Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-01-01
The PLANTING Sin Of Utah
Philadelphia Times,

The ladies of Salt Lake City who
held the anti-poly igamy meeting early
in November have sent ont copies OF
their address, accompanied by pet-
ton, which they propose shall be gen
orally signed by American women,
asking congress for "such legislation as
Will make effective the anti-polygamy
law of 1862" This is a petition most
righteous; whether it is universally
signed or not it expresses the demand
of every pure-minded and selfrespect-
ing women in the republic. and must
have the support, as well, of every
man who appreciates the dlsgracetul
stigma fastened upon our civilization by
tie polygamous system. 1t may be
difficult and doubtless is so, to find the
precise method that will make effective
the laws passed sixteen years ago against
it, but while yet the evil is com1ara-
lively limited in is proportion Is the
time to strike it earnestly and declsively.
The fact that the Mormon leaders have
not chosen to draw ligature around
polygamy rs it existed when the law
was passed--that instead of circum-
scribing the Infamous system and allow
ing what already existed to decay they
have deliberately and Systematically
sought to spread and perpetuate it's
an insult not only to the laws and
judicial processes Ofthe country, but to
the moral sense Of Its whole people.
They, regretting the severe and douot-
less unjust treatment which had been
inflicted upon the Mormons in Illinois
and Missouri. and approaching the for
titude and industry which We're dis
PLAYED in the reclamation of the Salt
Lake valleys, were disposed to be toler-
ant of the plural marriages" that had
already been formed, but they never
presumed for moment that the heads
Of the SO.called Church would continue
to Aaunt their infamous system in the
face alike of legal prohibition and pub
lie condemnation.
True it is, however, that polygamy
tolerated, though always condemned,
expressly fobidden by the statutes of
congress since 1862, has been preached
openly in Utah, as religious principle
revealed from on high, and has been
persrStentlv and steadily propagated.
At this very time the delegate who sits
in congress from Utah is polygamist,
whose cohabitatiou with four or more
women is perfectly well known. His
predec, ssor had been, though Nor
mon, married to one wife only, and it
was apparently an increase III the au-
dacity of the Utah nullihers that
prompted them to send to the very
body whose laws they detied one Of the
most conspicuous members of their
outlaw organization. Mr.. Cannon may
be in all other respects tit to sit IN con-
gress, but the facts chat he represents o
polygamous system and is himself n
polygamist should long ago have bought
him to the bar of outraged law. Public
opinion itself has been much too lenient
with his individual otlense, and now
that the subject Is brought up It is quite
tit chat there should be Il most distinct
and emphatic expression rs TO polyga-
my in general and upon such Instances
of its defiant practice rs his conduct
presents Anticipating no such con-
tiuuance in pracuce at once SMUT
and criminal, the American people had
hoped 70 see natural influences sweep
away what remained OF polygamy, but
they are sharply confronted with evil
dence that il was never more iul OF