The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-09-25

trines and Covenants, Dor has the count
from the hands of the people or their
teachers. What avails it then TO say the
doctrine is not taught! Since the report OF
1891 was made some of the highest author
tiles in the Mormon church have been
called upon to testify in the United States
district court in what Is known as "tne
Church Escheat Cases"
The commission will let their testimony
speak for itself upon the binding force Of
the revelation, the effect Of the manifesto
and the value to be placed upon the unanl.
nous vote Of the general conference OF
the church.
/ Here the testimony is given, followed by
q lengthy review of Mormon history, the
Edmunds law, etc. For thirty i've years
polygamy hourished in Utah, and for
twenty i've years of that time in defiance
of the penal laws of the land The COM
mission was organized, and in eight years
time the steady and inhexible enforcement
of the laws, aided, perhaps, by fear OF
furthur disfranchisement, compelled the
authorities of the church to abandon their
cherished doctrine and openly declare their
Willingness to obey the laws, and the Utah
comm issiOn was the only agency referred
to as the reason for Issuing the inspired
manifesto.
4 Where, before, in the history Of the
world has been recorded any instance OF q
powerful church with numerous and devot-
ed followers, giving up an article OF falta Ia
their creed, given to them as they aver, and
many doubtless believe, by direct reve-
lation and as command from God, upon
the advice simply of the head OF the
church, with perfect unanlmlty AID Will
out evsn manifestation Of discomfort.
Such is the marvellous condition OF this
important change. 1t is said by the church
organ that the manifesto when read to the
conference was adopted by one unanimous
uplifting of hands in the tabernacle. 30 lar
as can be seen by those living among these
people the only visible manifestation OF
! discomfort or of belief or unbellef In the
divine inspiration of the manifesto, is seen
in the continuation of the practice by mem
| bers OF the church in defiance OF law and
of the manifesto, as shown by the ire
Quent arrests, indictments and convictions
| for polygamOus otfenses.
1t would seem to clearly demonstrate
that the charge made against the church.
that 1t seeks and exercises temporal as
well as spiritual power ana through cnurcn
Influences dominates its members and will
lingly or unwiilingly compels compliance
with the will Of those who govern the
church is well grounded.
That the church has taken this step only
few months since, while still claiming
the doctrine ''divine command" would
seem to be DO reason why the government
should at once withdraw all the safe
guards it has confronted and surround
these people with, or deliver over to them
the sole and complete political power OF the
territory Thine proves all things"
Ii should not be forgotten that at
one time the military power o.
the nation, and for thirty years the most
restrictive legislation and It's vigorous en-
/ forcement has been required to bring
about this very condition they claim how
to exist. Every step has been gained over
an intense and united opposition led by
those same men who are so free TO de-
nounce others, and SO loud IN their self
praise.
There seems to be a misapprension in
some quarters as to the functions of the
commission and even congressman appear
to think il is charged with the enforce
menu of penal laws against poiygamy, and
it was lately said on the floor of the House
! that no convictions had resulted from its
work.
This commission is not a court to prose
| cute cases of polygamy. 1t cannot compel
witnesses, and might fail to establish the
absolute verify of any case. Its functions
are confined to the electoral provisions OF
the law.
That it has reports which indicate that
polygamy is not wholly abandoned is the
! truth Is it TO be wondered at that peo-
/ pie which has beea taught FOR so many
years that polygamy is divine principle,
| that the principle is still divine and merely
suspended by an advisory proclamation,
should have some members who will prefer
the ssdiyine command which is in accord
with their lustful proclivities rather than
| comply with the advice which would cut
/ of the source of their highest felicity, not
only in this life, but in the kingdom their
faith teaches them awaits the devotee who
| ives I'D to the divine command which
inioins The practice of polygamys
| Is it at an q matter of surprise that, in a
territory of many thousands of square
miles, whose settlements are il valleys $50
| lated from each other, and many of !. hich
are inhabited wholly by Mormons who.
whether polygamists or not are ali firm
| believers in this tenet OF their church
faith, and will neither betray their neigh
bors nor bear witness against them, but on
the contrary will use every effort to con-
ceal the facts, IL is supremely difficult
TO obtain absolute proof of facts which the
whole community may believe TO exista
Common repute throughout the territory,
would bring conviction 10 most minds, but
without giving weight to that. the commits
sion has information which compels it to
believe that the practice of poiygamy
has not wholly ceased.
distinguished Judge of the United
States district court for Utah, making a
statement in favor of the claimants for
statehood or home rule, before the house
committee last February, lnstanced 1.-The
case of young man who had married as
his plural wife young woman whose
father did not know of the marriage until
ii was found that his daughter was preg-
nant with child, which child was born as
/ late as July" With such secrecy surround
ing such marriages IL is difficult to under
stand why the commission Is expected to
furnish direct, formal and conclusive proof
of the cases it reports. That the church
has formally spoken against the further
I solemnization of such marriages.; that q
( large number of its members apparently
accept it as final, and profess a willingness
to obey the law, is gratifying, and a fact
the commission is glad 10 record.
But that poygamy still exists ard that
there are many cases constantly coming to
the pr bic knowledge of ssociation be
tween polygamists and the plural wives
they had protested to have put away, is a
fact that, in the face OF the statistics pre-
sented can hardly be controverred. The
cases of arrest for unlawful Capitalization
have of late been very numerous. ana men
Of prominence in the church are found
among the number.
Possibly this is due to the weakness COM
mon to the majority of mankind, but what
ever the cause, the fact RENAME.
Much stress was laid in the statements
before the congressional committees upon
the fact that no convictions for polygamy
have lately been had, as IL that finally dis
Dosed of the question