River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-09-30
ms de OF MORMONDOM.


a moment think That the four old Nor
mon women recently in Washington
represent the majority of the women of
Mormondon. Far from it. There is
not, one wife in all Mormondom who
has not from the moment she heard
about Governments determination to
suppress polygamy, but in her inmoet
soul wished and hoped that it might be
done, for this principle in their faith
always stands like a spectre in the
near future of every wife, young or old,
and even the girl-bride has her happi-
ness haunted by this dreadful appari-
ton, which even IN the moments of her
greatest Joy is always there, to rob her
of her faith in her husbands constancy
and affection.
A woman of determined character,
and who has not much faith in the prin-
ciple rs saving one for herself though
1t may be good for her neighbor- is
always on the watch, ready to fight it
with all her strength and power. And
these are often considerable. as the
comparatively great number of old men
who have been Mormons and believers
in polygamy for thirty years or more,
and who have as yet but one wife, will
show. Such wife has had to fight
hard and continuously; but she has
come out of the battle victorious so
far at least that she has not yet, at the
dawn of a better day for the Mormon
wife, seen her husband break her re-
straining power by rushing into the
hateful practice. Never was the
preaching of polygamy and the
forcing of the people into it,
greater than at present. The
Mormons are taught that now is
their last chance to enter into it before
the Government makes the law more
stringent, as they can dodge the laws
in a great many ways. The great ma
jority of the people despise TIE United
States laws. and think it TO sin to per-
jure themselves by swearing falsely in
the courts.
The Edmunds law SAYS that they can
only live with one wife at time, but
it does not state that this shall be the
first or legal wife, and therefore the
pOlygamist takes that one of his plural
wives which suits him the best He
makes her his legal wife. so no good
whatever has come to the first wife bv
this law, but only great humiliation
and suffering. which the succeeding
story will show.
A man here with two wives, who
was lately indicted for unlawful cohab-
itation-the only oilense that can com
monty be proved pleaded guilty to
the charge, but asked the court to be
lenient toward him, as he intended to
obey the law in the future. Judge
Lane, who is always very kind under
circumstances like tins, suspended
sentence and said he was glad to hear
that he in the future would obey the
law of the land. Defendant asked if
the law stated which one of the two
wives he should live with. The court
replied no. but that it would but just
aud right for him to live with his first
or legal wife. Instead of this the man
went home to his first wife and told
her that he could henceforth live with
her no more.
The wife stood thunderstruck before
this cruel decision. She eXpostulated
with him, she PRAYED, she begged. she
fell at his feet. but all without avail
Her daughter came in and pleaded for
her mother, begging him not 10 for
sake her, but nothing could move him
to be JUS, and he left the wife of his
youth in dead heap on the floor and
went to the second. who was younger
and more attractive in his eyes. And
such treatmen. is not punishable here
on account of defective law.
The MormoRs are fanatics. and there
is a craze upon them at present TO pose
as martyrs for their faith. This hon
orr can be cheaply acquired with but
six months loss of liberty and without
a fine. Nearly every body can get free
from the fines imposed by taking the
pauper's oath. Men worth thousands
and thousands of dollars will deed over
their property to their different
wives, and swear before the count
that they do not possess a dollar in the
world. O! the Mormons are smart and
the church is rich enough To obtain the
best legal counsel both here and in
Washington. They viii not give up so
long as they can grind money out OF
the poor people who believe any thing
the ''ehurch authority tells them.
Some women will, as above
stated, fight polygamy, while
OF ers, with bursting heart,
give their consent to it, because
they feel they have not the power
to resist the pressure which Is brought
to bear upon them and because they,
in vague way, believe it 10 be right.
They have from thence TO grapple with
the spectre in the tangible form of a
woman younger and froshcr than them
selves, and who generally enters into
the combat with all the 2est and assur-
ance of a favorite. If the wife COM
plains she is ill-tempered, and if she
makes trouble, annoys the husband, or
disturbs him too much in his new made
happiness she is wicked and will surely
go to destruction. while the polygam-
Gus wife, who has never known what ii
is to give up the exclusive right to
husbands company, confidence and al
lection, is such good and lOvable wo-
man that in her company he can alone
find rest for his troubled soul. He is
therefore of course entirely justified in
seeking this company and in withdraw
ing from the wife--for how can he en-
dure living with a devil? In this man
ner, then, the fractions wife Is chas-
tised. 0, the Mormons WELD a cruel
power, 1T would be but mercy as well
justice to deprive them OF 1t.
At this stage Of the soul-saving prin-
ciple the wife, if she does not repent
and become good girl by being salts
fled with the attention the husband can
find time and permission TO bestow up
on her, is little By little entirely pushed
to the wall and becC mes a east oil or
discarded wife. IS for good given over
to the Devil, and loses her eXaItatlon
both in this life and in the life to come.
Some poor souls on reaching this stage
find no more strength in them to light
for their rights, so they give up in des-
pair and settle down to Il living death.
Other wives again, through policy,
and for their children's sake. become
good girls and jog along IN misery as
best they can. But when the lord aft
er some time-sh0rter or lOnger-be-
comes somewhat cooled off in his afiec-
ton for the second, or perhaps sees
another woman who strikes his fancy.
be at once feels the necessity OF his still
greater eXaltation in both worlds and
becomes a "three-ply.' Now comes
the time for the wife TO obtain little
satisfaction for all her suiferings. She
feels. she knows. it is now the sec
oad's' turn to drink that cup OF bitter
ness v hich she has had to drain.
Aud although in most eases the new