a twofold division among the Mormon people. In the first place, its voluntary character divided them into two large groups,—those who were in the Order and those who were not. This separation was emphasized by Article 15 which read: " T o this end we will not patronize in our business relations those who are not members of the Order, unless absolutely compelled by our necessities." But although great pressure was exerted upon the faithful to enter the Order of Enoch, those who did not do so were not cut off from the Church or disfellowshipped. In the second place, Article 1 2 divided those who did join the Order into another two groups, first, those who had invested a part or all of their property in the Order and, second, those who did not invest any of their property. In the first United Order, all who lived in Zion, consecrated their all to the Lord and received a stewardship in return. Thereafter each steward decided what he needed and turned

CONCLUSION

121

over any surplus to the Bishop's storehouse or the treasury. But in the second United Order the member who invested his all received a credit as capital stock. He was paid a fixed price for his labor and thereafter received for any surplus labor either more credit as capital stock or more goods as the Board of Management might determine. If a dividend was declared it might be paid either in goods or additional credits. In any event the control of the surplus was placed in the priesthood and not left to the conscience of the individual steward. The oft-repeated words, " we must submit ourselves in temporal matters as we now do in spiritual affairs," were seriously intended to deprive the members of much personal freedom of thought and action and to divide and supervise their labor more thoroughly. Great emphasis was placed upon frugality, industry, and self-sufficiency. The plan of the second United Order was more flexible than that of the first United Order and was readily adapted to meet the divers conditions existing in Utah. In one place the people owned the stock in numerous enterprises by means of a United Order. The majority of the stock was held by a few, but the surpluses were reinvested in the industries of the locality. In some communities an Order was formed to establish a given industry or enterprise. In several of the settlements those who joined the Order invested all of their property, time, and talents in the Order, but not all of the citizens of the community became members. Those who entered the Order obtained a stewardship of their houses, city lots, and domestic animals but devoted most of their time to the work of the Order. In most of the towns the Order was copied from St. George. Membership and the amount of property invested was voluntary. Finally a few communities were founded and settled by people who believed in a more communistic mode of living. In these settlements

122

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

everyone belonged to the Order and all property was held in common and in most of them all of the inhabitants ate together in one large dining room, although family identities were maintained. In these communistic Orders compensation was the same for all of equal need while in all other Orders the rates of pay varied somewhat according to the supply of and demand for specific types of labor. The wage rates were determined by the Board of Management. The types of United Orders ranged from the corporate organization to that of communism. In all cases they were local phenomena. No attempt was made for the Territory or the Church to own and operate the farms and industries. Thus the movement was by no means state socialism. The emergence of different types of Orders was in part due to the varying degrees of power exercised by the priesthood in different localities and the ideology of a few dominant leaders. In the more thickly populated northern area, and the region crossed by the railroad, the hierarchy had lost its supreme power over the lives of the people. Eastern and gentile influences were affecting the attitudes of many Mormons, particularly the young people. The United Order made little headway in the northern settlements except in Brigham City, where the great leader, Lorenzo Snow, had already developed a highly successful cooperative community. Intensive campaigns were conducted to organize the North, and without question, more sermons were preached on the subject in the North than in any other locality, but the Order did not flourish. The leaders attempted to arouse interest by recommending individual stewardships but very shortly thereafter admitted that this too had failed to accomplish the desired end and in addition had aroused discontent in more agrarian areas. The leaders urged, exhorted, persuaded, promised, and threatened these

CONCLUSION

123

people to little avail. They lacked the power to organize United Orders in the North. Failure was attributed to the fact that man had not become perfect enough to live in such an Holy Order. In time the Order of Enoch, the millennium, and Jesus would come. In Sevier country the strong leader Joseph A. Young, was able to insist upon the investment of all property in the Order before granting admission. However, in the most successful of eight communities, only two-thirds of the people joined the Order and even here acrimony developed between the members and non-members. The nearest approach to the ideal Order of Enoch occurred in communistic communities which were started by deeply religious people who submitted themselves completely to the power of the Church. Brigham Young realized that he could not compel the middle and upper income receiving groups to make " full consecration." Perhaps he and many of his associates did not wish to share their own wealth or thought that the full consecration procedure would be unwise. It will be recalled that the poor flocked to Missouri in great numbers during the first United Order, much to the embarrassment of the Church leaders. In many speeches Young emphasized the hypothetical injustice of a newly arrived immigrant having as much as those who had struggled for years to develop a competence. A United Order in accordance with the plan revealed to Joseph Smith would have acted as a boon to the immigrant and would have deprived the older settlers of much of the fruits of their toil. It would also have benefited the shiftless and lazy at the expense of the frugal and industrious. The articles of agreement of St. George, in providing sufficient flexibility to meet some of these problems and at the same time increasing the influence of the priesthood, created other questions.

