Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-11-01

some other papers were announcing
that b. H. uoherts. tho Congressman
from Utah. was in hiding somewhere
In that city aa "a fugitive from jus
iico" and that he Was in retirement"
and in tho strictoat eecluaion. that ncn.
tlcman was meeting friends and ncws.
paper reporters ana By request of the
Sow York World "broko silence" as
that paper announced. and made o
statement which the world published
Hs follows We reproduce from tho
columns Of that paper Cor infama-
t.on of the public in these parisi
"neilgioun fanatics orc trying 10 de-
feat the VIII 0f the people. n the Same
condition occurred wherein another
church was placed IN the position ~
the Mormon Church. there would he
such an uprising ae has never been wilt
| messed hero.
~ wish 90 doaIrnaic the attitude ~
! th,en people. my dotractura. ne q piece
% unwarrantcd Interference on the part
| Of religious bigots
"Mlno To- the voice ~ ono against the
multitude. and Z had not intended 10 cay
| anything about the ISLANDERS that have
h.cn circulated about me untu had a
! chance 90 meet my vluncra fncc 90 face
| and thon Co rrfutr their statements.
- Intend To bring them before CON
] gross ur "a committee Ul Congress, and
uftor stating my eide 81 this question
/ fully make thonc OF my nccusers prove
whatever charges thcy may have
| against me.
u fcoi confident that whom have
done this ana made my answer % The
/ allegations against me the American
people viii zee that have been a much
| sitgsi.ti,, H., ~. ,bsrf.. that vyas tn
be- arrcated and left Utah 10 avoid 10. I
| will state that 10 has been about year
| sinCo the accusation wan made that !
| waa a defiant lnw-hrehker. and On that
/ time they have had abundant 0pportun.
] ny. N the charges were true, 20 have
arrested and convicted me long ago.
"siucc then have passed through The
I heat ~ political campaign. and On spite
l ~ tho charges have been elected %
/ ConHrcsa by the citizens ~ Utah. not
aione the Mormon citizens but other
l Democratic.
! II carried all the nom Mormon strong
/ holds in the State BY large m1ioritiea
| Salt Lake city wdH carried by 5000
/ votes. ogden hy 500 and urery mining
/ camp save one voted fnr me. The
| population 81 these camps L. almost
] entirely nom Mormon. but ln spite ~
/ that I carried them and the sUtc.
] wis elected not Ho much hy the aid %
I Mormon votes aa by tho aid % the soc
! called GENTLE element
90 D. evidently o. part o. the sonra-
| tlonal and cownrdiy attacks NJ my de-
] tractors to take advantage ~ my necoH-
nary visit TO the East and charge me
| with trying 10 avoid arrest when Tor
I months past they or the authorities
I have had plenty ~ opportunity 90 have
I ne apprchondcd N they so desired.
"tn regard to tho nntnroniHtic move
mrnt and meeting recently held IN Sew
] York. nt which I was attacked. have
/ nothing 20 say save 60 duplOrc The fact
/ that Hn excellent woman az Miss
] Helen Gould should be mialcd by lot
] u anti Mormon fanatics, who have
| evidently mlsrcpfcsentcd TO her condi-
/ lions prevailing IN Utah.
! SAY this Tor me, There n not
I state ln the Union whore pplygnnous
marriages are Ho entirely under the ban
| 81 law as In Utah.
| Plural marriages are prohibited by
/ tho edict 81 the Mormon Church. and
D have been 90 since President Wood.
] runs manifesto IN 1890.
"In addition 10 that. they are inhlh-
! lied hv constitutional provision. with
! tho same dennitlon of the crime and the
same penalties AFFIXED aa puniahmont
l that obtained To- tho congressional
! enactment Tor the Territory of Utah
| generally known an the Edmunds-ruck-
THAT constitutional inhibition IL
| made uurcpohlahle without the com
| sent Of Inc Tinted States. and / know
! of no State that has that subject 40
] completely under condemnation Of law
! az has Utah
IAN the polygumy that exists IN Utah
| today is simply that some men who ou-
l tered plural marriage relationships
years ago. under sanction NJ the teach
I iura NJ the Mormon church, conHid-
cred themselves under moral obligations
l 90 fulnll tho conditions ut the mar
[ Hurp covenant and refused 20 cast on
the women who trusted them.
] "lt win BE- interesting 90 know Just
] what moral or religious benefit Will rec
suit 90 the community by turning pdrlft
these plural wives or diaowning their
"And yet. cvon tho continuation OF
/ those relations IA prohibited by lrglH.
l lntlyr enactment and " men fulnll
I what they regard no their moral ohli-
] CATIONS Co thoae plural families they
l must DO 10 nt the risk ~ coming under
] uurI HhWnnt provided by law.
"Thcrc H. however, and has boon ~
| public sentiment Ia the State NJ Utah
| that has born so unreasonable aa 90 dee
mnnd that men, fulnInng what they
/ have regarded ua moral duties, shnll Do
] punished nH yiolnturs ~ the law.
"The only prosecutions TIM have been
] maze have been az the Instance NJ tho
representative ~ one NJ the New YORK
newspapers. VINO IN out IN Utah acting
.
I most dcspirahlo NJ wrctchcs In times
I past ana now.
/ And 10 ~ grand testimonial 90 the
| ponco-l0ying nature ~ tho people NJ
] Tmh that such o. character can 20
FROM one end M tho state 90 the other
/ atlrtlur up this strife for sensational
] purposes and De- nevertheless unmoleHt-
I 90 ln hia career
There ls another phnac OF this ques-
. lion that would like 10 put before tho
people NJ New York. What business ~
II nf the people NJ New York whom the
people N Utah elect 20 Cougress7
"Nhut would be- the fC0llng IN Com
/ rfeaaIunnl district M this State 10 the
/ Mormon church got mp an agitation
| against ono NJ its representatives ON
the ground Of alleged lmmorallilos and
. uuntucrHH
"Wowd not there bo q strong fcoling
among the people here that u was mono
of tho hurinoHG M the members NJ Che
Mormon church whom they elcclcdf
"pn not the people of Utah have mo
mmo riTht 20 elect % man " th'lr
] ohDlcH Goo represent them IN Congress-
that tho people ~ any CougrcHsicnai
/ district NJ Rev York huve1
"WcIlriOuH fanatics are seeking 10 d1-
fcat tho win 0f Che people.
Finally ! wiah to designate the Atii-
tude ~ these pv0plo. my dctfactor'. AZ
I niece uf unWurfHufHl Interference on