The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-02-15
One More Solution Suggested
by Utah.
THE QUESTION OF MARRIAGE.
A Method Proposed Which VIII Give
Peace and Destroy Litigation
"A Feasible Plan.

HitiOA VI lbHOlduCc, VI pIcJuulCc anu
spite. Plan after plan, theory after
theory, and conclusion after conclusion
has been reached as to the solution of
this self-same Mormon problem.
There are those, however, who deny
that there is any such problem; they
assert that Mormonism, being living
thing, needs no assistance but is abund-
antly able to think for and take care of
itself.
In connection with these opposite
views it is abundantly evident that there
exists vast amount of friction, the
former being aggressive to fault, and
the latter, when not passive, mainly
occupying the attitude of self-defense.
There are religious issues involved,
though in a professedly free country
they seem terribly uncalled for and out
of place, and these appear on the surface
mainly, if it were but a query as to the
boundary line o. limits of religious
| liberty
Marriage in the plural form; comes in
contact with tradition, nationa!
/ ndDlt, anu bQC ulCGuIA VI
teachers, and rulers and States.
Marriage is a very important institu
ton. Society is based upon it, but mo-
nogamy is not the result of scientific or
physiological research and intelligent
choice. 1t is inherited. and but few
offer reason as to existence, or can
tell whether it should for ever and under
all circumstances be thus restricted, or
whether the practice of polygamy is not
at times and under some contingencies
very necessary and desirable enlarge
ment of the more universal Tin Christen-
DOM monogamy.
The Mormons claim that marriage is
divine institution-our fathers did so
likewise. The Mormons claim that it
needs for its highest ef1ic acy and best
results, the authority of their priest
hood and the sanctions Of religion; our
fathers did so likewise.
r. The Mormons declare, as matter of
conscience, as n matter of revelation
and religious privilege and duty, that it
may be single or plural, and yet with
without compulsion or restraint, but
rather by choice and mutual agreement
of all interested parties.
1t is claimed by them that this was
practiced in ancient times by men who
are everywhere lauded in the Christian
world and held up for example as
models of righteousness, obedience and
faith, and the conclusion is to them i'm
pregnable that that which had the APP
probation of Diety and was thus prac-
tised by acknowledged good men can
not have in it the elements of crime.
1t is realized that there are yet vast
numbers of unappropriated females, so
that the possession by one of two or
five, works no disadvantage to those
who need, or are without. Yet because
of this feature of Mormon practice all
the machinery of executive and legis-
lative authority, all the powers and Off
GERS of the law. all the religious, social
} and political organizations of $4,000, 900
are brought to bear upon handful of
religionists, without wealth, culture or
intelligence, as is made to appear, and
in the absence CT arguments, courts are
arbitrarily setting aside the Constitu-
ton of our country, and not a few are
advocating the use of military force to
overthrow that which has existed from
time immemorial, and will continue to
exist when time shall be no more
Now it may seem presumptuouS for an
obscure writer to suggest another solu-
ton, but it has the advantage OF being
new one in this connection, and if it is
an unworthy one, it can simply be set
aside with the countless variety of its
predecessors.
Suppose that Congress and its creator,
the people of the United States. should
accept the view held by the Mormon peo-
pie, that this is matter of conscience
and faith. something that belongs to
man and his Maker Then, instead of
adverse, violent and repressive legisla-
ton, let the statesman work to compel
the man who, under Mormon theory
and practice, assumes voluntarily the
responsibilities oil plural marriage. to
do all by the second, third or other
contract that is expected OF the man
who may only have one wife.
!, Provide for the former as for the
latter pains and penalties for neglect,
of property and estate. insist upon that
equality of interest which Inures to
single wife'S family.
Compel the granting of a certificate
for each marriage, make this evidence
in courts, and when appropriation is
made for redress, let the same class of
evidence impose the penalty which pre-
walls in all ordinary domestic disagree
ment. Nor need it be concluded that
} this amounts TO recognition andBap
proval of plural marriage of Nor
monism in general, it is simply what
Dr. Newman said of the Mosaic legisla
ton, regulation and not sanction.
There are precedents mnumerable for
this Difference to conscientious conyic-
ton, and religious scruples and the
cries. When the Quakers objected to
the taking of an oath ON religious
grounds, and many paid the penalty of
! refusal, time and experience of human
nature soon proved that war upon
religious conviction was always fail
r ure, and finally affirmation was
accepted from Quakers IN lieu of the
| commonly practised OATH We find
even that in Difference to the Chinese
conscience we have set aside Christian
legal practice, and evidence is received
. from them upon their method of swear
ing, perjury in both cases, of course,
being punishable just with the rigor and
penalty as provided for the one who
kissed the book"
There was a period in English history,
and that not long ago, when all mar
riages had to be performed in the Estab-
lished Church, and this had been done