The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-06-15
WOULD PUT UTAH
OUT OF THE UNION

w WV u ~ ~ y k2A4
OUT OF THE UNION
Rev. Winfield Scott Hawkes., q Pr0mi-
nent CONGREGATIONAL Minister of
Salt Lake City, Paints a Dark Pic
ture Of the Evils Of Mormonism.
1t is high time that the people of the
United States knew the evils of Mormonism,
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
the blood atonement" is not a part
OF the Mormon religion, and even this.
from the threats made during the winter,
seems in danger of being revived. The
promises made when Mormon leaders were
asking for statehood were clear and salts
factory. The pleaders for statehood could
not hove been more explicit in their prom
ises. They referred to the manifesto of
their President Woodruff. issued in the
fall of $780, as evidence that they were
constrained to respect the sentiments of the
people of the United States regarding the
practice Of polygamy, or plural marriage"
as they call it. Their speakers and writer's
said that while they still believed in what
they termed that divine order of mar
rage" they bowed to the will of the ma
jority. after the decision of the United
States supreme court regarding the Idaho
test OATH" which disfranchfsed all who
practiced or taught polygamy. While state
hood was being pleaded for the president of
the United States was asked to grant am
n0StV those members of the Mormon
church who had been convicted under the
Edmunds- Tucker law for living in "un-
lawful co-habitation, or with more than
one wife, which law DISTINGUISHED them.
The Mormon 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 for use for benevolent and educa-
tional purposes In those years there were
also suits at law before the United States
courts between the various branches of the
Mormon churh over disputed property in
Missouri.
In connection with these various matters
the Mormon leaders made statements under
oath, and in documents which should have
the sancity Of sworn statements, to the eff
feet 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 statement of
President Woodruff Apostle (now presi
dent Snow. Joseph F.. Smith, a counsellor
Of the president of the Mormon church.
and many others high in Office in that
organization, and they were practically IN
dorsed by B. H. Roberts, now congressman
elect from Utah.
While the majority of the non Mormons
of Utah believed these statements, some of
the Christian workers in Utah who had
o%,, I'D k1a ick4
the Mormon church. did not dare trust
those professions, and were sometimes re-
buked for bfgOtry but they thought they
knew the character of that organization
better than those who simply accepted
surface Indications But all frankly &C
copied the inevitable, and were ready to
meet the Mormon people more than half
way II they were honest in their abandon
ment of their Asatic practices. 1t was
still felt that the hierarchy of the Mormon
church was menace to true liberty; but
1t was asserted by the leaders in that or
ganization most solemnly that hereafter
each individual was to act freely and in
dependently in politics and social life.
These statements were made with all the
clearness and force that words can convey;
and because of them the non Mormons of
Utah ard the statesmen of both national
political parties believed them, and gave
their trust to the Mormon leaders; thus
statehood was secured by solemn promises
interpreted by the Mormon leaders under
cath, and in other significant ways, and
the country had a right to believe them.
One prominent Congregational leader was
SO conndent OF their honesty that he ac-
oepted an invitation to preach in the great
Mormon tabernacle in Salt Lake City to
the usual Sunday afternoon CONGREGATION.
wnlcn ne WOULD not have done had he sus-
pected they were deceiving the nation
How have the Mormons kept their prom
NnNy 4rr~
cured 1t was asserted that some of the
prominent Mormons began moving over
the border in Idaho or other states; and it.
began to be known that some of them were
bearing children. Then the attention of
President Woodruff was called to these
FACTS He protested that he and the leaders
were honest in their former statements and
intent. and dlsowned such practices But
the testimony began to increase so fast that
the Presbyterians of Utah took some care
to collect facts and at their fall meeting
last year made a statement which startled
the country The Mormons denied the state
ments then. but long since have ceased TAX
ing pains to do so. as the facts are becoming
more and more numerous and frequent
There is abundant evidence that many O:
the Mormon leaders have continued to live
with their polygamous wives, and that
multitude OF children have been born in
such relations in the last five years. 1t is
common belief in Salt Lake that a promi-
rent woman who has been a member of
the legislature, several remove; from the
first, or legal wife, of a prominent Mormon
leader. has gone to another state that her
condition end expectations may not he too
nauch a subject Of noe and criticism. Not
only this. ut 1t is asserted. and is prob
ably true that in the city of Salt Lake there
are az least Is men who have taken plural
w.ves s.nvc the manifesto was issued in
49," including two apostles. Ard the sarle
conditions exists all over Ut,,l and in the
surrounding states where there are Nor
mons. Yet. sn 1ecrntly as las November,
the present president of the Mormon church
declared. with all the appearance of hon
esty, that not to his knowledge or with his
consent had there been such marriage in
Utah since the manifesto; those who de.
sired to believe him an honest man were
staggered till some one noted the fact that
he and others kept repeating, mot 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 a man who had plural
wives" from whom he had separated in
obedience to the law of the land, to marry
cne of the legally when his first, or legal,
wife died. But now it is commonly re-
ported and believed that some are getting
around the letter of the law, and trying to
keep up appearances by taking a young
woman for a new legal wife when the
first wife was dead. Young women declare