Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1896-03-27
faction.

Representative Allen today called up
in the house the joint resolution intro
duced by him restoring the escheated
church property In Utah to the church,
and asked that the senate resolution,
which was identically the same, be sub
stituted and passed. Mr.. Allen was Wig
orously questioned by Representative
Steele and others as TO the sincerity of
the Mormon people in their abandon
ment of polygamy. Mr.. Allen said;
"The people of Utah have done all
they could to assure the people OF the
United States of their sincerity in this
respect. They abandoned the practice
of polygamy as far back as 1890, and by
what l think was the strongest possible
assertion of their purpose, namely, a
manifesto coming through the head OF
their church, declared their purpose no
longer to practice this tenet of their
faith No polygamous marriages have
been solemnized by the church for more
than five and half years. The church
has issued no permit for polygamous
marriages since November, 1890.
"The constitution which has been
adopted by the state Of Utah NOT only
followed the wording of the enabling
act upon this point, which wording is as
follows: Polygamy or plural marriages
are forever prohibited but it is also pro-
vided in the constitution that an act
which had Lbeen passed in 1892 by the
legislature of the then territory should
remain in force and effect after the ad-
mission of the state into the union,
which act provided for the punishment
of polygamy. quote from the consti-
tuition now in force in the state of Utah,
on page 43, section 2: THE act of the
governor and legislative assembly of tn
territory of Utah entitled can act to
punish polygamy and other kindred
offenses," approved February 4th, A. D.
1903. in so far as the same defines and
imposes penalties for polygamy, is here
by declared to be in force in the state of
Utah"
ain response to the question of my
friend who wishes to know whether the
constitution of the state will be changed
wherein it relates to polygamy, will
state it is true that the Mormon people
resisted the enforcement of the anti
polygamy law, so long as they had a
standing in the courts for their conten-
ton. But when the final decisions of
the courts had been had, and this people
found themselves adjudged wrong upon
every essential point in controversy
they accepted the situation and declared
they would abide by the law of the
nation BY their every public act, by
their acts as a church, and, as believe,
by their purpose as private individuals,
they have shown and they now indicate
their purpose to abide by the sentiment
and law of the American people"
1.-THE history of Utah during the past
six years indicates to my mind that there
can be no such change in its funda-
mental law, This step has been taken
deliberately by its people and they will
stand by the promises and pledges made
to the nation. They are an honest
people"
In response to the question by Mr..
Hulick whether the church received a
revelation that they must abandon
polygamy and therefore have abandon
ed it. Mr.. Allen said that in November
1900. there was issued by the first presi-
dencv of the Mormon church what is
commonly known in that church and in
Utah as the manifesto, wherein 1t was
stated that polygamy should no longer
be practiced by the Mormon people.
MIR. Hulick asked whether that prac-
tice ceased because of the revelation or
because of the constitutional and legal
prohibition. Suppose, he said, revela-
ton were to come from the church here
after that polygamy should again be
adopted. Would they observe the law
as it is, or would they observe the reve-
lation, and thereby claim that it is the
higher power binding them'
Mr.. Allen said he could not, in the
few moments he had, go over all the
details of the subject opened by this
question II the gentlemen had lived
there for fifteen years, as he had, and
been all through this fight in opposition
to the church in its practice of polyg
amy, and one of the last who gave up !