The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-26
OPPOSING STATEHOOD.

It seems that there are few people
in Utah who are really DESTROYS o.
defeating statehood. One little factor
is working at home. trying to prejudice
the voters here by misrepresenting
certain provisions of the Constitution
All that is necessary to overcome THEN
endeavors is to enlighten the public
on the letter and spirit Of our organic
law. If people will read the Constitu-
ton for themselves and pay no atten-
ton to the false and foolish construc-
tons put upon it by designing dena-
gogues, such opposition as comes from
that quarter will be utterly in vain.
The other little faction are working
abroad. Communications are being
sent to eastern papers containing gross
Misrepresentation and exaggerations
/ of occurrences in Utah. a New York
/ paper recently published letter from
Utah conveying the impression that
/ pGygamy is still rampant in this ter
ritory The Minneapolis Tribune since
! then has given to the public a letter
purporting to have been written in
ogden, from which the following is an
extract:
And polygamy is just as bad as ever
A well known bishop and his next
highest officer are living in polygamy,
openly and VIGOROUSLY, all the time
and the officials know all about it. but
if they did anything they would lose
the votes of the church I have held
several positions myself, being deputy
registrar and petit juror. ! have lived
here eight years. If Utah ever he
comes state, it viii be black spot
on our country and all patriotic edf-
tors should arise ana DO their duty
by publishing ia the world the acts of
such a low ignorant set Of unciviIized
beings. Hoping you will publish this
in your paper, and to show my good
faith [ sign my own name to il. al
though will have to skip as soon as II
is known.
Commenting on this mess Of stuff
the Anaconda STANDARD makes the fol
lowing remarks:
This letter is evidently the production
of a man with grievance, and the
bitterness of his attack, the coarseness
of his characterization OF the Mormons
as "a low, ignorant set OF uncivilized
beings" impugns the accuracy of his
allegations. The constitution prepared
by the recent territorial constitutional
convention and to be submitted TO the
people of the territory for adoption
next November, contains the most
stringent provisions against poIyganay.
In the convention the Mormons, as we
understand it, were in control and
adopted the sections on polygamy viii /
lingly and even enthusiastically. We /
do not believe that the Mormon church
as such has longer any intention of
performing or countenaneihg plural /
ma ia cra lit Iar.
and even if it has, the laws against
the practice will be so strict and the
disposition felt by at least the gentle
population of the state to enforce them |
will be so unanimous and sincere, that
polygamy will be forced out
The attempts that 1--we been and
will be made, whether at home or
abroad, to hinder the adoption of the
state Constitution and prevent the ad
mission of Utah into the Union will
be equally futile. The cure which we
have prescribed for ignorance proved
upon by malice at home, will be found
equally effective abroad. When our
eastern contemporaries read and
understand the Constitution framed
by our State Convention, to be voted
upon by the electors next November.
they will become convinced that Utah,
surrounded by the safeguards estab-
ished in that instrument and undor
the strong provisions which 1t con-
La1ns, may be safely entrusted with all
the rights, privileges and responsible
lies of sovereign statehood. It's few
and feeble but malicious enemies will
wink out as Utah goes in. Their end
s very near.