Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-10-15

lcon,nletsly separated as though they
had always been Stranger
1Hov many OF those who lived In
polfgany had more 'nHn Two
| wivessD
"OrIy a small number. a few
had three aud still fewer four or
more. Brighsm Young had nine
teen. No other MAMMAL Yearly q
many. Several OF lOuDgs wives
We're sealed 10 him for the here
after and did not sustain the marital
relation. Other leading men In the
church has also sealed wiyes. IL
y part CT our religious belief that
the future state Is but a continuation
Of the present, aud that family re-
lations existing here will be resumed
after death and 60 on through
eternity. The question OF plural
marriage was a practical as well rs
n sentimental one. It i about as
much rs the aserESe man can do 10
support one wife and family, and In
this respect our people do not differ
FROM others. It would have been
the height Of folly, indeed criminal,
for a man 10 encuTober himself with
wives and children whom kc could
not support. This was guarded
against, as I have already told you,
by the ruler Of the church. do
not think that 10 per cent OF the man
who lived In polygamy had
N0RE THAN Two WIVES EACH.D
aside from polygamy, Is there
anything IN the principles and
teachings Of the Mormon religion
which can be considered as inimieal
TO the social and political welfare Of
a people? In other words, in your
opinion has the prejudice, II you
please, that exists through the
country ut large against MormOnism
any good and reasonable foundation
other than the Practice u plural
marriage7n
"Emphaiically Ii has not. There
is nothing in the Mormon religion,
leaving out its permission OF polyg-
amy, to which any objection can he
made. or course there are some
points IN oGs telief with which
many persons would not agree, but
the same can be said Of Baptists,
,.,sodists, Unitarians, Catholics,
Spiritualists. anu az other religious
denominations. What / mean Is
that there i nothing in our belief OF
teachings which We have not n per-
feet and unguestionable right to be-
lieve and teach, or that Is in
the slightest degfee hostile TO
the spirit Of our g0tefnfrieu:
and its institutions. We have
= right g ciiIni tie same re-
ligious liberty that is Guaranteed 70
others by the Constitution Of the
United States. Now there are In
our country a great many good peO-
pie who believe, sincerely no doubt,
that the hierarchy Of the Roman
Catholic Church is unfriendly to
the principles Of our government,
but In the legislation % Congress. or
OF any State. there - not, TO my
knowledge. any discrimination
against Catholics. Why should
there be against Mormons, now that
this one point OF objection Is re-
AAAONNA. VIC NNI1IAN AAAasN
THE POPULAR vERDICT
polsgauy and we accept |
this as final. So far rs our religion |
is concerned / need only point 10 |
the morality, industry and prosper |
ity Of our people. 4 tree Is known |
by its fruits, men DO not gather
grapes Of thorns or figs OF thistles.'
| may confidently challenge the
civilized world to show more sober,
orderly, thrifty and laE-abiding
than those Of the
sfsrmons in Utah. Now that every
nan cleaves only 10 one wife, surely
none can say that our people are not
good citizens.
"Let me give you just a few fig-
lres taken from the official police
records Of salt Lake City, which
ippear TO ME % be convincing on
his point. IL should be borne in
mind that the MOrmOns are largely
IN the majority there IS TO pOpula-
ion. although in voting strength
he GeEtiles are now In the ascend
Int. During one year the arrests
we're: for oiIenses against virtue, rs
ientiles and not one Mormon; for
aud violation OF liquor
avs, So Gentiles, - Morm0ns;
violence, 5 Gentiles, l Nor
non; larceny, III Gentiles and -
NOr.nons; sundry other offenses,
80 Gentiles, 80 Mormons. Does
lotthis strike you as n pretty good
moving for our people? As an evil
ienee Of their Industry and thrift
eft me cite the fact that all through
Utah nine-tenths Of the Mormons
who are heads Of families own their
iomes- There are no mortgages to
peak OF. The census inquiry shows
hat the recorded Indebtedness in
Utah is but n small fraction per
'apita Of what Il Is in the other
states and Territories. I think no
me will deny that this is very
TROSG EVIDENCE or PROSPERITY,
md good citizenship. When Brig
'am Young was living he always
dvised the new GOmers 10 make Il
heir inst object 10 secure homes.
Get piece Of land he would say,
and II you are not able TO build a
louse at once make a 'dug-out,' end
I've in that until you can do bet
er.,D
'What l. the feeling among the
iormons in regard TO the admission
{ Utah into the Union, and what, Ia
n your opinion, is the prospect that
will be admitted In the near
iture?f
"rhe people Of Utah, Mormons
nd Gentiles, earnestly desire State
God. We are unable to see any {
aid reason why this should longer
c denied. Ths polygamOus life Of
)me Of the MornlOus has been the
luse OF objection 10 the country at
irge, but this no longer exists. Our 7
Opulation Is more than sufficient 10 {
ntitle Us 10 admission and we have !
bundant agricultural and mineral I
sources TO assure cur permanent J
nd increasing wealth and prosper
y. / think the republican party !
i'll make n mistake ifil continues
oppose the admission Of Utah.
party does allow It to
1me will have n strong pulp or the I
eOple for their votes PERHAPS il
lght not TO be 50, but 1 suppose
Olitical consideration always have
al and always will have more or :
- influence in such matters" :
(which Of the two great parties
publican and dcmOcratic-would !,
control the politics Of Utah ;
! case OF its admission?'' :
at would be difficult to say, be- O
luse our people have never, Bt any a
ection, been divided on that line.
ur contests have always been be- s
reen the {
NORNoSs AND GESTILEs.
he Mormons are known as the q
copies Party and all opposed 10 a
lem rs the Liberals. There are
publicans apd democrats in both
these parties II Is probable that
majority-though not n large one
my opinion-of the Mormons c
ould affiliate with the democrats. q
reason for this Is found in the u