Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-02-18
No PROOFS YET.


80 proofs have yet been offered that
"ali over utah are polygamous wives
who were not wives In 1886" nor that
Apostles nrc whipping In the people 10
take more wives" Yet these charges
arr Etlii repeated. and the purpose be-
hind them ~ evidently 10 spread them
nil over the United states 10 dcfame the
Mormon" church aud iniurc the Nor
mon" people. II the Dcacrct News.
which speaks ior the church and the
people. 10 remain silent under these
cniumnlca7
We have the answer 10 this question
IN the words and letters of approval
which reach US. every day, as TO the
course We arc pursuing. lcaa than
one person In thousand diescniH, 10
the extent Of wishing the News would
not condcaccnd 10 notice these Vile ni-
tacke. when we know" We nrc right
we expect 10 ''Fo-n head" and cannot
b. allenccd by amy volume Of vitupcra-
,lon or personal abuse. from "A source
which should be- the last 10 raise the
question ~ personal character.
We have specifically and emphatic
ally denied the charges thus repeated.
We have asked Tor the proofs. Instead
~ furnishing them. the accuHor relates
one version ~ story that has been
banded about and published In differ
ent forms. concerning q dead man who
n said IN have been married 20 plural
wife not long before his deccase Al
a l. la.s
,lon ~ one form of this rumor, and the
demand that the Dcaerot News shall
ray whether II II true or not.
To this We have answered 1--WE do not
know" We are not required 10 prove
negative; We are not expected 10
prove or dlHnrovc the Affirmative, II u
for the accuser To- furnish the proofs
or withdraw his ohnrEca. or hold his
peace, But he does neither. On the
contrary. he virtually admits his In
ability TO prove his accusations and
asks how they can be- established ''ln
legal form"f We do not car" nhnut
the legal" form. give ~ N" proofs IN
any form. nut all h. offers " They
are tho talk ~ every nclThborhood."
Perhaps. Hut who started tho taxi
The anti Mormon" ncouHer starts a
story. about multltudeH OF plural mar
riaRea. rcpcais II untll II becomes the
talk NJ the n.irhborhood. and points Ia
that gossip aH evidence that the story
II truei That N the Kind ~ logic that
might be- expected from the prurlcnt
rcnndni-mongcr.
iiut again We say II this story rot
aiioat In a cownflly manner about a
dead man who cannot defend himself.
IL true or any way near tho truth,
how does that prove that AN over
Utah there are polygamouH wives who
were not wives In 1867 Are they nll
dead. toof can't u ease be- made out NJ
few u them which can be- rubs,anti-
hted by proof And how would that
prove that Apostles are whipping IN
the people 10 take more wivcsf"
These bnuclcHs accusations are Tor
foreign use. not Tor home consumption.
except 20 soil papers a. people VINO
think II fun 10 have these stories olrcu.
lated. and who delight In that kind ~
gossip.
Now We and the church thus slnn-
dcrcd have the right Ia demand proofs
of the charges made Ana cnlling the
editor ~ this paper "a moasur-icss liar
"a pup that should have been stran-
rled when Uttered" "a limiticsH llnr."
Tor a Shiny cuttlefish" and asserting
that he "knowH several ~ such mar,
rlagcs rlght In this city" do not consti.
tulc proofs or any evidence whatever
10 Huhstnniiaic IN" charges. They rim.
ply show what an elegant classical, re-
fined and logical writer tho nccuFrr n.
and what hole he has placed himself
IN and cannot crawl out of ur obscure
from the gaze ~ "A discerning public.
Now, n there are amy proofs lot them
be brought forward; eplthcu viii not
count