The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-29

rot orly to marry but TO Deget children.
Our families are very large. Instead of Que
or two or three children as 10 the case OF the
East. il is not unusual for orr families.
where there is but one wife, 10 consist Of
ten or twelve children. Marrisgs Is co7sii-
srsd one of the religious dQtiAs. and thu
rearing of children the same. There is no
infsntici6e among rs, in any form or stsse;
DO matter how rarely. 1t Is considered mar
der. The result is that We have q very rapid
increase IN population"
and do all who are soDs and daughters
OF NormoDs become Mormons themselves2'
Not all, but a very large proportion.
There are occasional cases where they do no;
there are cases where those who accept tue
Mormon faith renounce IL, but they are
few"
"They have that privilege without re-.
stTaint?"
Certainly" he said. with au amused
smile. They are IS free IS anybody in this
country they do az they like in these mat.
ters. Take my own case, for instance. |
was rot reared a Mormon. | went there FROM
New York City over thirty years ago, having
excepted TIE Mormon faith after an exanin-
alton in NeN York. l have always had psr
feet freedom OF speech and thought. and have
reyer had any restraint about speaking my
nil q. even TO Brigham Youug himself, for
l was much with him in his lifetime"
What DO you think OF the published
Et1lEltlFDtS = lew Odycl luCCt Al1tt ~ Cu4.-1
WAS thinking of doing away with polyg-
apy?'
I think there is nothing in it. II would
be impossible. 1t is q part of our religion,
and a part OF the church faith. 1t is not i'm.
possible that ~polygsmy may be dropped as a
after OF policy. But the Mormon Church as
long as it exists will hold IS one of its vital
principles that it is right, under certain cir.
cumstsnces for q man 10 take more wives
than one. We believe it is SO. that il has al
ways been so shat God has always counten-
tnced il, that the great social evil, which is
the greatest cancer that society has to con-
tend with. shows it 70 be so. and thai the
happier and purer in every way il
onr way of thinking and orr prac.
tees we're general. You will admit
every body admits that the social evilss are
productive of the greatest harm TO society.
Ii makes outcssts of women. waits of chill
Gren. breaks up homes, makes violation OF
the marriage plight a thing of Common oc
curlence, ana is the cause Of more suffering
than any other feature of the dark side of
lie Well, we do away with this. By our
system we have none of il. 1t is absolutely
unknown with Us. Chastity is as solemn a
vow with US and is as religiously kept az
with n nun or a priest. The violation Of
this IS considered q crime next to murder.
The evil which breaks up homes with you
ard makes thousands of other homes un-
happy, which causes so much misery in
every form, is absolutely unknown with Ne.
and mieht be unknown every where If our
sy siem were adopted.
Senator Edmunds and the Edmunds' law
are the object of anything but affection on
the part of the Mormons. They pronounce
his law tyraDnical and unconstitutional. 1t
II, they ray, ex post facts in that ii includes
in its workings all who have ever lived In
~polygamy, no matter If they be now wild
overs, without a single wife, or widows.
The manner in which the law is enforced,
they say, is tyranny. Whether the new Ad-
ministIaiion will give them any mora salts
factory administration of the Lag they say
they are not aba 20 determine. Mr.. Ed
munds himself is understood tt be OF the
opinion that the law will gradually WORK
great benefit, and, with some additional
legis' alton and the strict enforcement, may
work 8 ina disappearance CT polygamy.
Judge Carleton, ss0ne OF the Utah Conmis-
sion, isEhere. He says OF the recent Supreme
Court oecision, 1T is substantially in favor
of the Commissioners and the validity of
the law. The Court has held that the alb Dis
Wits required of voters prior to registration
are invalid Therefore, some other means
of discrimination between those who ara
polygamists and those who are not will have
TO De devised. The Mormons in Utah have
been expecting that the Court will hold the
law. or most of it, unconstitutional and in
valid, and l think that this decision will
show to the people Of Utah the futility oil
longer continuing in defiance OF the laws oil
the Federal Government"
In a few days the other members OF thu
| commission will be here, for the purpose o.
eonierripg with the President and other of
ficeIs of the Executive government, prepar
atoIy to resuming operations in Utah early
in April.