124

SEC0ND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

The wages assigned to the mechanics by the Board of Management stimulated the teamsters and farmers to demand a stipulated " rate and kind " of wages. Were those who had put in all of their property to obtain no more than those who gave only of their time? Should a large family which had invested their all in the Order receive the regular wage even if that did not provide adequately for the need of the family? Who was to control the prices charged by the various departments of the Order ? Should the members of the Board attend Board meetings? Could the Order sue and be sued ? Was it prudent to enter the Order if one could withdraw but one-half of what he originally invested or would it not be better to enter cautiously, first with one's time, and perhaps later with one's property? These questions were debated in Board meetings and later referred to Brigham Young. The incorporation of the Order had made it possible for them to sue and be sued and legalized the copartnership arrangement, but this step alienated many of the most faithful who had been taught to despise gentile law, and introduced control of the Order by corporate shares. The few who had invested most of the property of the Order and had received shares of stock in return now controlled it. This was f a r removed from " the voice and common consent of the Order," and made many fearful that the Order would help the rich to become richer, to the detriment of the others. The demand for individual stewardships indicated a strong distrust of over-centralized control. Letters exchanged as late as 1877, nearly three years after the organization of the Order, indicate that the people were not satisfied with its operation. It definitely separated the members of the Church. They quarreled among themselves regarding the maintenance of the missionaries, the acquisition of nearby lands, and even regarding admission into the United Order. The Order developed three instead of two

CONCLUSION

competing economic groups, i. e., those Mormons in the Order, those not members, and the gentiles. The members of the Order wanted dividends on their capital stock, but this was denied them, and they saw the surplus from their labors diverted to the shiftless, while some Mormons who were not members of the Order were gaining all of the economic advantages of their own industry and becoming well-to-do. The increase in the number of gentiles and the presence of non-member Mormons caused the members of the Orders to obtain as much valuable land as they could. On several occasions Brigham Young counselled the members to have trusted men hold the titles to these lands. The local nature of the movement created problems when United Order members moved from one place to another. Did the new neighbors have to admit them, and if they did should their property be deeded to the new Order or should it stay in the Order of the community which they had left? Such questions concerned all of the members. The more the people moved, the greater became the number of irritating situations. Some of the members were in debt to the Order, but all Brigham Young could say was, " Have them pay if they have it," and if they did not pay, of course, the rest of the members suffered the loss. The members who were dissatisfied to the point of withdrawing and apostatizing were to be " headed o f f , " but if some Mormons were merely disgruntled they were " to be let alone and not asked to join the Order." The leadership emphasized the great importance of accurate bookkeeping, but the records clearly indicate that the people did not know how to keep books, and that some of the dissension was caused by this fact. The fundamental economic relationship of the people was dependent upon accurate records. For example, if a man worked four extra

126

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER AMONG THE

MORMONS

days at $2.50 per day and one share of stock sold for $ 1 0 . 0 0 he was entitled to obtain another share on credit if the Board approved, or he might be asked to turn this over for the good of the organization. T o keep peace, as well as to effectively administer the Order, records of all goods produced and distributed had to be kept and but few of the people, at best, knew the rudiments of bookkeeping. There was disagreement concerning the control of a local Board of Management. W a s it responsible to the membership or to President Y o u n g ? Brigham Young replied by saying, " The Board is subject to the High Council and Bishop in regard to Fellowship, but not in their temporal business." This reply did not answer the question, but his replies given to many detailed questions concerning temporal affairs seemed to be a sufficient answer to the inquiry. Indeed the will and enthusiasm of Young were keeping the Order alive. His closest colleagues were lukewarm in their interest. A s age advanced upon the leader and his health became impaired the United Order declined. The great effort to rekindle enthusiasm by the religious process of rebaptism and renewal of covenants was clearly a defensive measure. This device also provided a way out for the Church in that it emphasized that success or failure of the United Order was a question of personal faith and works. A f t e r Brigham Young's death the Church leaders asserted that the Order of Enoch as revealed by God was not only sound in principle, but that the Saints must enter into such an Order before they might hope to return to build up the Center Stake of Zion at Independence, Missouri and thus be prepared for the coming of the Lord. Indeed, the United Order had not failed because it had not been tried. That which had been undertaken was only an economic experiment

CONCLUSION

127

of President Young's which had inappropriately been called the United Order or the Order of Enoch. Nevertheless this endeavor helped to prepare the Saints for admission at a later time into the Holy Order. In the meantime a new organization, Zion's Central Board of Trade, was to Maintain a Commercial Exchange, to promote uniformity in the customs and usages of producers, manufacturers, and merchants; to inculcate principles of justice and equity in trade; to facilitate the speedy adjustment of business pursuits; to arrange for transportation; to seek remunerative markets for home products; to foster capital and protect labor, uniting them as friends rather than dividing them as enemies; to encourage manufacturing; to aid in placing imported articles in the hands of consumers as cheaply as possible; to acquire information; and generally to secure to its members the benefits of cooperation in the furtherance of their legitimate pursuits, and to unite and harmonize the business relations of the Stake Board of Trade, now and hereafter to be organized throughout the Territory, with those of the Central Association. Thus the Church retreated gracefully from the defeat of the second United Order. The Order, however, was of some assistance to the Mormons at a critical juncture in their history. The breakdown of their isolation and the subsequent increase in the volume of their trade with the States had made them vulnerable to a mild depression to say nothing of such a crisis as that of 1873. To the extent that the Order functioned effectively it helped the people to meet the depression in a united manner. Economic burdens were shared by those who entered the Order. This was particularly true of the communities which adopted the communistic form of the Order. Wherever the Order was established attempts were made to develop manu-

