The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-30
CHARACTER OF MORMON WOMEN.
Their Virtue is Not Great, But They
Have Dogs Faithfulness.

Their Virtue Is Not Great, But They
Have a Dogs Faithfulness.
Frank Wilkcson in the New York Times
A word here about the much Wanted
virtue OF the Mormon women. All male
Mormons whose heads have been frosted
by age have hobby which they ride in
and out of season. Apparently they never
tire OF telling unfortunate strangers who
have to tnrry among them for a few days
or weeks OF the remarkable purity OF lives
of their women before the arrival of I'M
godly and goatish Americans.
1t is tiresome to listen to these old men
yawp about something they do not under
stand. They all acknowledge that the
Mormons had but little money before the
arrival OF the Americans who opened the
mines, that turnips, crooked-necked
squashes, cucumbers, radishes and chick
ems were semi-legal tender in Utah, and
that the business OF the territory was
largely carried on by barter. Men cannot
tempt women to sin by dangling turnips
green cucumbers or squawking chickens
before their eyes. With the Americans
came gold, and today the Mormon women
are not more virtuous than those OF other
portions of our country.
How about polygamy? answer that |
hold with those Gentiles who live in Utah
and who frankly acknowledge that the
Edmunds act cannot be enforced. The
Mormon women, on whose testimony the
burden OF proof rests in all trials for POI
lygamy, habitually perjure themselves to
save their husbands from punishment
More than one Mormon wife has sat in q
witness chair with young baby on her
knee and swore that she did not know
the prisoner, who was her husband, and
that she did not know who was the father
OF the child she held to her breast.
II prominent Mormon, whose polyga-
nous life was notorious and could be
proved by Gentle witnesses, is arrested,
the church promptly gives bail in any
amount the court may demand. That
particular Mormon is seen no more in Salt
Lake City. He mysteriously disappears
via the underground railroad. He seeks
refuge in tho Mormon settlements which
lie in remote mountain valleys, or in
southern Utah, far from railroads, and
where no Gentle dare follow to arrest him.
In no case has the hiding place OF a
prominent Mormon been betrayed BY a
follower Of the Mormon church. Instance
the case of George q. Cannon, an English
man, who was Utah's delegate TO Congress
for many years, and who has been hiding
from justice for many months. There is a
large reward offered for his capture. The
Gcntilcs are absolutely certain that he is in
Utah. Not Gentle knows precisely
where he is. And ii they did know they
would not dare TO attempt TO arrest him.
When Cannon was first arrested his bail
was set at about $40, 600 which sum the
Mormon church cheeriully forfeited 10
save him from trial.
In fact / do not believe there are ten
Gcntilcs in Utah who would give 2 cents
each to have polygamy, as practiced by
the MormOns, suppressed. The young
Americans who live in Utah do not desire
TO marry ignorant Mormon women, and
the fact that their political enemies, the
Mormon men, actually marry dozen Of
these unattractive females so as 10 secure
high rank in the church amuses them.
That is the measure OF their interest In
polygamy. But every Gentle who lives
in Utah, and who believes in free speech,
free thought and equal rights under our
national constitution, earnestly desires TO
See Utah pass out OF the political clutch OF
the Mormon church. The continuance OF
Mormon rule menaces their material wei
fare. The Gentiles demand that the Ter
ritory he controlled by American citizens.
aud that their rights under the constitu.
ton are acknowledged before Utah is al.
mittcd TO statehood. And they are rea-
sonablc aud just in their demands.