Political Aspects of Mormonism
- Title:
- Political Aspects of Mormonism
- Alternate Title:
- Political Aspects of Mormonism
- Collection:
- Persuasive Maps: PJ Mode Collection
- Creator:
- Upham, J.B.
- Date:
- 1899
- Date 2:
- 2024-04-25
- ID Number:
- 2374.01
- File Name:
- PJM_2374_01.jpg
- Style/Period:
- 1870 - 1899
- Subject:
- Religion
Bias
Pictorial - Measurement:
- 4 x 6.5 on page 15 x 9 (centimeters, height x width)
- Notes:
- This map shows an octopus whose tentacles envelop the states of Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. It is the cover illustration of “Political Aspects of Mormonism,” by Rev. Josiah Strong, one of a series of at least seven anti-Mormon pamphlets published by the League for Social Justice which he founded at the end of the 19th century.
This pamphlet is directed primarily at the Mormon view of “the divine authority of the priesthood,” which Strong attacks as a “source of evils of all sorts,” resulting in “ecclesiastical despotism.” p.5. “Thus the fundamental doctrine of the Mormon Church brings it into necessary conflict with republican institutions, destroys liberty and reduces its victims to a double slavery - religious and political.” pp. 7-8. Strong also criticizes the expansionist “designs” of the Church, quoting an earlier Bishop’s statement that “We look forward with perfect confidence to the day when we will hold the reins of the United States government.” p. 8.
Josiah Strong was a prominent evangelical Protestant leader at the turn of the 20th century. Strong’s views are difficult to reconcile when viewed through the lens of today’s cultural norms. On the one hand, he believed fervently in the superiority of “the Anglo-Saxon race” and was aggressively hostile not only to Mormonism, but to Catholicism. He was opposed to immigration - particularly to the immigration of Catholics - but happy to make exception for Anglo Saxons. And his best-known work was a racial justification of American imperialism in the Philippines. See generally Berge 1973.
On the other hand, Strong was committed to addressing the problems of the cities, including education, political corruption, sanitation, the concentration of wealth and labor conditions. He supported labor arbitration and profit sharing. He advocated for the organization of reform groups, as well as adoption of the popular initiative, referendum and recall, all supported by the collection and distribution of sociological data to inform the public. His personal friends included icons of the Progressive Movement like Rabbi Stephen S. Wise and Theodore Roosevelt. Muller 1959, 183, 185, 189, 194, 197. Jane Addams sat on the Advisory Council of his League for Social Justice.
This image appeared on a series of maps published by various organizations from about 1898 into the 1920s. Jeter 2013. It appears that the creator was one J.B. Upham. Ibid. The date of this pamphlet is estimated, based on the inclusion in it of correspondence from December 27, 1898.
The octopus is a persistent trope in persuasive cartography. It first appeared in Frederick Rose's "Serio-Comic War Map For The Year 1877," ID #2272, about the Russo-Turkish War. "Once Fred W. Rose had created the 'Octopus' map of Europe, it proved difficult to rid propaganda maps of them." Barber 2010, 164. "The prevalence of the octopus motif in later maps suggests that the octopus also spoke to humanity's primeval fears, evoking a terrifying and mysterious creature from the depths (the dark outer places of the world) that convincingly conjured a sense of limitless evil." Baynton-Williams 2015, 180.
The collection includes numerous maps - from Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Latin America, the Netherlands and the U.S. - employing the octopus motif. (Search > “octopus”.) Many of these relate to imperialism and war, from 1877 to the Cold War. Others attack social and political targets, including a "reactionary" journalist, the Standard Oil monopoly, “Landlordism,” mail order houses, Jews and Mormons.
Cornell University Library is pleased to present this digital collection of Persuasive Maps, the originals of which have been collected and described by the private collector PJ Mode. The descriptive information in the “Collector’s Notes” has been supplied by Mr. Mode and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cornell University. - Source:
- Strong, Josiah. [1899]. Political Aspects of Mormonism. New York: League for Social Service, Series D - Anti-Mormon, No. D-5.
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- For important information about copyright and use, see http://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/copyright.