The San Francisco call., 1899-03-06
REPLIES TO
ATTACKS ON
B, H. ROBERTS
President Nye Talks
of Mormonism.
SAYS P0LYGAMY IS DEAD
DECLARES THE CHURCH Is OUT
OF POLITICS.
Representative Of the Latter Day
Saints Claims the Utah Congress
man Was Elected by Votes
of GentiIes.
SAYS P0LYGAMY is DEAD
DECLARES THE CHURCH Is OUT
OF POLITICS.

President z. II. Nye of the California
Mission Of the Latter-Day Saints
preached to a very large assemblage in
Pythian Castle last night. It had been
announced that he would reply to the at
tacks being made on the church because
OF the election to Congress from Utah Of
B. II. Roberts, a Mormon and the hus-
band of plurality of wives, and this fact
undoubtedly was in a large measure re-
sponsible for the big attendance.
The speaker repudiated the allegation
that the Mormon church is in politics or
that II was in any way responsible for the
election of Roberts. He also denied that
polyganly was being or had been prac-
ticed in Utah since the passage of the
EdmUnds-Tucker act or that there was
any desire whatever among the members
OF the church for a resumption of the
practice. He did not deny that there were
members of the church who had more
than one wife, but claimed that in every
such instance the plural marriages had
heen contracted previous to the act re-
ferred to, and argued that it would be
crime for the husbands of these women
TO refuse to provide for them. Roberts
was one of them and he was doing just
what any man deserving to be called such
would do. That portion Of President
Nye's address referring to Roberts was
IN substance as follows:
In view Of the fact that so many hard
things have recently been published about
the Saints, and the further fact that the
newspapers have absolutely refused to
publish anything in our favor, propose
TO tell you some facts in relation TO the
matter. The election of B. H. Roberts as
Congressman from Utah has stirred the
nation 10 its depths. There have been
gatherings OF ministers al lover the land
and the ministers have given expression
TO their views, IaVishly and reckieSSly
The women, too, have held mass meetings
for the purpose of denOuncing Roberts
and the church. Not that depreciate the
ladies: there are but few sections of the
country where women are apprectated as
they are in Utah. We have given them
the franchise and a woman is q member
OF our State Senate; so we are certainly
al the forefront on this question.
Some tWenty-odd State Legislatures
have felt called upon to appeal TO Con
gress to refuse to allow Roberts TO take
his seat. Just remember that these grand
old sOlons, these wise old men, nave done
so without a particle OF evidence, outside
e. Of what has been published in the news
papers. Do you, in your courts, convict a
man on hearsay evidence or on evidence
that is alone based on newspaper puoIica-
tons? r-..,. os-.,++ad - s+a+abood
the Republican party was dominant IN the
TERRITORY The Republicans controlled
the constitutional convention, ana among
them were both Morm0nS ana non-MoT-
mons. The members of the church We're
then as they are now, divided in the mat
ter OF politics. AT the election. three
wears ago Roberts was the nominee of
{5As PsmOSTTats for 32-,56a cGngress N Moses Ss
sent 10 the Senate provided his party
controlled the Legislature. These men
had entered into an agreement with the
party managers without consultation
with the leaders Of the church. As they
both held high positions in the religious
body II was thought that they should
have resigned their positions in the
undivided attention-before making any
political deal, and 5-I 1t was declde3d to dis
buked by the church authorities for ac-
cepting political nominations without first
resiguing their religious offices. Then
arose q great clamor, and howl went
up that the church was interfering In
politics. But nothing was said at that
time about pOlygamy; the subject was not
mentioned. At that election the Demo-
Gratis were defeated.
This last fall the tables were turned
cessful and Roberts being again its can
didate for Congress was elected. But he
was not elected by the Mormons The min
ing districts, where the voting population
was from Is to 80 nOn-Mormon, he carried
easily, and IN the city districts, where the
same proportions existed he was also sue
Cessful by good majOrities, while in the
rural districts. which were Mormon by
from % 10 100 he was either beaten or re-
an immense majority Ihen the hoWl
commenced, and it began right among the
Office seekers who got left at the election.
And what did they base their complaint
on9 With the Salt Lake Tribune for their
spokesman lAey raised the cry of polyg--
amy. They dug up Roberts record and
much more than his record. ThAy cried.
why don't the church call him down;
why don't the church make him get out?'
THE church. realizing the result of Its
action three years before. quietly decided
not TO have anything to do with the mat
ter. But as the howlers were not salts
ned before. they are not satisfied now. 1t
looks very much as though it was a
case Of You'll be damned if you do and
You'll be damned If you don't
THE church is absolutely out of poll
tics and its members are no longer prac-
tfcing polygany. It is very likely that
in the near future the movement which
has been fnaugurated 10 submit an
amendment TO the, Constitution Of the
soIfI+eIv and for all time win result in the
question Being submitted to the Legisla--
lures of the several states for action, and
if this is done I think / can safely say
that the proposition will be adopted by
the Legislature OF Utah, and that, TOO,
without any opposition whatever from the
= rob