128

SECOND

UNITED

ORDER

AMONG

THE

MORMONS

facturing enterprises. Severe retrenchment in private and community expenditures was advocated by Brigham Young in order that the meagre capital resources might be pooled and employed for this purpose. These enterprises gave employment to some who might otherwise have been unemployed, and made it less urgent for the Mormons to buy so many manufactured goods from the East. This in turn helped them for the time being to retain more of their raw materials and agricultural produce for their own consumption. During the life of the Order the tithing of its members was paid in one lump sum to the Church. This method of payment helped assure the Church of a reliable income for its needs and for the care of the poor. A s an educational force the Order failed to teach the practical values of more cooperative living, and succeeded in convincing the people that private enterprise had more to offer them. The failure of the Order weakened the temporal power of the Church. The collapse of the Order did not leave ruin in its wake. It had not been that important. A s each Order was dissolved private enterprise took over the various departments which the Order had administered. Economic conditions changed but little for the people and the principles of their religion remained unchanged. The Church does not concede defeat of the Order either in 1 8 3 1 - 1 8 3 4 or 1874-1885, but contends that God's plan is too perfect for the people. They are unprepared because they are not one in the spirit of the Gospel. It is said that the time will come when the people will live happily in the United Order.

A P P E N D I X

A

T H E A P O S T O L I C C I R C U L A R OF J U L Y ,

18751

The experience of mankind has shown that the people of communities and nations among whom wealth is the most equally distributed, enjoy the largest degree of liberty, are the least exposed to tyranny and oppression and suffer the least from luxurious habit9 which beget vice. Among the chosen people of the Lord, to prevent the too rapid growth of wealth and its accumulation in a few hands, he ordained that in every seventh year the debtors were to be released from their debts and where a man had sold himself to his brother, he was in that year to be released from slavery and to go free; even the land itself which might pass out of the possession of its owner by his sale of it, whether through his improvidence, mismanagement, or misfortune, could only be alienated until the year of jubilee. A t the expiration of every forty-nine years the land reverted, without cost to the man or family whose inheritance originally it was, except in the case of a dwelling house in a walled city, for the redemption of which, one year was allowed, after which, if not redeemed, it became the property, without change at the year of jubilee, of the purchaser. Under such a system, carefully maintained, there could be no great aggregations of either real or personal property in the hands of a few ; especially so while the laws, forbidding the taking of usury or interest for money or property loaned, continued in force. One of the great evils with which our own nation is menaced at the present time is the wonderful growth of wealth in the hands of a comparatively few individuals. The very liberties for which our fathers contended so steadfastly and courageously, and which they bequeathed to us as a priceless legacy, are en1 E . W . T u l l i d g e , History

of Salt

Lake

City,

pp. 728-733129

APPENDIX

A

dangered by the monstrous power which this accumulation of wealth gives to a few individuals and a few powerful corporations. B y its seductive influence results are accomplished which, were it more equally distributed, would be impossible under our form of government. It threatens to give shape to the legislation, both State and National, of the entire country. I f this evil should not be checked, and measures not taken to prevent the continued enormous growth of riches among the class already rich, and the painful increase of destitution and want among the poor, the nation is likely to be overtaken by disaster; for, according to history, such a tendency among nations once powerful was the sure precursor of ruin. The evidence of the restiveness of the people under this condition of affairs in our times is witnessed in the formation of societies of grangers, of patrons of husbandry, trades' unions, etc., etc., combinations of the productive and working classes against capital. Years ago it was perceived that we Latter-day Saints were open to the same dangers as those which beset the rest of the world. A condition of affairs existed among us which was favorable to the growth of riches in the hands of a few at the expense of many. A wealthy class was being rapidly formed in our midst whose interest, in the course of time, were likely to be diverse from those of the rest of the community. The growth of such a class was dangerous to our union; and, of all people, we stand most in need of union and to have our interests identical. Then it was that the Saints were counselled to enter into co-operation. In the absence of the necessary faith to enter upon a more perfect order revealed by the Lord unto the Church, this was felt to be the best means of drawing us together and making us one. Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution was organized; and throughout the Territory, the mercantile business of the various Wards and Settlements was organized after that pattern. Not only was the mercantile business thus organized, but in various places branches established upon this basis. Today, therefore, cooperation among us is no untried experiment. It has been tested, and under proper

APPENDIX

A

management, its results have been most gratifying and fully equal to all that was expected of it, though many attempts have been made to disparage and decry it, to destroy confidence of the people in it and to have it prove a failure. F r o m the day that Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution was organized until this day it has had a formidable and combined opposition to contend with, and the most base and unscrupulous methods have been adopted, by those who have no interest f o r the welfare of the people, to destroy its credit. Without alluding to the private assaults upon its credit which have been made by those who felt that it was in their way and who wished to ruin it, the perusal alone of the telegraphic dispatches and correspondence to newspapers which became public, would exhibit how unparalleled, in the history of mercantile enterprises has been the hostility it has had to encounter. That it has lived, notwithstanding these bitter and malignant attacks upon it and its credit, is one of the most valuable proofs of the practical worth of cooperation to us as a people. U p to this day Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution has had no note go to protest; no firm, by dealing with it, has ever lost a dollar; its business transactions have been satisfactory to its creditors; and yet its purchases have amounted to fifteen millions of dollars. What firm in all this broad land can point to a brighter and more honorable record than this ? During the first four years and a half of its existence it paid to its stockholders a dividend in cash of 7 8 % , and 5 2 % as a reserve to be added to the capital stock, making in all a dividend of one hundred and thirty per-cent. The Institution declared as dividends, and reserve added to the capital stock, and tithing, during those four and a half years, upward of half a million of dollars. S o that the stockholder who invested one thousand dollars in the Institution in March, 1869, had by October 1st, 1873, that stock increased to $ 1 , 6 1 7 . 0 0 and this without counting his cash dividends, which in the same space of time would have amounted to $ 1 , 3 7 8 . 5 0 : In other words, a stockholder who had deposited $1000.00 in the institution when it started, could have sold, in four years and a half afterwards, stock to the amount of $ 1 , 7 0 0 , collected divi-

