The record-union., 1891-10-07
Resolutions Promulgated by the
Mormon Church Conference.
STATEMENTS MADE BY THE UTAH
COMMISSION DENIED.
Claim Made that the Church Exercises
No Influence Over Members in Po-
nticaI Matters - No Coercion or
Other Influence Whatever EXer-
ciSed by Church Leaders.
Special to the REooRD-UN1oN.

SALT LAKE, Oct. 6.-At to-day's ses-
sion of the Mormon conference, lengthy
set of resolutions was adopted relative TO
statement made by a majority of the
Utah Commission in a recent report to
the Secretary of the Interior. The reso-
lutions set forth that the commission
made many untruthful statements con-
cerning the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints, and the attitude of its
members in relation to political affairs.
The General Conference, in these reso-
lutions, deny most emphatically the asser-
ton of the commission that the church
dominates its members in political mat
ters, and that the church and State are
united. Whatever appearance there may
have been in the past of a union of church
and State, the cause was, say the resolu-
tions, that those holding ecclesiastical
authority were elected to civil authority
by a popular vote.
There is no foundation or excuse for
the statement" say the resolutions,
that the church and State are united in
Utah, or that the leaders of the church
dictate to members in political matters.
NJ coercion or any other influence of an
ecclesiastical nature has been exercised
on us by our church leaders in reference
30 which political party we shall Join, and
we have been and are perfectly free to
unite with any, or no political party, as
we may individually elect. The PEOPLES
party has been entirely and finally dis
solved, and our fealty henceforth will be
10 such national political party as seems
TO us best suited to a republican govern
ment.'
The resolutions further declare that the
members OF the conference do not be-
lQVa there nv
marriages solemniZed among the Latter
Day Saints during the period named by
The commission, and denounce the state
ments which convey the idea that such
marriages have been contracted as false
and misleading; protest against the per-
versions OF fact, principle and intent con-
tanned in the report of the commission
and declare that the manifesto of Presi-
dent Woodruff forbidding future plural
marriages was adopted at last October's
conference in all sincerity and good faith,
and that they have every reason to be-
ieve 1t has been carried out in letter and
spirit.
The conference appeals to the press and
people Of the country to accept its united
declaration and protest; to give it pub
Lefty and aid in disseminating the truth,
that falsehood may be refIlted and Justice
done to a people continually maligned
and almost universally misunderstood.
Following this, declaration signed by
President Woodruff, George @. Cannon
and Joseph F.sSmith, was adopted saying
that the commissioners report of polyg-
amous marriages was utterly without
foundation in truth, and repeating in the
most solemn manner the declaration by
President Woodruff at the last general
conference, that there has been no plural
marriages during the period named; that
polygamy has not been taught, and that
The practice has been strictly forbidden.
After the usual election of officers, the
present incumbents being retained, the
conference adjourned.
PRESS COMMENT.
SALT LAKE, Oct. 6.-The Tribune Gen
tile says the conference to-day resolved
itself into somewhat of political meet
ing. The most prominent men in the
councils of the church delivered adj
dresses. The commission report, saws
the Tribune, has stirred Mormondom to
its depths, and the leaders, in an en-
deavor TO counteract the influence the
report will have on Congress when their
long-cherished object of making Utah a
State is presented, are moving heaven
and earth. The Tribune asserts that the
language of the speakers was such as to
leave no doubt that division of the party
lines was made under direction of the
church, and that its ultimate object is to
achieve Statehood