The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-25
SPECIAL 70 The I1eraldN

WASHINGTON, D. c., March "a
The house today took up the senate
joint resolution to restore the Mormon
church property.
Mr.. Allen called for a vote.
Mr.. Steele of Indiana said:
Il would like to ask the gentleman
from Utah if there is any danger. af-
ter passing this resolution, that Utah
will not want TO change her consti-
tuition in so far as it relates to this
subject"
Mr.. Allen replied: Il don't under
stand how much time we have. Mr..
Speaker, but l am willing to answer
these questions, and would like very
much to have an opportunity to ex-
plain the matter at length
Mr.. Steele-Give US your opinion of
thu matter, whether they are really
sincere in this thing or not, or what
the prospects are.
Mr. Allen-The people of Utah have
done all they could to assure the people
Of the United States of their sincerity
in this respect The abandoned the
practice of polygamy as far back as
1890. and what I think was the strong
est possible
ASSERTION OF THEIR PURPOSE
was the manifesto coming through the
heads of their church, declaring it their
purpose no longer to practice this
tenet of their faith. No polygamous
marriages have / cen solemnized by
the church for more than five and one
half years. The church has issued no
permit for polygamous marriages since
October. 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 prohib-
tied but it also provided that an
act which had been passed in 1892 by
the legislature of the territory should
remain in force and effect after the ad-
mission of the state into the Union,
which act provided for the punish
nlent of polygamy. 1t is true that the
Mormon people resisted the enforce
ment of this anti-polygamy law so
long as they had standing in courts
for their contention, but when, finally
the decisions of the courts had been
had, and this people found themselves
adjudged wrong upon every essential
point in The controversy. they accepted
the action 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.
The history of Utah during the past
six years indicates. to my mind. that
there can be no such change in its
fundamental law.
This step has been taken deliber-
ately by its people, and they will stand
by promises and pledges made to the
nation.
They are an honest people
Mr.. Hulick-Are we to understand
from the statement of the gentleman
that the church received revelation
that they must abandon polygamy and
therefore have abandoned it?
Mr.. Ailen-In October, 1890. there was
issued by the first presidency of the
Mormon church what is commonly
known in that church and in Utah as
1.-THE manifesto wherein is was stated
that polygamy should no longer be
practiced by the Mormon people.
Mr. Hulick-Well, has that practice
ceased because of revelation. or be-
cause of constitutional and legal pro-
hibiticn?
Suppose a revelation were to come
to the church hereafter that polygamy
should again be adopted would they OBJ
serve the revelation and thereby claim
that it is a higher power?"
Mr.. Allen-I cannot in few moments
go over all the details of the subject
opened by this question. If the gen.
tleman had lived there for fifteen years,
as ] have. and had been all through
this fight in opposition to the church
in is practice of polygany. and one of
the last who gave up that fight, /
think he would feel, as do. that the
assurances that have been made by the
people of Utah are sufficient, and that
the promise of the present will be
sacredly observed in the future.
After some further discussion, the