The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-07
AT Least These Latter Day Saints,
Otherwise MormoAs, Say
They Are.
The Church Does Not Dominate It's
Members in Matters.
Political
And Polycamous Marriages Are Unknown
Per Contra, Tho Salt Lake Tribune
Says u Word.

SALT LAKE, Oct. Cat to-day's session
of the Mormon conference a lengthy set of
resolutions was adopted relative to the
statement, made by q majority OF the Utah
commission in their recent report to the
secretary of the interior. The resolutions
set forth that the commission made many
%untruthful statements concerning the
Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day
Saints and the attitude Of it's member in
relation to political affairs, etc. The gem
eral conference, in these resolu-
tions, deny most emphatioally the
assertion of the commission that
the church dominates its members in
political matters, and that church and state
arc united. Whatever appearance there
may have been in the past of union OF
church and state. the canse was. say the
resolutions, that those holding eccleslas-
tical authority we're elected to office py
popular vote. There is now no ~foundatlon
or excuse for the statement that church
and state are united in Utah, or that tne
leaders Of the church dictats to members
in political matters. "No coercion or any
other influence whatever of eccleslastical
nature has been exercised on US by our
church leaders in reference to which polltl-
cal party we shall Join, and we have been,
and are. perfectly free to unite
with any or no political party as
We individually elect. That the neopies
solved and that our fealty hencsforth viii
be to such national political party as seems
to rs best suited to the prosperity OF a re-
publican government"
The resolutions further declare that the
members or the conference do not believe
49, ~. l~o- -r,r vi VN ypnud
solemnized mon Latter Day Saints dur
ing the period named by the commission.
and denounce the statement which con-
yeys the idea that such marriages nave
been contracted as false and mislead-
ing; protest against the perversions 81
+; fact th prin ea ? and % intent sbs com nDnia,nsa
and declare that the manifesto of Presi,
dent Woodruff %forbidding future plural
marriages was adopted at last Oetobers
conference in all sincerity and good faith.
and that I'VE have every reason to belleve
it has been carried out in letter and spirit.
The confer ence appeals to the press n
people of the country to accept its united
declaration and protest. to give it publicity
and aid in disseminating the truth, That
f%alsehood may be refuted and Justice done
to a people continually. maliRned and al
most universally misunderstood. Fol-
lowing this a declaration, signed by Presi-
dent Woodruff. Geo. Q. Cannon and Joseph
F. Smith, was adopted. saying the commits
sioners' report of %polygamous marriages
was utterly without foundation in truth.
and repeating In most solemn nne the
declaration by President Woodruff at the
last general conference, that there had been
no plural marriages during the period
named; that polygamy has not been taught
and that the practice has been strictly for
hidden.
After the usual election of officers, pres
ent i~ncumbents, being retained, the confer
ence adjourned.