Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-10-31
MORE COMMENTS or TIE
"DECLGRiTI0N,-

tates the "AfOrinCn" question anu
the effect upon it of the action OF
the Church in relation to further
plural marriages. We have re-
Trained for several days from repro
Gucing more Of these comments lest
we should weary our readers. We
xiH nex publish = selection from =
large mass of clippings in addition
to tho.e which have already ap-
pcarrd in these columns.
The CdiiforHiaH, published in San
Frsncisco. says:
THE Mormon movement viii hence
forth set a more respectful study than
II had while identified with polyganny.
We say respectful attention, FOR con-
sidered in any aspect, movement
which has controlled the conscience
and the conduct Of hundreds OF thou
sands Of people. some Of them Of high
intelligence, cannot be ignored by phi
Iosophers and students Of psychology.
Considering the difference in the age
and cirCumstances,th Mormon move
ment made much more rapid progress
than MahometsniSm, and the inquiry
into the cause Of It's growth viii be-
como Of prime interest. This final
step ont OF pOlyramy Will raise some
interesting legal questions and preciP-
itate some political issues OF great i'm
uor.ance. Does Il remove the bar to
the admission Of Utah into the Union?
Is . Territory. TO be- kepJ subordinate
because a majority Of its people be-
Ion. to q certain Churuh:r
The legal question reiates to the
status OF ATormons IN Idaho, who are
now in outlawIy by the hideous pro-
visions Of the State Constitution.
when the Church publicly announces
That i. ceases 10 teach polys1my, does
the test oath provided in that consii-
tuition cease 10 operator Can the Idaho
4 MoEmons next year approach the hal
lot-box and be rclnst1ted in their civil
and political rights? The -fita secs nc
reason FOR refusing them their rights
Bat can they be regained without Al
appeal TO the courts tu make il mat
ter or proof that the Church has
( purEed thcm.'
The Mormon leaders deserve creSii
for voluntarily removing 4 reason
which was being pleaded by poiiti
cans for legislation that was runnin:
away from the principles Of free gov
eminent. They have been wise IL
This. L, rs hope that these people
VIII now feel more and more shat they
are Americans and have mutual par
and y: in tho future and the destiny
. Of the Republic"
/ The Cheyenne sun makes thi
brief cnunciation:
1.-The formal ronunciztion OF polyS-
amy by the Mormon Church. on the
I ground that il is in conflict with tn,
/ United states law. is causing mucl
comment throughout tho country
/ There Is every reason 20 believe tina
I the La;tcT-day Saints are in earnest
The Omaha Bec has had consider
able to say on the question, being a
first FATHER skeptical. but finally il
long editorial it discusses the sub
/ ject in 4 more rational manner art
! closes in this way:
"As TO the motives that pTomp:e,
this action Of the Mormons it is no
important TO inquire. II they nav,
honesty and sincerely Tenounce,
I polygamy, that IS enough, and W
cannot see how there can longer be
reasonable doubt that such is the case
The laws, however, viii be preserved
} at least until the country shall becom
convinced that they can be OF no fur
Their service. Meanwhile the acton
taken by tho Mormon Church. in re
moving tho chief Il not the onl,
ground Of opposition TO it, ought &
( have results beneficial to the materia
interests OF Utah and TO all classes G
the people Of tina. Territory"
The st. Louis Post Dispatch con
cludes an article in these words:
Although practical surrender q
Mormon principles, il is a maste
stroke Of policy in that i. will tai;
Mormonism out OF national, il not Il
cal politics. and VII wipe ont tn
ground which has existed for legisla
ting against the AforrnOns. As long a
this ruling prevails, the Mormon
mus lie treated as q religious sect en-
! titled 10 all the privileges Of other re
: Iigious organizations"
From ;he Aac0n, Georgia, Tele
/ grapa we make, these extracts:
There is conclusive evidence tina
only small minority OF the Nor
mons had q plurality Of wives whe
/ Congress began TO legislate acains
! polyg1my. Few Of the present gen
eration have prsctlced polygamy.
was maintained almost exclusively b
! the Elders OF advanced years who rep
( resent the original Mormon ideas an
practices. Itis true some OF the mon
ogamists among the AIormoas hav
been stout and uncompromislns op
I paneuts Of federal interference in tn
! domestic affairs OF tho people o
/ Utah"
1t IS only fair tina. the Mormon
general conference should have ful
credit for its declaration against tn
practice OF polygamy. 1t has bee
supplemented by assurances from til
highest officials 0, the Mormon
Church that they mean TO execute TIL
decree OF the conference a. Efficient,
as they possibly can. Let US give III
AIormons a chance and encourag
every disposition on their part to re
form"
The jefferson City, Va, TTi5u,l
concludes lengthy editorial Will
these remarks:
The cons.itutionality Of these dras
lie measures was contested in tn
courts as determineny as ihoi
enactment had been opposed in Con
gress. and with a. little success. Tn
supreme Court Of tho United State
sustained the power Of tho govern
ment, which left the sioHnons no re
course but 10 submit
TINS it has at last done. /: retain,
It's peculiar faith, but it denounee
plural marriage. Il thereby purge'
itself Of criminality, and puts itself il
line with the law and popular senti
meut.
'sThis IS practically the end Of pc
lygamy and paves the way FOR the ad
mission Of Utah as State"