132

APPENDIX

A

dends to the mount of $ 1 , 3 7 8 . 5 0 thus making actual profits of $ I . 9 9 5 - S ° . or within a fraction ( $ 4 . 5 0 ) of 2 0 0 % upon the original investment, and still have had his $1000.00 left intact. This is a statement from the books of the Institution, and realized by hundreds of its stockholders. A n d yet there are those who decry co-operation and say it will not succeed. If success consists in paying large dividends, then it cannot be said Z. C. M . I. has not succeeded. In fact, the chief cause of trouble has been, it has paid too freely and too well. Its reserves should not have been added, as they were, to the capital stock; f o r by doing so, at the next semi-annual declaration of dividends a dividend was declared upon them, which as will be perceived, swelled the dividends enormously and kept the Institution stripped too bare of resources to meet whatever contingencies might arise. It was not f o r the purpose alone, however, of making money, of declaring large dividends, that Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution was established. A higher object than this prompted its organization. A union of interests was sought to be attained. A t the time co-operation was entered upon the Latter-day Saints were acting in utter disregard of the principles of self-preservation. They were encouraging the growth of evils in their own midst which they condemned as the worst features of the systems from which they had been gathered. L a r g e profits were being concentrated in comparatively f e w hands, instead of being generally distributed among the people. A s a consequence, the community was being rapidly divided into classes, and the hateful and unhappy distinctions which the possession and lack of wealth give rise to, were becoming painfully apparent. When the proposition to organize Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution was broached, it was hoped that the community at large would become its stockholders; f o r if a f e w individuals only were to own its stock, the advantages to the community would be limited. The people, therefore, were urged to take shares, and large numbers responded to the appeal. A s we have shown, the business proved to be as successful as its most sanguine friends anticipated. But the dis-

APPENDIX A

133

tribution of profits among the community was not the only benefit conferred by the organization of co-operation among us. The public at large who did not buy at its stores derived profits in that the old practice of dealing which prompted trades to increase the price of an article because of its scarcity, was abandoned. Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution declined to be a party to making a corner upon any article of merchandise because of the limited supply in the market. From its organization until the present it has never advanced the price of any article because of its scarcity. Goods therefore in this Territory have been sold at something like fixed rates and reasonable profits since the Institution has had an existence, and practices which are deemed legitimate in some parts of the trading world, and by which, in this Territory, the necessities of consumers were taken advantage of—as, for instance, the selling of sugar at a dollar a pound, and domestics, coffee, tobacco and other articles at an enormous advance over the original cost because of their scarcity here—have not been indulged in. In this result the purchasers of goods who have been opposed to cooperation have shared equally with its patrons. W e appeal to the experience of every old settler in this Territory for the truth of what is here stated. They must vividly remember that goods were sold here at prices which the necessities of the people compelled them to pay, and not at cost and transportation, with the addition of a reasonable profit. The railroad, it is true, has made great changes in our method of doing business. But let a blockage occur, and the supply of some necessary article be very limited in our market, can we suppose that traders have so changed in the lapse of a few years that, if there were no check upon them they would not put up the price of that article in proportion as the necessities of the people made it desirable. They would be untrue to all the training and traditions of their craft if they did not. And it is because this craft is in danger that such an outcry is made against co-operation. Can any one wonder that it should be so, when he remembers that, from the days of Demetrius who made silver shrines for the goddess Diana at Ephesus down to

134

APPENDIX

A

our own times, members of crafts have made constant war upon innovations that were likely to injure their business. Co-operation has submitted in silence to a great many attacks. Its friends have been content to let it endure the ordeal. But it is now time to speak. T h e Latter-day Saints should understand that it is our duty to sustain co-operation and to do all in our power to make it a success. At a meeting of the stockholders of the Institution at the time of the General Conference a committee of seventeen was chosen to select and arrange for the purchase of a suitable piece of ground for a store and to proceed to erect upon it such a fireproof building as would answer the purposes of the Institution. The objects in view in this proceeding were to concentrate the business and thereby lessen the cost of handling and disposing of the goods and to decrease rents and insurance. T h e saving in these directions alone, not to mention other advantages which must result from having such a store, will make a not inconsiderable dividend upon the stock. A suitable piece of ground has been secured, and upon terms which are deemed advantageous, and steps have been taken towards the erection of a proper building. But the Institution, to erect this building and carry on its business properly, needs more capital. T h e determination is still to sell goods as low as possible. B y turning over the capital three or four times during the year they can be sold at very low figures, and at but a slight advance over the cost and carriage, and yet the stockholders have a handsome dividend. T o purchase goods to the greatest advantage the Institution should have the money with which to purchase of first hands. T o effect this important result, as well as to unite in our mercantile affairs, the Institution should receive the cordial support of every Latterday Saint. Every one who can should take stock in it. B y sustaining the Co-operative Institution, and taking stock in it, profits that would otherwise go to a few individuals will be distributed among many hundreds. Stockholders should interest themselves in the business of the Institution. It is their own, and if suggestions are needed, or any corrections ought to be made, it is to their interest to make them.

