The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-14
Hawkes. Would Put Utah Out of
the Union.
THROWING OFF THE MASK
The Evils Of Mormonism Are Flourish
ing as Rank as Ever-Polygamy
Practiced Openly 1t Is
Menace to Liberty.
Written for the Sunday Standard.

States knew ti1dt the evils mormon
ism, Notwithstanding the promises
made at the time Utah was admitted
to statehood, exist as they always
have, with the single exception that the
systematic assassination known as
blood atonement," is not a part of the
Mormon religion, and even this, from
threats made during the winter, seems
in danger of being revived. The prom
ises made when the Mormon leaders
We're asking for statehood We're clear
and satisfactory. The pleaders for
statehood could not have been more ex-
plicit in their promises. They referred
to the manifesto" of their President
Woodruff, issued in the fall of 1890, as
an evidence that they had been con-
strained to respect the sentiments of
the people of the United States regard
ing the practice of polygamy, or plural
marriage" as they call it. Their speak
ers and writers said that while they
still believed in what they termed that
divine order of marriage" they bowed
to the will Of the majority, after the de-
cision of the United States supreme
court regarding the Idaho test OATH
which disfranchised all who practiced
or taught polygamy. While statehood
was being pleaded for, the president of
the United States was asked to grant
amnesty to those members of
convicted under the Edmunds-Tucker
law for living in unlawful cohabita-
ton" or with more than one wife,
which law disfra nchises them. The Nor
mon church also asked that so much of
their church property as had been
escheated to the government by the
terms of the above-named law might
be restored to them to use for benevo-
lent and educational purposes. In those
oil Low no
fore the United States courts between
the various branches of the Mormon
church over disputed property in Mis-
souri,.
In connection with these various
matters the Mormon leaders made
statements under oath, and in docu-
ments which should have the sanctity
of sworn statements, to the effect that
no new plural marriages" would be
sanctioned by the church, and that it
was understood and intended that all
such relations should cease between
those who had already lived in such
state. This was most plainly set forth
in the statements of President Wood
ruff, Apostle (now PresidenD Snow, Jo-
Seph F. Smith, a counsellor Of the presi-
dent of the Mormon church, and many
others high in office in that organiza-
ton, and they were practically Endorsed
elect from Utah.
While the majority of the non Nor
mons of Utah believed those statements,
some of the Christian workers in Utah
who had closely studied the history and
teachings of the Mormon church did not
dare trust those professions, and were
sometimes rebuked for bigotry, but
they thought they knew the character
of that organization better than those
y1-hn mix Tod i,,1i
tions. But all frankly accepted the in
evitable, and were ready to meet the
Mormon people more than half way if
they We're honest in their abandonment
of their Asiatic practices. 1t was still
felt that the hierarchy in the Mormon
church was a menace to true liberty;
but it was asserted by the leaders in
that organization most solemnly that
thereafter each individual was to act
freely and independently in politics and
social life. These statements We're made
with all the clearness and force that
words can convey; and because of them
the non Mormons of Utah and the
statesmen of both national political
parties believed them, and gave their
trust to the Mormon leaders. Thus
statehood was secured, by solemn prom
Uses, interpreted by the Mormon lead
ers under oath, and in other significant
believe them. One prominent Congre-
gational minister was so confident of
their honesty that he accepted an in
vitation to preach in the great Mormon
tabernacle in Salt Lake to the usual
Sunday afternoon congregation, which
he would not have done if he had sus
pected they were deceiving the nation.
There is abundant evidence that many
of the Mormon leaders have continued
tn with hpi MI
and that a multitude of children have
been born in such relations in the last
| five years. 1t is common belief in SAT-
| Lake that prominent woman who has
| been member of the legislature sew
| eral removes from being the first. or
| legal, wife of a prominent Mormon
| leader, has gone to another state that
| her condition and expectations may not
| be too much a subject of note and criti
| cism. Not only this, but it is asserted
and is probably true, that in the city of
Salt Lake there are at least Is men who
| have taken plural wives" since the
manifesto was issued in 1890, including
| two apostles. And the same condition
| exists all over Utah and in the sur
| rounding states where there are Nor
mons. Yet, so recently as last Novem-
| Der, the present president of the Nor
| mon church declared, with all the ap-
pearance of honesty, that not to his
| knowledge, or with his consent, had
| there been such a marriage in Utah
| since the manifesto; those who desired
| to believe him an honest man were
| staggered till some one noted the fact
| that he and others kept repeating Not
| in Utah" Then it was soon discovered
| that he and they were simply Juggling
| with words; that many such marriages
| had taken place, but outside of Utah.
For some time it has been considered
| the honorable course for man who
had plural wives" from whom he had
| separated in obedience to the law o!
| the land, to marry one Of them legally
when his first, or legal, wife died. But
| now it Is commonly reported and be-
| lieVed that some are getting around
the letter of the law and trying to
keep up appearances by taking d
! young woman for a new legal wife
when the first wife was dead. Young
women declare that they would rath-
.er be the plural wife" of prominent
churchman than the first wife of some
poor man. Let the wof,en of Chris
tan America ponder over this: that
| for years the. strength of polygamy