Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-28

power. The formation OF the State OF
Utah was n purely political proceeding.
No church. sect or religious body was
or could have been treated with for
that purpose. No matter what discus
sion or correspondence or any other
communications may have occurred be-
tween individuals or offiolals on either
side. previous to the action OF Congress
for the organization OF the state. the
entire matter was comprehcndod In and
settled by the agreement required In
the Enabling Act and compiled with
In the state Constitution. IL tho Press
viii adopt our suggestion nmi examine
thosc Instruments carefully, II cannot
fail to see the point we have herein put
forth.
Now in regard to the position OF the
Mormon" Church, Its doctrines. dis
cipllnc. missionaries and alleged oon-
ncctlon with the State. We certainly
do take the ground that these can be
properly understood in no other way.
than By investigation OF that which the
church and its accredited representa-
tlvcs present. IL this u singular POSI-
ton to take? In amy church to be
Judged by the assertions Of Its antago-
nlsts9 Is the Roman Catholic church
to be sunged and condemned by the
stories OF escaped nuns and per-
iurcd. rccreant pricsts7 Il n political
party to be viewed through tho cOiorcd
glasses OF It's violent opponcnts7 Why
should any person. party or church not
be looked upon In the light Of It's own
claims and representations. instead OF
the Misrepresentation OF Its enemicsi
Tho Prcfs says THE Constitution OF
Utah. with It's provisions against polyg-
amy. was plainly accepted by the
Mormons with not the slightest In
tention Of observing those provisions"
Honestly now. Mr.. Press, Is that sem
tcncc anything more than prcjudlced
assumptiOng How do you know what
the intention OF the "Mormons' was In
accepting those provislons7 Are you
not jumping ut q conclusion from Inn
aglnary premises7 You speak OF the
lmpunlty with which they have been
violated" VIII you please tell US one
case Of tho violation OF the provisions
OF the Enabling Act and state consti-
tuition In Utah? We say that has not
been and cannot be done.
The Press. quoting from another
paper. says the Mormons. to make an
impression on the President and Con-
gross. are displaying a great deal OF
activity In prosecuting the violators OF
the anii-polygamy statutes" This Is
another bit OF proof that the Press Is
In outer darkness on Utah affairs. In
the first place, as we have said. there
has been no violation or the anti-polyg-
amy statute OF the State. No such
case has come before the courts. In
the second place. the ''Mormonz' have
not been prosecuting persons for al
legged violation OF any other statute. The
cases to which the Press refers were
not cases OF polygamy, which IL n
felony. but Of mlsdemeanor. and were
punished with heavier penalties than
are common In many other States. and
the prosecuting officers and the courts
were not ''Mormons.''
Press which are but echoes OF old SIAN
ders that pass for truth among unin-
formed people ana papers. which we
need not notice at present. What we
have cited show that our position II
! correct: that the Press talks slibly and
sometimes violently. Of things " does
not understand; and that while II draws
It's alleged information from anti-"Aior-
mon" sources. It will continue to fioun-
der about In the fogs OF error and In the
boys OF pitiful misunderstanding and
delusion. And what we say OF the ST.
Paul Pioneer Press applies equally To
other public journals which. while
possessed Of much ability. are utterly
inconsistent and unfair In their treat
ment Of Mormon subjects and the
Utah question.