The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-12-13
THE POLYGAMY PROBLEM.
The Various Plans for Solving it.
Bob IngersOn Recommended.

front again. Once more the polyg
amy problem demands a solution
Once more the polygamy problem
is going to be solved by that grea
solver of great problems, the ma
tional congress.
The polygamy problem has beer
solved many times. It was solved
by congressional enactment more
than twenty years ago. But upoI
the meeting of the next congress:
the polygamy problem came in anC
demanded a solution. Congress pro
ceeded again to solve the polygamy
problem. And the pOlygamy prob.
lem, like the inevitable Monsieur
Tonson, comeback again demanding
a solution.
Seeing that the legislative solu
tions OF the polygamy problem did
not prevent that problem from per.
ennially turning up again, Grant
| (presidenD took the problem in
hand and resolved to solve
it himself, by proxy. In.
stead of recommending tC
congress a new legislative solution,
he sent Parson Newman to Utah to
solve the polygamy problem by
preaching to the MormOns against
their celestial marriage system
Grant reasoned, probably, that if
anything conld stop the practice OF
| polygamy the eioquence of that TO.
bust polemic could do it. The par
son carried the Bible in one hand
and the power of ecclesiastical argu-
ment in the other. The Mormon
elders met him fairly on his own
ground. armed with his own weap-
ons. The pOlemical combat W hich
ensued made some noise at the time,
but it was the general judgment of
an impartial public opinion that the
parsOn who went to Utah as Grants
agent to settle the poIygamy guess
ton came back WorSted in a combat
which he had chosen to make on the
basis of the Old Testament writings.
On the authority of that divinely-
inspired book the Utah Saints had
the best of the argument, and came
out OF the debate with flying coloTs
The polygamy problem still de-
manded attention.
Congress proceeded to solve the
polygamy problem some more. The
frequency Of the solution was as
tonishing, considering the au-
nouncement preceding every mea-
sure of solution that it was going
to do the job so effectively and con-
clusively that the polygamy prob
lem would not demand solution any
more.
One of the most certainly effect
i've solutions in the series was the
EdmundS solution of the pOlygamy
problem. 1t was an elaborate and
costly remedy; but it was warrant
ed to cure, especially as its applica-
ton would be superintende1 per-
sonally by three notable oliticians
appointed expressly for that pur-
pose. But now, Immediately fol-
lowing the application of that eff
fectlve solvent of the polygamy
problem, that problem steps to the
front demanding more solution
And Mr.. Edmunds comes forward
smiling with another legislative
project, warranted to solve that
ever-present paoblem.
The new Edmunds solvent has no
more merit than the old one. It'll
would have no greater effect. No |
sooner should the polygamy PROC /!
lem be solved by it than the polyg-i
amy problem would again step up
and demand solution.
The President, also, has recon-
mended a new scheme for the solu-
ton of the polygamy problem. I'll
differs from Grants plan of send
ing preacher who breaches the
heavenly inspiration and authority |
of the Old Testament to preach
against the celestial marriage sys-
tenn of which that book is the
strongest basis and bulWark. It'll
also puts aside the more promisingl
plan of sending Mr.. Robert G.
Ingersoll, who does not believe that |
book was written under heavenly |
to preach against the
who do believe it. 1t i
Is simply another project for solving
the polygamy problem by the legis-
lative method. 1t has the usual |
recommendation Of all the preced>
ing solutions of that sort. sit is
the heroic remedy" says one true
believer. 1t is plan Of s'digging
up by the roots" It is laying the |
knife to the very root of the can
cerp
What is that wonderful plan
Simply proposition to abolish the
present civil government o. Utah
and replace it by civil government
of commissioners appointed by the |
president to administer ip Utah the
laws Of Congress.
POlygamous Mormons do not seem |
to regard the presidential plan of
solving the polygamy problem as an
''heroic remedy" of that amazing
efficacy which some persons who arr
not Saints impute 10 it. A Mormon
paper says very nationally: at is not
shown in what way the destruction
of our local government would affect
the question Of poIygamy. Plural
not recognized by terri
torial laws could not be dissolved
by commissions, by edicts, By
nor by any other earthly
power" Why? Because they are
coclesiastIcal DaYnatI1a1 etarna1 nm