The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-27

They say that the Saints are not worthy of
! the slightest credence regarding their re-
| ligion, although they may be upright
enough in all other respects. There are
| Gentiles in Salt Lake who will laugh the
laugh of scorn at these utterances of Presi-
| dent Woodruff. AS to that view, 1t can
only be said that the conversation herein
narrated was characterized, on the part of
the venerable head of the church, by appar-
ent candor and utter absence of guile.
From plural marriages present the con-
versation turned to plural marriages past.
The president said that
THE POSITION OF THE CHURCH
was the same as regards both. The law of
the country must be obeyed.
ITO show you how feel, 'isaid he, Il Will
tell you frankly Of my own ease, have
three wives. married them before 1850
when there was no law Misunderstanding
polygamy. Ihave not visited the houses Of
my wives for five years. ] have kept en-
tirely away because l did not mean to do
anything which might have the appe Irance
of breaking the Edmunds law. But have
fed and clothed these families. l can not
repudiate the obligations l entered into so
many years ago The women married
were good and virtuous. They have raised
families. can not now turn ttem adrlft.
We entered into this relationship in good
faith. As an honorable man, | am bound to
support the families. But to show my re-
spect for the law and my desire to obey it.
have kept away from the houses of my
wives for five years"
For the better understanding of the posi-
ton in which President Woodruff finds
himself, it should be explained that the
three wives to whom he makes reference
are his plural wives. His first and legal
wife is dead. He lives as bachelor, sup
porting, but never visiting. the three plural
wives. He was asked if he thought the
most of those who had entered into the
polygamous relationship before the passage
of the Edmunds law were Obeying its pro
visions. He replied that he certainly did
not think so.
at seems to me-" he said, "that the law
ought to have been made palmer in one re
spect. 1t might have marked out the course
to be pursued by those who had gone into
this thing before the enactment. That
would have saved great deal of trouble.
We have been several years finding out
JUST WHAT THE LAW MEANS.
Men who were in polygamy at the time of
its passage had nothing to guide them as to
their conduct. They construed the law one
way. The courts viewed it differently
believe that many ceased at once to sus-
tain the marital relationship with their
plural wives. Yet they recognized these
wives, visited their houses, or in some way
rendered themselves liable under the law
as the court construed it. These men were
sent to the penitentiary, when at heart
they were guiltlcss If the law had set
forth clearly how those in polygamy were
to act towards their plural wives great
deal of suffering would have been pre-
vented"
The president went on to say that the
number of convictions under the law-be-
tween l, 100 and 200 since the beginning
was not to be taken as a measure of the
unwillingness of the Mormons to accept the
law. If the provisions had made clear the
line of conduct toward plural wives, there
would not have been so many cases.
The matter of the confscation of the
church property was brought up. Rather
strange to tell, President Woodruff mani
tested no indignation over this procedure
He seemed to view the action of the gov
eminent with philosophical resignation.
They call it escheating the property of
the church." he said. II suppose if the
government thinks best 10 take it away
from US we must submit with as good
grace as possible We paid off one note for
$4,000 day before yesterday Some prop
erty, you know, had been sold when the
law passed. The court required Us to make
good what was gone.