Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1896-03-28
Passed the House of Repre-
sent atives Yesterday.
Now Goes to the PresIdent-Mr. Allen
specifies the Evidences Given by
the People of Utah that They Accept
the Present situation In Coed Faith
Mr. Hulick has 90 Have the Matter
Explained TO HIS Complete salts
faction.
faction.


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 TIE 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 | think was the strongest possible
assertion of their purpose, namely,
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.
1.-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 Sbeen passed in 1892 by the
legislature of the then territory should
remain In force and effect after the adj
mission of the state into the union,
which act provided for the punishment
Of polygamy. l quote from the consti-
tuition now In force in the state of Utah,
on page AZ, section =: "The act of the
governor and legislative assembly of tn
territory of Utah entitled "An act to
punish polygamy and other kindred
offenses," approved February 4th, A. ID.
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.
sin response TO the question of my
2 friend who wishes to know whether the
\ constitution of the state will be changed
h wherein it relates to polygamy, l will
state it is true that the Mormon people
resisted the enforcement of the anti
polygamy law, so long as they had q
= standing in the courts for their conten
e ton. But when the final decisions OF
t the courts had been had, and this people
n found themselves adjudged wrong upor
C every essential point in controversy
e they accepted the situation and declared
S tnev would abide by the law Of thu
Il nation BY their every public act, b,
their acts as a church, and, as believe
n by their purpose as private individuals
BE they have shown and they now indicat
in their purpose to abide by the sentimen
as and law of the American people"
ne "The history of Utah during the pas
y six year. indicates to my mind that ther
r. can be no such change in its funds
r. mental law, This step has been take
deliberately by its people and they wi
&c stand by the promises and pledges mac
OF to the nation. They are an hone
ar people"
in In response to the question BY M
lily Hulick whether the church received
revelation that they must abande
e polygamy, and therefore have abando
te- ed it, Mr.. Allen said that in Novembt
will 1900. there was issued by the first pres
it'll deney of the Mormon church what
ew commonly known in that church and
gin Utah as the manifesto, wherein 1t "
ler stated that polygamy should no long
on be practced BY the Mormon people
as MIR. Hulick asked whether that prs
'alt tice ceased because of the revelation
xIbscnslse Of Ahe eeast iaNtiepel apdrlef
Iprohibsaioh. Suppose, be said, Eeve
! fA6n We're y come sr6lls ketharch ne
sI8afssr shat psiy kainy shsula Again.
no. adopted. Would they observe the i
on. as il is, or would they observe the re'
an. lation, and thereby claim that It is
;av. higher power binding them
10. Mr.. Allen said he could not, in
hel few moments he had, 90 over all
ar details of the subject opened by I
question. If the gentlemen had li'
- there for fifteen years, as he had, a
and been all through this fight in opposit
t,.a TO the church in its practice of pol
~ amy, and one Of the last who gave
that fight, he thought the gentlen
feel would feel, as he did, that the as.
IA. anccs that have been made by the r
ple of Utah are sufficient, and that
= promise Of the present will be sacTe
observed in the future.
The bill was then passed an3.goe
the president for his signature.