Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-01
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It was 10 be expected that the ogden
STANDARD. non-"Mormon' paper
which has expressed the most liberal
and consistent views on the situation In
Utah, should be misrepresented by
those who are engaged Ia the new cru
SADIE. Because Il has expressed the
opinion that, while polygamous mar
riages must not be performed in this
state. the old relations existing pre-
ylous to statehood should be permitted
TO remain undisturbed. 1t has been ac-
cused o. endorsing polygamy. To that
charge the editor thus responds:
''The present editor has not endorsed
polYgImy and does not believe In
po.ygamy and the Standard proposes
70 DO an In us power TO prevent polyg-
amy or plural marriages. There Is now
no excuse for a Mormon or any other
person 90 40 into polygamy. The laws
% the United states, the State OF Utah,
and 10 the Mormon Church prohibit
plural marriages and Il must not be
proctlced iu the future. There Is much
tax about plural marriages going on
by s,nt OF the Church. Some time
ago the STANDARD offered a reward OF
500 for the proof Of one such plural
marriage performed since statehood.
That reward Is sim unclaimed. We be-
lieve the Mormon people are true 90 the
manifesto and we are willing to give
500 20 learn that the Standard is de-
ccived on this question Do not be-
backward about claiming this Sl00. The
STANDARD editor will swear out the war;
rant for the arrest Of any parties that
entered plural marriage since state
hood
This brings 10 mind the offer, now
renewed, which that paper made at the
time when the assertion was continual
ly repeated by the paper in this city
that has caused 30 much strife. that
Utah was filling up with plural wives
who were not wives when statehood
was acquired" The Standards offer
affords a good opportunity for such per-
sons as pretend TO know so much on
this subject to gain their reward But
they will have 10 furnish proof instead
OF gossip. and 70 make a case beyond
question, In the place Of repeating some
scandalous story or INDUCING In fights
Of the Imagination.
The ogden Standard makes the fol-
lowing extract from the Bingham Bull
letln. also non" Mormon paperpub-
lished In Salt Lake county:
There are Gentlles In Utah who did
not vote for Roberts, but now prefer
that he be seated. They do not en-
dorse his course as a polygamist but
are disguised with the intensity Of the
fight that has been made against him
by sentlmentasts who do not under
stand the DoIygamy question as it Is
understood by its Ctah opponents.
'MormOns' who are making a struggle
10 support their old families are enti-
tied TO some credit. even though there
Is occasional evidence that they do not
strictly obey the law, Their crimes
should not be condoned, but are not
n whit worse than social la.ses Of the
very people who have been lying
awake nights Matching plans TO pre-
vent Utah from being represented In
the lower House. The following COM
ment IN the New York Sun Is sensible
and 10 a degree fits the case: There
Is beyond question a vast amount OF
humbug and Hypocrisy IN the oppOsi-
ton 20 seating Roberts II all the
Professionals who are living In ccncu-
binage or who have awaited themselves
OF our free-and-easv divorce laws to
get new partner" were to be ruled
out Of public life or forbidden TO pose
as censors OF morality, there would be
a petceDuble shrinkage IN the move
ment'
Commenting on the foregoing from
the Bulletin, the Standard has this TO
say editorially. and we believe It's re-
marks win receive endorsement from a
vast number OF non-"Mormons' in DIFF
ferent parts Of this State:
The Standard cOngratulates the
Bingham Bulletin on its fairness OF
expression on the Mormon question.
The Bulletin. like the Standard, does
not believe In polygamy and wants II
stamped out, but Ike the Standard,
the Bulletin believes the Mormon peo-
pie have done nobly in living up TO the
manifesto so WELL II even thinks the
support Of the old polygamous fami-
lies by the husbands IL a credit to
them. Right you are. Are there any
other GENTLE papers IN Utah who want
10 put down future Dolygamous mar
r1ages and at the same time be fair and
human toward the old plural families?"