Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-04-02
NOT THE "MORmOS" WAY.


Not only Ia statements Published In
this city, but more frequently In cor.
respondence from hero published Ia
outside newspapers, thore has been Of
late a good deal Of malicious falsohood
ana sentimental drlvel about the De.
scrtion Of plural wives nni their
inmilies by husbands aud fathers, who
IA. forth their duty q tue laws " the
country AZ n ptetext for thus ignobly
relieving themselves Of the care and
responsibility which such relations
had Imposed upon them. Tho NEWS
has not felt called upon 10 take M
thrse stories and brand them a. they
deserve, Tor tho reason that thors was
at beet but the ilimslcst foundation Tor
thtm, and every reasonable person In
Utah knew them b be- essentially uu.
true. The frequent quotation aud
repetition Of the scandaloua false.
hood, however, cannot be- per-
mitioj 10 10 on Indefinitely
without protest and denial. Aud
when It happens. as In cor.
Teapondenee from this city 10 the
Chicago Tribune now before az, that
the reportorial fancy has fairly royelled
IN alrooious mendacliy, Il is time that
lies should be- tligmailzed ~ such, 10
thai those who might bo innOcunuy
mislvd by them may bs able to accord
them the treatment that known fab.
relations are worthy Of and usually
receive.
II isa singular fact that no matter
what tho "Momons" do or Try % do,
they arc invariably thesubleci Of some
souls complaining. 10 writers
for tho press especially have
this people bech a vefllable mine Of
sensation, bypooriay and can't We
were criticised n We pursued a certain
policy, and were criticised when We
abandoned II ioT some other; We have
been blamed five did, ana blamed %
We didn't; until ia sheer disgust ot
fckle mems shifting Views, n such had
ever had influence with nj all, We
would have been justified in doing ~
we pleased and sending public opinion
whirling to this bowwowA
Nov, rs to this charge Of deserling
plural wives aud leaving them ami
their families In destiluti0n, tho NEWS
has only this much 10 ray; II ~ rin
neither c0unHalei or permitted by the
Priesthood, nor prsctIosd by any
Latter-iay Saint in good standing In
the Church. Every Mormon knows
that no law can be enacted 10 abeolvo
a man from the duties u supporting
aud caring for those who have these
sacred claims upon him. No man with
tho least spark Of honor would seek 10
evade responsibilities Uf this kiud iu-
CURED under other conditions. with
tho Saints, religious duty as we'll o.
human honor constitute q pledge that
cannot be- ignored Mentors OF the
Church have needed no inaluc.
ton on ths subject, and need
none now No. least Of an from
those who, as above stated scan
their conduct with microscope to
discover something 90 dnd fault with.
That all men having plural wives aud
familigs are the soul Of honor anu the
ideal Of integrity b. claim We 0hBll
no, attempt % make; but We cannot be
o1nlraIic.el VA tho statement that the
almls. universal rule aud practice is
thatsloh men diproviioiorauIch cherish
ths wives whom lGo law may prevent
them from living with, and dJ sup
pJr.thechilireu from whose association
changed conditions may have more OF
less cut them on. The coulump,
which the entife community would
feel Tor father VINO acted othorwife b.
penalty which 300 man would Wlah
10 incur, sun more unlikely b. 10 that
man VINO values hia standing IN the
Church aud the good VIII Of his fellow.
mombeB ANA lhoge who preside over
him, would care to invite the oIlum
that with this people attaches 10 a re-.