APPENDIX

A

135

The Institution has opened a retail store within a few weeks past, one of the old-fashioned kind, in which everything required by the public is sold. This should receive the patronage of all the well wishers of co-operation. In the settlements, also, the local co-operative stores should have the cordiial support of the Latter-day Saints. Does not all our history impress upon us the great truth that in union is strength. Without it, what power would the Latter-day Saints have? But it is not in doctrines alone that we should be united, but in practice and especially in our business affairs. Your Brethren, Brigham Young Daniel H. Wells Wilford Woodruff Orson Pratt Lorenzo Snow Franklin D. Richards Brigham Young, Jr.

George A. Smith John Taylor Orson Hyde Charles C. Rich Erastus Snow George Q. Cannon Albert Carrington.

APPENDIX

B

T H E PREAMBLE AND ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT OP THE U N I T E D ORDER OF THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE

1

Realizing the signs and spirit of the times and from the results of our past experience, the necessity of a closer union and combination of our labor for the promotion of our common welfare: And whereas: — we have learned of the struggle between capital and labor—resulting in strikes of the workmen, with their consequent distress; and also the oppression of monied monopolies. And whereas:—there is a growing distruct and faithlessness among men in the political and business relations of life, as well as a spirit for extravagant speculation and over-reaching the legitimate bounds of the credit system; resulting in financial panics and bankruptcy, paralyzing industry, thereby making many of the necessities and conveniences of life precarious and uncertain. And whereas:—our past experience has proven that, to be the friends of God we must become the friends and helpers of each other, in a common bond and brotherhood. And whereas:—to accomplish such a desirable end and to become truly prosperous, we must be self-sustaining, encouraging home manufacturing, producing cotton, wool, and other raw materials; and not only supply our own wants with manufactured goods, but also have some to spare for exportation, and by these means create a fund for a sure basis upon which to do all our business. 1

These statements were copied from the original which is on file in the Temple at St. George. In some places the wording was illegible. 136

APPENDIX

B

'37

And whereas:—we believe that by a proper classification of our labors and energies, with a due regard to the laws of life and health, we will not only increase in earthly possessions, at a more rapid rate, but will also have more leisure time to devote to the cultivation and training of our minds and those of our children in the arts and sciences. And whereas:—at the present time, we rely too much upon importation for a large share of our clothing and other necessities; and also bring from abroad many articles of luxury of but little value, for which we pay our money, most of which articles could be dispensed with. And whereas:—we believe that the beauty of our garments should be the workmanship of our own hands, and that we should practice more diligently economy, temperance, frugality, and the simple grandeur of manners that belong to the pure in heart. And whereas:—we are desirous of avoiding the difficulties above alluded to, and feeling the necessity of becoming a self-sustaining community, fully realizing that we live in perilous times, socially, morally, politically, and commercially. Therefore, be it resolved:—That we, the undersigned, being residents of the places set opposite our respective names, do hereby, of our own free will and choice, and without mental reservation, or purpose of evasion, and also without any undue influence, constraining or coercion having been used by any party whatever, to direct and guide us in this action,—mutually agree, each with the others, and with our associates and successors, to enter into and form a co-partnership for the purposes and subject to the provisions as herein set forth, viz:— Article i. The name and style of this co-partnership shall be the United Order of the City of St. George. Article 2. The objects of this Order are to carry on a general business of farming, manufacturing, merchandising, fruit growing, stock raising, dairying, and as many other pursuits as will tend to the material prosperity of the Order. Article 3. The principal place of business shall be at the City of St. George, but other places may be selected by the Board of

138

APPENDIX

B

Management, for carrying on the different branches of the business of the Order. Article 4. The officers of this Order shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, two Assistant Secretaries, one Treasurer and three directors, who shall form a Board of Management to do business for the Order. They shall be members of the Order and be elected by a vote of two thirds of the whole number of members; they shall hold their office during good behavior, or at the pleasure of the members of the Order. Article 5. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the members and of the Board. In case of absence or disability of the President either of the Vice-Presidents may perform the duties of the President. The President shall call meetings (dim writing, perhaps, of the directors and the members . . . whenever the business of the Order requires . . . ) Article 6. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Board to keep the account books of the Order (next line too dim). In all these duties the Secretary shall be assisted by the Assistant Secretaries. The Board shall appoint a corresponding secretary if the business of the Board demands it. Article 7. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to (too dim) . . . properly belonging to the Order committed to his charge. He shall employ or disburse the same on orders from the Secretary, or, as the Board may direct. He shall also furnish a true and correct statement of all money and other property received, disbursed, and on hand, to the Board of Management, whenever required. Article 8. The Board of Management shall have power to call to their assistance such help as may be required for carrying on successfully the business of the Order. Article 9. All property offered for investment in the Order shall be appraised by a committee elected by the members of the Order; who shall report their labors to the Secretary, whose duty it shall be to credit as capital stock the property invested by each individual, as valued by the committee. Said committee shall also fix upon the price of labor, and all individual services rendered.

