The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-25
To the Editor of The Herald:


and is after the undersigned with a
sharp stick. 1t is to be regretted that
mis- article is not one to elicit tadnira-
ton for either dfrectness or good COM
position, the denials deing mostly
evasions and the syntax utterly I'M
worthy a statesman who expects to
help make the fundamental law of the
land; it is very nearly what the lawyers
would call plea of confession and
avoidance. 1t is also wanting in the
customary amenities which obtain in
legal polemics, for it credits to me in
dividually the false charges made
against him, whereas he must have
seen that in all this matter am merely
acting in the stead or behalf of another
person altogether, and necessarily upon
such evidence as has been presented to
me. Toward the close he makes this
point (after unqualifiedly charging me
with everything by saying that 1 have
been misinformed or am deliberately
lying" Thanks for so much, The
average Republican, who spreads him
self in the papers or on the roStrum
does not usually give the luckless folk
on our side the benefit of an alternative
- Mr.. Anderson does; they are general
ly pronounced liars, thieves or some
tilfng Of that kind and no side-door
exits are provided at all. So that in
stead of being guilty of that offense
which subjects the offender to various
kinds Of opprobium on earth and makes
him reasonably sure of hall fire here
after, I have only to unload on my
tnformants and go Scott free; verify
there are times when it is better to be
lucky than richi
MIR. Anderson says, "It might
be inferred from the statement
that my return to Utah not
being voluntary that was a fugitive
from justice or that I was afraid there
was ar indictment against me for
soEAe crime or that there would be or
that was driven from the state of
Idaho" and then adds, which is
false, as / came to Utah of my own
free WILL The reader can form his
own conclusions as to the former ques-
ton, if, indeed, any conclusion can be
reached from such a tumble of words;
the latter one is the gem par excel
lence, as it seems to suggest that the
statement that he came to Utah of his
own free will is false as the preceding
: Sart OF the sentence. What he means
= convey is, of course, that the in,
uSnoo that he came to Utah under
ouress because of an indictment or the
fear Of one is untrue, as he came vol,
unfairly. He then goes on to say that
ne was respected citizen in the com,
nIunity where he resided previous TO
rs return to Utah." I will go a step
turner ana say, according 10 informa,
tfon and belief as before, that he has
been tolerably well respected since
that time also, and that his resDert-
Sollity has not at all been called into
question, not even by the statement
that his return was not altogether
voluntary. This, of course had refer
ence 10 his conjugal status, it being
understood by my informants that he
was polygamist (Which he nowhere
denies, but Of this, further on): bur
what Of that? Some OF the best men
! ever knew or anybody else ever
knew, were polygamists, and some of
mem, SO far as the mere family rela-
sionship is concerned, are so vet: but
SO long as they faithfully observe their
parole of honor to the government
which eXacted it, they are politically
the equal of anybody and socially s1i-
perlors to wondrously great number
II is now recognized as an offeuse
against the rule of the church as well
r as the law Of the land and must not
De practically continued; but rules can,
not change accomplished facts, nor
laws reach back of the foundation or
offenses and unsettle relationships for
merry established. The polygamist is
therefore, personally considered. lust
what he was before, and the majority
on them, L repeat, were and are unex-
cepuohable where probity honor, loy-
atty 10 accepted obliga tons morality
and goodness are permitted 10 figure
as FACTORS in the computation of char
acoer. Why, then, mask a denial Of
Sucn relationship in q mere eva sion?
Cnless it be a fact that il does not
exist and has not existed, it might as
wei Tor all moral and practical rur-
poses be admitted-for the ends of an
argument it had better be admitted
than met as Mr.. Anderson has met il.
Tor the reader will observe that he
says that ne has" no polygamous
a family or wife, and that his entire
family consists" of one wife and one
child. Since there has been no aeon,
sauon or reference as to that branch
OF the subject that is couched in the
present tense, he simply makes no de-
MAJ whatever; nor does it mend mat
Iers Tor him 10 say that his entire fam
1Iy mas resided in Beaver county for
Ghree years past, since he is at lib
erty, even under the state of affairs
imputed, TO look upon only those with
Wholn ne has actually resided as being
ms family if he sees fit; and here may
az least this branch of the subject
close so far as newspaper discussion
IS concerned, as mans household is
sacred and there are plenty of other
thlngs TO talk and write about
another of Mr.. Anderson's peculiar
methods Of denial is found in the
10y the president after the formers
election. This simply opens the door
NO another question and even invites
W 70 enter: By whom, then, was he
pazdoned, when, and for what? Per-
maps ne was never pardoned by any
oody at any time, but he fails to so
state 1T; and to join issue with mere
matters of detail and leave the impor-
tatft and controlling allegations I'M
answered is, as before suggested adj
! uniting and lodging. His entire per-
formance is strongly remindful Of a
pastinle the inmate Of an asylum was
addicted to, of pol1ing the fire with an
fcicle; the poker didn't last long enough
to make the sport worth the trouble,
and as the fire remained practically I'M
poked, no good was accomplished
either.
Perhaps Mr.. Anderson would not OBJ
1eGt to looking back once more to the
EShe OF his departure from Idaho. and
considering for q, moment the state of
affairs prevailing there during that Pc
rod. 1t was not in all respects a pleas
amt Place for MormonS to reside in
about that time; they were being ar
radgned without charge, without evil
dence, and condemned without crime. !
Their characters were b1acl1ened, their
property was dsssipated and their bust
ness destroyed. Every right of the
CITIZEN but that of working for a living
and paying taxes was withheld. and a
reign Of terror prevailed wherever the
prescribed people had made their
homes. 1 wonder If he ever heard the
story of the bishop of Samaria, in Ma
lad valley, who was not permitted to
have sufficient time to arrange affairs,