Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-10
,onnnnnrJulnr ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
YES. January

4 n religious duty anu as n t'u't Va ~.
| faith. The fear was entertained that
al some time It might spread INTO az
the Pacific States, as the Moflnons hau
missionaries everywhere advocating
and praotlcng their religion.
The Territory Of Idaho passed law
during her Territorial existence wnieh
required test oath, II you please, TO De
taken by every man who exercised the
right of suffrage or the privilege OF
holding office. That test oath prescribed
that before a citizen could vote or hold
office he should swear or affirm that ne
aid not belong to an organization when
taught. counseled, or advised pOlygamy,
bigamy or any other crime defined by
law. IL was a departure In legislation.
Nothing OF It's kind had ever been en-
acted By any State or Territory In the
Union or by the Congress OF the United
states. The cOnstitutonality OF that
act was bitterly contested In all the
courts OF the land. The supreme court
of our Territory sustained IL. The Su-
preme court OF the United States, 10y
unanimous opinion. sustained us valid
ity. That great tribunal held that the
right OF suffrage was not God-giyen
right not a vested right not akin to
the question OF life, liberty, and the
pursuit Of happiness. but a privilege
that might be restricted or regulated
by the legislature at any time II saw
1T.
II Is needless 10 say that during that
contest the bitterness Of a religious con-
troversy divided the people Political
lines were not distinctly drawn. but the
controversy was between the Mormons
on one side and the anu-Mormons or
Gentiles, as they were called, on the
other.
am glad TO be able TO say, here In
my place In the American Congress and
as the Representative Of all classes or
our people, regardless Of their religion,
that the controversy have referred to
no longer exists; that 1t is settled and
settled right and settled forever The
bone OF contention was, OF course, the
question Of polygamy or plural mar
rlages. The non Mormons insisted that |
such a doctrine should never be taught |
or practiced within the confines OF the |
Territory or State Of Idaho; that II was
a relic OF barbarism, and had no place |
in our day and age, and that the olyili-
cation of the world was against IT,
am not here TO advocate Il; on the con-
trary, condemn 1t as much as any |
member Of this House.
i believe that God intended, when he |
created two sexes in this world, that |
one man and one woman should live to-
gether as husband and wife. / believe |
that the marital relation as now recog-
ni2ed Is the safeguard OF our ciyiliza-
ton and the GROWING blessing Of hui
manity. II constitutes the ideal Ameri. |
can home and hearthstone, around |
which cluster the hopes and aspirations |
of the Republic. II fosters, creates and |
uplifts American manhood and protects |
and elevates, as nothing else can do, |
American womanhOod in all its lowell
ness and beauty. 1t was for this insti-
tuition that this contest was bitterly |
waged in my young State and Terri
tory.
On the 25th day OF September, 1890, |
the President Of the Mormon Church, |
MILFORD Woodruff, issued a manifesto. |
by virtue Of his authority as the head |
Of that organization, which abolished |
the doctrine Of plural marriages as a |
tenet Of their faith and advised all |
members TO refrain from teaching or |
practicing It as a religious duty. | con-
TESS had some doubts about the hon
esty OF their intentions at that time. |
That manifesto was ratified by their |
annual conference by unanimous vote
october following.
Looking backward through the past |
ten years. knowing those people inti-
mately and we'll during all that time, |
and knowing the situation and condi-
tons there as no other member of this |
House has had an opportunity TO know |
them, | want 10 say, approprtating the /
words Of the gentleman from ohio Mr..
Taylerl. upon my responsibility as a
member Of this House, that the mani
festo was issued and has been adhered
TO by the Mormon people In good faith
and with an honest purpose. one who
does not understand conditions there
can not appreciate the situation which
confronted these people. They realized
that the world was against them on
this issue and that they must abandon
It. They had taken plural wives. fol-
lowing the principles OF their religion.
To these wives children had been born
Must they cast of and abandon their
helpless women and children? Must
they brand these innocent children with
the shame and disgrace Of illegitimacy? |
Well. whatever others may think
never demanded Il. and never will. We
are willing that the dead past shall
bury its dead" The institution OF po-
lygamy is dead and gone. never TO be
resuirected. Were polygamous mar
liases 10 be attempted In my State to-
day, the whole population. Gentle and
Mormon alike. would resent Il, and he
who had the temerity TO make the at
tempt, would soon find a felon's CELL
There are 10000 members OF the Nor
mon Church in my district, and do not
believe that q single polygamous mar
rlage has been entered into in that
State by those people since the issuance
OF that manifesto.
Mr.. VIM. Alden Smlth--Upon what do
you base that statement
Mr.. Wilson of Idaho--I base that
statement upon the fact of having lived
IN that country, that | have come In
contact with the people there for six
teen years, that l know hundreds OF
them personally, that / have been
among them, and that l know some-
thing about what goes on and what ex-
lists there
Mr.. McPherson-Then why was the
proclamation OF January made?
Mr. Wilson OF ldaho--I am coming 20
that, and will have IL read In the pres
ence Of this House and have II incor-
porated into my remarks. ! may say
that the proclamation OF January was
probably Issued 10 correct a false i'm
preston which has been created on the
public mind throughout the country by
those who had misrepresented the Nor
mon people in this agitation.
However. / am not the author OF II,
and can only construe IL In the light OF
its language and the conditions and cir
cumstances which surround its ssu-
ance. / believe like its predecessor.
the Woodruff manifesto, that II was is.
sued in good faith, and that the Nor
mon Church and the Mormon people
intend to obey II.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, with necessary
brevity | want 10 controvert some OF
the false statements which have been
made on the floor OF this House during
this debate respecting the character OF
the Mormon Church. This organization,
like all other religious organizations,
has, doubtless, made mistakes In the
past and may continue 10 make them
In the future. Church organizations are