APPENDIX

B

139

Article 16. There shall be a foreman elected, over each branch of business whose duty it shall be to superintend and manage the business entrusted to his care; he shall give credit for all labor performed by each member of his department; and charge said members with all they may draw. Said foreman shall report their accounts to the Secretary as often as it shall be deemed necessary by him; or as required by the Board. Article 11. There shall be a meeting of the members of the Order in the City of St. George, on the first Monday of February in each year, at which time this Board of Management shall furnish an annual report of the business of the Order. A t such meetings, the officers of the Order shall be presented for approval or disapproval by the members, and shall be continued in office if sustained by a two-thirds vote of all the members of the Order. Provided: that, if through disability, any member is unable to attend, he may have the right to state by letter, whom he wishes to vote for, or vote by proxy. The Board shall have power to enact by-laws for the general management and direction of the Order, which by-laws shall be presented to the members at the annual meeting, and when approved by a two-thirds vote of all the members of the Order, shall become as binding upon them as these Articles of Agreement. The Board shall also have full power to buy real estate and to buy and sell personal property and products, and all other business consistent with . . . (line missing). Article 12. W e hereby agree to place in this Order,—fully and entirely subject to these Articles of Agreement and all by-laws approved by the members, as above specified,—all our time, labor, energy, and ability; and such property as we may feel disposed to transfer to the Order, to be controlled in the interest of the Order, as may be deemed best by the Board of Management. Article 13. A t the end of five years after the organization of this Order, the Board of Management shall cause an inventory to be taken of all the properties of the Order, and make a general settlement of the business during the said five years, and compute a dividend of gains on the capital stock of the

140

APPENDIX

B

Order. Which dividend shall be credited to each individual member in proportion to the capital stock invested by him, or her, and the time of such investment. A t the end of every subsequent five years, a similar settlement of accounts shall be made; and dividends credited to individuals as above provided for. Should any of us who are subscribers to this instrument, choose to entirely withdraw from the order, at, or before, the end of the fifth year from the organization of this Order we hereby agree to accept, one half of the capital stock, and one half of the dividend, credited us as above provided, as full compensation, for all our claims of whatsoever nature or kind, and for all services rendered. Should any of us choose to withdraw during any subsequent term of five years, we will accept the above mentioned rate of percentage in full for our claims. And we hereby declare it to be our full belief, that, by uniting our labor and energies we shall receive such an increased profit beyond what we would be able to obtain by individual exertion, that we are willing to take the above named fifty per-cent of capital and dividend placed to our credit, as a just and equitable proportion of all our claims against the Order, in the event of our desiring to separate ourselves from said Order. Article 14. W e will not assume the payment of any individual's debts, contracted previous to his, or her, uniting with the Order, unless property be furnished the Order to enable the Board to cancel such indebtedness; and we will not become responsible for the payment of any debt that will be contracted hereafter by any individual member, unless said debt be contracted with consent of the Board. Article 15. W e further agree to encourage home manufacture to the fullest extent of our ability—to produce wool, and other raw materials; and to cease the importing and using of any foreign merchandise which can be reasonably dispensed with. And that we will not patronize in our business relations those who are not members of the Order, unless absolutely compelled by our necessities. Article id. W e also agree to be temperate, economical and frugal in our food and drink, avoiding as much as possible, the use of imported luxuries.

APPENDIX

B

141

Article 17. In our dress, we desire to be plain and neat, and, as much as possible, wish to be clothed in the workmanship of our own hands. W e deprecate foolish and extravagant fashions; and while we have a due appreciation of neatness and beauty, we believe it ruinous to our interest to copy after extravagance, and to be forever changing in style of apparel at a great unnecessary expense. Article 18. W e further agree to be energetic, industrious and faithful in the management of all business entrusted to us; and to abstain from all selfish motives and actions, as much as lies in our power. W e desire to seek the interest and welfare of each other; and to promote the special good of the Order and the general welfare of all mankind.

APPENDIX

C

T H E A R T I C L E S OF AGREEMENT OF T H E U N I T E D ORDER AS ESTABLISHED IN

BUNKERVILLE1

Art. I.... This company shall be known as the Bunkerville United Order. Art. 2.... T h e officers shall consist of a President, two Counsellors, and a Secretary-Treasurer to be elected by members of the company. Art. 3.... N o person shall be received as a member of the company except they put themselves and all they possess; that there shall be no conflicting interests outside the order. Art. 4.... A l l property shall be appraised and entered upon books as capital stock and then shall be turned over to the members in joint stewardships, or otherwise, as may be for the best interests of the company. Art. 5 . . . . N o person shall be received as a member without the mutual consent of the company. Art. 6.... A t the end of each ensuing year all the property handled by the members of the company shall be appraised by the appraisers to ascertain how much the property has decreased in value by usage, and to appraise all improvements thereon, that they may be credited with same upon the company books. Art. 7 . . . . There shall be a committee of four or more appointed with power to appraise all property and to say how much of it each member or stewardship shall have to use and say whether they shall have all or part of the increase of said property placed to their credit. Said committee shall advise with the company in all matters of importance. 1 The rules were signed by 44 members. Paper on Bunkerville by Juanita Pulsipher, copied from the original on file in the Temple of St. George.

