Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-02-10
COMMENTS on nonEmrs.

Thco. W. Curtis. secretary ~ the so-
clnl Alliance. writes the following open
letter Ia Congress. published In the Hos
ton Globe of the md Of February:
40 the Congress N the United states;
tnnamuch M petitions are being sent
tn gongrcra demanding the rejection ~
CongrcHHmun-cloct Brigham II. Rob
efts " Utah. We ask IN the intercrt Of
truth. fair play and constitutional
methods. consideration OF the following
aspects Of the ease.
Firat-The demand FOR the exclusion
~ Roberts docs not rest on any state
mcnt ~ fact or principle. but ON vague
Implications ~ to both the legal aud
moral issues involved. there being no
evidence that any plural marriage has
been contracted IN rtnh since " be-
came a Sintc. or that Roberts was put
In nomination hy Mormon" influence.
~ his abilities and fitness are acknowl-
edged by Gentilca no less than by Nor
mons" and some Of his most ardent
supporters being non-"M ormona." one
for polyEamy when Utah was yet a
Territory.
socond-The bulk OF the petitions
against Roberts, N not all Of them.
cmnnnte from ecclesiastical bodies
whose enmlty pursued the "aformons
long before polygnmy was any part OF
thrir creed. aud who teach shnt mar
riagc IL religious rite derived from the
bible. from which book the "Mormons'
also Ect their doctrine of polygnmy.
Even President Cleveland has said that
the destiny Of the nation rests upon
homes established by the law ~ God
and regulated by patcrnm authority;
that tho mothers " our land live ac-
rofding Ia Gods holy ordinances. each
LA he ~
elusive love Of her husband aud her
children" hut Roberts antagonist. the
defeated candidate. says that ~ the
lilble ~ flrht polygamy II right and
every biblical scholar outside Of n
theological seminary win agree with
him. And We must note the fact that
polyEamy had the support 81 the auf-
fraHc OF the people " Utah OF both
sexes.
Third-owing 10 the equal sovereign
~ OF the States of the Union and tho
fact that marriage has been under the
control of the several States. u would
seem that Congress can flghtfuliy deal
with this matter only through "A Con-
atitutionai amendment prohibiting pc
lygamy In all tho States. iiut n this
matter Of the relation Of the sexes IN
10 pass from Stnte TO national control.
u should be with deiiberation and FORE
east and under strictly rational aus
pieces. and not In any hasty or mean
subscryicncc TO popular or rectr,an
clnmor.
Fourth-The ethical aspect of this
subject " one which u great and self
respecting nation cannot anofd'to L.
more. There are practices more revolt
Ing TO the moral sense and dangerous
Ia the home than the offcnac charged
against Utah's representative. The fact
N not generally known that only per
cent Of It's church members practiced
polygnmy when II was In ita prime.
Fifth-rhe economic aspect II also
an Important factor. The student %
sociology knows that the extremes %
wealth and poverty, ~ privilege ANA
dependence, are the greatest Toe ~
morals and the home, and that when
the people, men and women. nre secured
In their industrial rights, their moral
and spiritual nature win assert itself.
and the statute book win be- relieved
OF multitude % arbitrary enactmcrta
for tho regulation of personal conduct
aud the suppression ~ crime,
THE SOCIAL. ALLIANCE,
Theo. W. Curtis. Secretary.
Boston, Mass, Jan. -. 1883