Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-04
A "MORMON, IN MICHIGAN.

THE following is contained in the
Louisville Courier Journal OF
March o:
"On the train between Louisville
and Lexington several days ago met
Mr.. Lemoine, from Michigan, who
has been prospecting in the Soulh
with an eye to Investment ir lumber
interests. Mr.. Lemoine moved to
Michigan from Utah, and an interest
ing fact about him in this part Of the
country is that he is a full-fledged
Mormon. born Of polygamous parents.
and at one time had two wives. Mr..
Lemoine talked on the subject Of
polygamy in a manner that was very
interesting. He said
he had found the general idea to be
that the Mormons were necessarily
sensual and immoral, and that there
WAS something in the practice Of poly
gsmy which was debasing to fine in
stincts and destructive Of what Gen
tiles understood as home life and
beautiful domestic traditions. Hewas
convinced that, on the other hand,
polygamy had great many things in
its favor and not many Questionable
features. His own recollections OF his
boyhood life at home were very happy,
and for the life Of him he could not
see that there was any difference be-
tween his memories OF the happiness
OF his childhood and those OF other
men with whom he had talked. He
was just as fondly attached TO his
mother and father as other children
were, and his fathers other wives
whom he knew as his "aunts," occu-
pied the same relationship toward
him and filed the same place in his
affections that the aunts Of other boys
did, and it was his observation that
Mormon children were just about as
we'll raised and received as much love
and affection as other peoples chill
dren. On the question Of the morality
OF the institution, he was outspoken
snd said that polygamOus marriages
b I'd tendency TO greatly reduce vice
in any community. and TO a sensible
woman there was no cause for jealousy
and no more reason for ordinary I'M
happiness than wives would experience
among monogamis,s. When n man
had several wives each OF them knew
exactly all Of his relationships with
women, and, being reared to expect
such relationships, accepted them as a
matter Of course and thought nothing
at all Of them. The man who mis-
treated his wives among the Mormons
very soon lost caste. His wives could
appeal to the church aud to the au-
thorities for protection and relief, and
his life would he made SO burdensome,
unless he mended his ways, that there
was every inducement for reform and
none for persistence in evil courses.
Besides, the man who did no. treat his
first wife properly would find It very
difficult to get another to join his
family. There were unhappy Nor
mon marriages as there are unhappy
Gentle marriages, but he did not be-
lieve that the number Of unhappy
wives was as great in Utah in
proportion TO the number Of mar
riages As existed. elsewhere in
the United States. There was no
in tho Territory,
under the Mormon church and
the polygamous system for immoral
women. Mr.. Lemoine left Utah be-
cause, he said, he saw that II was the
firm determination OF the Federal
Government to break down the Nor
mon religion and Mormon domestic
peculiarities. Besides, he had an ambi- |
ton in business that could be better |
further east, and so he re-
moved to Michigan. where he has &C.
cumnlated a handsome fortune and |
has been very successful. A residence
Of more than ten years among a peo-
pie strongly prejudiced against polyg-
amy and the Mormon Church has not
had the effect of changing his opinion
of either in the slightest, and CONVEX
'ation with Mr.. Lemoine is very apt
% shake the dissatisfaction Of any
lnprejudiced man who has been in
he habit OF regarding Mormonism
md polygamy as twin and utter alb