142

APPENDIX

C

143

Art. 8 All increase of any general property owned by the company shall be held as fund to balance any losses that may occur; or be divided among the members of the company as may be for the interest of the whole. Art. 9 A n y member wishing to draw out may do so a f t e r bearing an equal portion of the losses of the company. They may draw their capital stock and an equal part of the increase of the company, according to the labor performed during the time they were connected with the company, which shall be designated by the appraisers. Art. 10.... T h e company shall have the right to expell any member for non-compliance with the rules or f o r disorderly conduct or a failure to perform the duties and responsibilities placed upon him by the company, and they shall be settled with as specified in Articles io, 12, and 14. Art. / / . . . . N o individual drawing out or being expelled f r o m the company shall have the right to claim any real estate or improvements made thereon, but shall be paid in produce and stock as specified by the appraisers. If the appraisers and party shall fail to agree it shall be appealed to the whole company. Art. 12.... A n y person drawing out shall not have a full settlement until the books are settled at the end of the year. Art. 13 All business of importance shall be done by mutual consent of the company. Art. 14.... N o member shall be allowed to contract without the consent of the company. Art. 15.... The officers of this company shall be elected during the month of January of each ensuing year at the place designated by the president. Art. i ( 5 . . . . The above rules may be altered or amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any meeting when notice has been given. Art. iy.... We, the undersigned, do individually and unitedly covenant and agree to sustain and abide by the above rules in spirit and meaning.

BIBLIOGRAPHY P U B L I S H E D BOOKS A N D

WORKS

Anderson, Edward H., Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Doy Saints, Chicago (not d a t e d ) . Arbaugh, George B., Revelation in Mormonism, Chicago, 1932. Bancroft, H u b e r t H., History of Utah, San Francisco, 1889. Bonwick, James, Mormons and the Silver Mines, London, 1872. Brough, Charles H., Irrigation in Utah, Baltimore, 1898. Cowley, Matthias F., Wilford Woodruff, Salt Lake City, 1909. Creed, L. H., " Mormonism," The Encyclopaedia of the Social Sciences, New York, 1933, vol. xi, pp. 14-17. Dixon, William H., White Conquest, London, 1876. Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, 1886. Ely, Richard T., " Economic Aspects of Mormonism," Harpers Magasine, vol. cvi, April, 1903, pp. 667-668. Erickson, E . E., The Psychological and Ethical Aspects of Mormon Group Life, Chicago, 1923. Gardner, Hamilton, " Cooperation Among the Mormons," Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. xxxi, May, 1917, pp. 461-499. , " Communism Among the Mormons," Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. xxxvii, November, 1922, pp. 134-174. Gates, Susa Young, and Widstoe, Leah D., Life Story of Brigham Young, New York, 1930. Geddes, Joseph A., The United Order Among the Mormons, N e w York, 1919Gunnison, John W., The Mormons or Latter-day Saints in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, Philadelphia, 1857. Hyde, John, Mormonism, New York, 1857. Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology, Salt Lake City, 1914. Journal of Discourses, Salt Lake City, 1854-1885. Kauffman, Ruth and Reginald W r i g h t , The Latter-day Saints, London, 1912. L a Rue, William Earl, The Foundations of Mormonism, New York, 1919. Liim, William A., Story of the Mormons, New York, 1902. Linton, William James, Times and Seasons, Hamden, Conn., 1894. Lum, Dyer D., Social Problems of To-day, P o r t Jervis, N. Y., 1886. McClintock, James H., Mormon Settlement in Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, 1921. 144

BIBLIOGRAPHY

145

Pratt, Parley P., The Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, Chicago, 1888. , Late Persecution of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, New York, 1840. Roberts, Brigham H., Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, 1930. , Life of John Taylor, Salt Lake City, 1892. Robinson, Phil., Sinners and Saints, Boston, 1883. Smith, Eliza R. S., Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow, Salt Lake City, 1884. Snowden, James H., Truth About Mormonism, Philadelphia, 1926. Stenhouse, Thomas B. H., The Rocky Mountain Saints, London, 1894. Talmage, James E., Story of Mormonism, Salt Lake City, 1914. Tullidge, Edward W., History of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City, 1886. , Life of Brigham Young, New York, 1876. Utah (Territory) Legislative Assembly Journal, 1876. Webb, Robert C., Real Mormonism, New York, 1916. Werner, M. R., Brigham Young, New Y o r k , 1925. Whitney, Orson F., History of Utah, Salt Lake City, 1892-1904, 4 vols. , Life of Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City, 1888. UNPUBLISHED

MATERIAL

Anderson, Nels, Dixie, a Mormon Frontier. Bleak, James G., Books B and C, 3 vols. Fish Hour, a diary. High Council Records of St. George. Huntsman's Journal, a diary. Minutes of the Lesser Priesthood of St. George. Reminiscences of Zadock K. Judd. Walker's Journal, a diary. Woodbury, Angus, The United Order, 30 p.

