Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-09-09


that % might be- construed 10 mean
moro than was required. az the popular
understanding N the word was different
20 its defined legal Specification. when
the Consultation was framed. the lan-
[ ruage NJ the Enabling Act on this point
was strictly followed. after c1naldornbla
debate 90 which the exclusive character
NJ the provision was fully Ventilated
and understood. Ana i.at any dubiety
should arise concerning o.. an additional
clause was added as follows.
An oct 70 punish polycnmy and other
NlnItel M usrH, approve n Hruary
9. a. -. i'al. in 20 iar ns the same de-
Zines 1nl imposHa penalties f1r puIyg-
the state 90 Utah"
Reference 60 that oct viii show
that tho same distinctions made
by Congress n iss2 were made by
the Legislature OF Utah in 1899. and
thus pUlvrumy was again defined 10
mean the contracting OF plural mar
rlnzHa while association with plural
wives was constituted another and dif-
farcut 1nonse. aud was Intentionally
loft out N the State Constitution.
Tho proceedings 1f tho state convon-
ton are published in book form. and
the debate ON this ciau-. proves beyond
doubt that unlawful cohahitntion"
was purpoHe'y and undoratandinrly cx.
ciuied. The record is our authority
for this statement. 10 cannot b. sucecas-
fully imponchrd
Now, therefore. whatever may be ar
gucd az 90 the meaning NJ any pre-
crdlng document. the Enabling Act ana
ths State Constitution constituted tho
only pledge between Utah and the Ma
ton By which Statehood was obtained.
Precedent Cleveland accepted tho Com
Hiltution uH complying with the condi-
lions Imposed, understanding fully the
adjudication u the compact. Ills pro-
clnmntion 90 that eject was issued
January g. 1896
We claim that the pledge has been
Kept The people ~ Utah have OBJ.
served Il faithfully The Mormon"
Church has not violated IT, Polyga-
nous or plural marriages have
not been Holomulzed by the authority
N that Church In any part of the
State or of the United states.
nor has tho doctrine been promulgated
by tho church OR under ita authority.
on the contrary n has been forbidden
by the one church Official who alone
holds the keys OF authority In relation
10 the matter n. us has been charged.
there have been cases 0f violation Of
this Church inhibition. neither tho
Church nor liH President can be truth
fully accused OF being responsible FOR
them. We do not know Of any such
cases. In every Instance whore such
charges have been investigated, they
have turned out On be- either entirely
Imaginary, or a complete misundcr-
standing OF circumstances that could
b. easily explained In the event OF legal
proceedings The fact that no prose-
cutlona for polygnmy have been at
tempted since Utah became q state u
the Union. IL good evidence that there
L. not sufficient ground on which 20
base them. Tho disposition 10 accuse
H. 10 strong among anti" Mormons."
that II anything which would stand a
legal test could be- adduccd. Il would be
urged with an the force and persistence
which characterized the enforcement
~ the antl-polygamy laws OF Congress.
hut uuppUslng that there have been
Instances Of the violation Of tho law
against plural marriage. Only two have
been positively charged. while we do
not admit the truth ~ the assertions
or the hints thrown out we ask candid
nnd Just people whether. u proven,
those cases would justify the broad
accusation which has been made that
utah r. Milling up with polygnmous
wives who were not wives when Utah
became e slater or would lt be oyi.
donce that either Utah or the "Mor-
mon people or tho Mormon" Church
had broken lts pledge 90 the natlong
Would not such exceptional instances
be viewed by falr-mlnded people as
what Senator Edmuuls designated as
sporadic ooaosg' Would they prove
that statehood was obtained By fraud7
or that thore was mo- intention ON the
part N tho Mormon" people TO
abide by the condition required In
the Enabling Act2 Would Il not slim
ply show, II true, that tho lndivld-
uul8 accused were guilty OF not only
breaking the law of the State but the
rule ana order of the Mormon"
church, The present head OF tho
Church has officially declared. IN the
most solemn manner, that no such mar
riageH have been Holomnlzod by author
lty of the Church under his Presidency.
or 10 his knowledge since Utah entered
the Union, ana that they VIII not be
by his sanction Without such sanction
"a plural marriage would De void Zoo the
Church Co.'s much 0s II would be- ln law.
We state, without hesitation. that
plugll marriages have entirely ceased
iu tho Church of Jesus Christ OF Int
.or-day Saints, ana that Utah. the Nor
mon" people ANA tho Mormon" Church
have uurolly Kept the compact made
with the Nation In the Constitution of
tho State
when tho President of tho Church !
Issued hl7 Manifesto against tho further
of plural marriages. and |
when Utah entered tho Union an 70 |
state un ou equal footing with the other |
States. there were number Of men |
who had contracted marriages under /
the ordinances ~ tho church 20 which /
they belonged, and which tho parties |