Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-12
Weak and Watery in the Ex-
IRENE.
MlSLEADS IN EVERY POINT.
snucodo, Not Argument. tnsinuation.
Not tcason. the IiasIs OF til.
Document.

association. by Dr. y. q. McNiccc. and
by Unanimous vote. ordered to be- pub.
hshcd no expressing the general sonti-
ment " the association.
That statement published by Prcsi.
Icht Lorenzo SNOW. IN the New You.
world OF Dec. 90 1895. concerning 20.
lygamy In Utah, ~ one ~ the most
plausible documents that Mormon dl-
plumncy has ever sent uui. II reminds
US or the diplomatic statements pub
llrhcd by the Spanish government last
summer TO bolster W. their ease with
the spanish people. This statement
from President Snow ~ so very pinus-
iblc that u viii undoubtedly misiehd n
stc1t many people outside of Ttnh.
lut there " one thing which ought to
prevent II from deccivinE anybody.
either at home or abroad. and that h
that II " the statement ~ an nyowed
polygamist. who has boon advocating
ana practlcing polyRamy Tor over ffty
YehfH, aud who Nv nutY trying 10 avert
the terrible storm ~ righteous indignn.
ton which u beginning tn sweep over
the country because the Mormon pco.
pie. M the direct result M the polygn-
nous teaching ana example Of Presi-
dent Snow ana his associates. IN past
years. have recently capped the climax
OF political defiance ~ tho American
people By clectlng notorious polyynm-
ist To Congress.
Now, without calling In question the
motives OF Precedent Snow. the truth
requires II To- b. frankly stated that
this document which he published on
Dec. 30, - far ns IL Affects the people
outside Of this state. ~ thoroughly nils
leading from beginning To- end And
while we are utterly Disguised with this
whole question OF polyTamy. and nverse
To ~ further discussion. yet u j. -
aNssHH
and good name. nnd the welfare af the
State. that II Seems a public duty To try
TO correct the false impression made
through this diplomatic document BY
anaiyzlng II, and pointing out wherein
Il u unloading and dccelying.
In this document President SNOW dis
cusHeA three general subjects which are
Of special interest 10 the whole Amerl-
can people Just now: First. the qucs-
ton Of polyRnmouH marriages In Utah
~ the present time; second. the election
of Elder Roberts 10 Congress. third.
the obligation 10 care for former plural
wives.
In reference TO the first subject. three
statements are made 60 which We call
attention. The firrt statement II con-
tnined In the frrt sentence Of the doCu-
mcnt. aa follows:
I'm answer TO your Inquiries. I de-
clare most solcmniy and Unphntically
iHul ln' HihNth"hh Nhifh ufr b'iuE
published To the effect that tho Nor
mon church II encouraging and teach
INK polygainy are utterly untrue"
Now, II that statement II not caicu-
lated To mlalcad and deceive the people
outside ~ Utah. by being NJ variance
with the facts, then II h impossible 10
frame misleading statement Those
who live In Utah and are well Informed
know that Il II n misleading statement.
For, IN what other way could the Nor
mon Church more effectively encourage
polygnmy than II II doing now. when
the Church officials are setting before
young and old the example Of living la
pplygamy, In violation u laws
II IL difficult To lind Mormon COM
munity In Utah where the church of
tcials arr not settling that Kind of an
example. Ana even n there were no
direct teaching Of polygamy. what
more effective teaching ~ possible than
the teaching of such example,
hut We know equally well that there
II direct teaching OF polygamy by
church officials In various parts ~ tho
state. We know the Bishops and other
officials IN the smaller towns are con-
atnntly cNh0rting the people, since
20 live their religion" And
we know what that means In Utah.
hut, TO be specific. only last May, FL
der Roberts was setting before the
,"uhe PN"fl.s ~ Rnc IhhFhSino Mhlcn
he edits, which II the organ OF the
Young Mons Mutual Improvement
association" the rightfulnena ~ polyg-
amy M a divine Institution. In nm elnb-
orste article of nearly eleven pages.
And since the LIST VI June. the papers
have reported addresses by two Apos-
ties OF the Church for two young peo-
Pies conventions, Ia which the right
fulness Of polygamy was advocated
and impressed upon the young people. |
The simple fact IN that there has not |
been. 10 our knowledge. NJ much on. |
'ourngemcnt and teaching of pnlyEamy
by Church officials for tho past twelve |
years as there " now. Ana II Prcsf. |
lent Snow doesn't know these thlnga. |
how useless IN his sweeping denial or
h he hiding behind the technical mean. |
ng ~ the term polygamy rs iistin- |
iity9
II 10, his statement that polygnmy
y not being encouraged nor taught IN
Utah IL stlll misleading, for Il has no
'uch technical meaning outside Of
Utah, nor does Il have a technical
meaning here, except when a polypf,.
mist N driven into n tight place bv
acts or arguments.
The second statement about polygn.
ny II that there have been no polyga-
nous marriages In Utah since Prcsi-
wv NHANiAN lAAhllllfNlp IN NNltpmH 1
'cr 1880. And President snow declares
To be his intention To stand by that
manifesto and not permit any polypn.
nous marriages to take place under
he panction Of tho Church. lie saws,
Holding the keys ~ this authority In
he church over which I am called to
reside, no such ceremony cnn be per.
orined AID recognized without my con.
ont, PolyFamous marrinrea In
he Mormon church have entirely
cnFcd"
Now, we are rlnd TO hear that prosl.
ent snow intanda To stand by tho
manifesto OF 1890 and 10 permit NO
lurni marriage with the sanction ~
he Church. And We are not dlsposod
b call In question this statement thnt
he Church Is not giving It's formal nnd
flcinl sanction to plural MARRIAGE In
he Church through the president nut
ere ~ q serious difficulty which we
hould Ike 20 have cleared M. Prosi-
ont Snow conveys the Impression
hat plural marriages can tnte plnce
My In TEMPLES and places which an,
ndor his official control, and hence
lust have his sanction.
But President John Taylor. who IL
nunliy good authority. In his sworn
'siimony before the Third dlatrle,
Durt ON Oct. A., 1854 told us iuAt Tho
pntrary. Here are his reported state
rents:
There ~ no place ret apnrt specIn-
ally for performing plural marriages.,
the church recognlzea other !