INDEX American Fork, 63 Andrus, Milo, Si, 60, 106 Articles of Agreement, 53, 65 Beaver, 60, 61 Belle view, 60 Bishop's Storehouse, 11, 16 Boggs, L. W., 21 Book of Mormon, 44 Brigham City, 34, 46, 67, 83, 92, 98, 132 Bunkerville, 86 Caldwell County, 20 Cannon, Angus M., 51, 60 Cannon, George Q., 58, 6o, 80, 98, i n . US Cedar City, 60, 69 Center stake, 65 Center Stake of Zion, 47, 49 Central Board of the United Order, 12 Central Stake Board, 6o, 63 Christensen, L. P., 108 Church, T h e Mormon, 9-11, 17, 18, 21, 22. 26, 28, 31, 38, 39, 43, 47, 67. i l l , 122 G a r k s t o n , 66 Colonization, 26 Communism, 58 Consecration, 10, 14, 16, 18, 44, 57 " C o - p a r t n e r s h i p " , 54 Council Bluffs, 23 Dixie, 25, 32, 56 Doctrine and Covenants, 13, 16

io,

it,

Ephraim, 66 Fairview, 66 Fillmore, 60 F i r s t United O r d e r , 10-19, 68, 121 Ford, Governor of Illinois, 22 Fountain Green, 66

Gardner, Robert, 52 Gentiles, 37, 39, 43, 68-69, 71 Glendale, 51 Glenwood, 109 Gold, 29, 33 Harmony, 96 H a r r i s , Martin, 18 Harrisburg, 52 Heberville Bottoms, 51 Hebron, 51 Holden, 60 Hooper, W . H „ 69, 70 Huntsman, 93 Idaho, 66 Immigration, 14 Independence, 10, 14, 15, 17 Irrigation, 25 Jackson, Mo., 16, 20, 47, 49, S7 Jennings, William, 38, 69 Johnson, 51 Kanab, 51, n o K a n a r r a , 60 Kanosh, 60 Kimball, Heber, 23, 26 Kingston, 87-88 Kirkland, 10, 14 Leeds, 52 Lehi, 63 Literary Firm, 14-15 McKenzie, David, 65 Malad, 66 Manti, 66 Mantua, 66 Marriage, 28 Merchants, 37 Mexican W a r , 33 Mining, 37 Moroni, 66 Morristown, 51

147

148

INDEX

Mt. Carmel, 51, 96 Mount Pleasant, 66

Smith, Hyrum, 22 Smith, Joseph, 9, 12, 15, 17, 22, 23,

Nauvoo, 10, 21 Nephi, 60 Nephites, 44 New Harmony, 60 Nuttal, S. J., n o

Smoot, A. O., 63 Snow, Erastus, 49, 51, 57, 59, 60, 63, 64, 67, 70-71. 81, 98, IIO, III Snow, Lorenzo, 34, 46, 63, 66, 83,

Ogden, 30, 63 Order of Enoch; see United Order Orderville, 73, 88, 113 Overland Telegraph Line, 30 Owen, Robert, 9

25, 27, 28, 47, 55, 57, 64, 118

h i , 122

Spanish Fork, 63 Spencer, Bishop, 89-90 Spring City, 66 Stake, 42, 47, 56, 65 S t a t e h o o d , 33-34

Stewardship, 11-15, 18,98

Panaca, 51, 96 Panic of 1873, 47, 58, 119 Paragonah, 60 Paris, 51 Parowan, 60, 62 Payson, 60 Perpetual Immigration Fund, 28 Pine Valley, 51, 96 Pinto, si, 96 Plain City, 63 Pleasant Grove, 63 Polygamy, 28 Pratt, Orson, 31, 43, 66, 67 Preamble, 53, 57, 6s Price City, 95, 96, 106 Printing Concern, 14 Provo, 50, 63

Virgin City, 51

Railroad, 30, 37 Rebaptism, 97, 126 Relief Society Sisters, 52 Richfield, 66, 91, 96

Walker Brothers, 39 Washington, 51, 96 Wells, D. H., 63, 65. 67, 78 Woodruff, Wilford, 46, 63, 66

Rockville, 51-52, 96 St. G e o r g e , 48, 55, 60-64, 72, 76-83, 100-107

Salt Lake City, 26, 30-31, 63, 66, 70 Sanpete, 66 Scipio, 60 Second United Order, 10, 11, 25, 49-117, 121 Sevier, 66, 92 Shunesberg, 52 Smith, George A., 51, 55, 60, 63, 64, 65, 67, 78

Taylor, John, 63. 112 Telegraph, 30 Temples, 46 Territorial legislature, 29 Territory of Utah, 34 Tithing, 10, 44, 79 Toquerville, 51, 60, 96 Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 29 Union Pacific Railroad, 30 United Firm, 14 United Order, 9, 10, 33, 36, 40, 42, 44-48; sec First United Order; Second United Order

Young, Brigham, 10, 18, 22-24, 27» 28, 30, 32, 33. 34, 36-43, 46-55. 59-68, 71, 78, 95-96, 99. 101, 105, i l l , 123, 125, 128

Young, Jr., Brigham, 66 Young, Joseph A., 63, 91, 123

Zion, 14, 19, 25, 28, 46, 57. 126 Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution, 38, 42, 59, 70, 119