The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-27
70 STAMP OUT POLYGAMY
The InterdenOminatiOnal Council
of Women in Session.
Claims by Delegates That Mormon
ism Is Growing in the West-In-
fuence of the Homes of the Coun-
try Invoked to Prevent Its Spread.

A resolution endorsing the proposed
anti-polygamy amendment to the Federal
Constitution was adopted at a meeting of
| the Interdenominational Council of
Women held yesterday forenoon at the
| Church of the Covenant The Interde-
nominational Council is an organization
formed several months ago having as
its object the furtherancc of Chris
| tian and patriotic non-sectar.an work
among women. 1t was the outcome
! of the work carried on by women
! in the fight against the seating in the
House of Brigham II. Roberts, and the
| first thing that has received it's attention
| is the question of poygamy.
The meeting yesterday morning was at
| tended by several hundred women of all
| denominations and was presided over by
| Mrs. Darwin James, of New York, the
President of the council. After listening
to addresses by Mrs. Margaret Sapgster
of New York. ard DIR. Sarah ]. Elliott, a
missionary who h&. been engaged in work
among the Mormohs for a number of
! years. a resolution was introduced and
unanimously adopted which expressed the
favor with which the council regarded the
movement to abolish polygamy by amend
ing the Constitution.
| upon the District authorities to refuse
any applications for permits TO open the
( aires in Washington on Sunday.
Mrs. Darwin James, the President of
| the council, WIS introduced by Mrs. Teu-
| MS Hamlin. In q brief address Mrs. James
| stated the purpose for which the council
was organized. which she said was to
promote the work of women along Chris
| tian and patriotic lines. She said that
the first work to be undertaken was the
speedy adjustment of polygamy from the
United States through action of Congress.
The most effectual way to do this, she
said. was to be found in the enactment of
/ an anti-poiygamy amendment to the Con-
stitution. In conclusion MrssSJames stat
ed that this was absolutely necessary in
order to prevent the spread of poiygarny
until IL would have gained such strength
that in order to exterfninate il anot her
civil war would be precipitated. The
speaker asserted that the Mormon faith,
and especially the practice of polygamy
was rapidly gaining ground in the West
and besoueht all denominations to join
forces to crush out the growing evil.
Mrs. Margaret f. Sangster. of New
YORK, was introduced when Mrs. James
had concluded. The subject of her adj
dress was THE Sanctity Of the Home.
Mrs. Sangster pictured the home as the
stronghold of national morality and clean
Illness, and said in part:
The home is the most precious possess
sion we have Home life is founded on
love. purity, fidelity, and fear of God. A
the women in his home. No home stands
entirely alone. 1t has its relations to the
church and to the state.
IF, anywhere in this land. there exists
a condition Of things In which the home
is trampled upon. men brutaIized and
women degraded, there lies Il menace
to the peace and order of the
whole national life just as in physical
the health of the whole.
The curse of polygamy rests not on
that alone, but is blot on the escutch-
con Of thu nation
Information concerning the practice of
pOlygamy in Utah and other Western
States was contained in the address of
DR. Sarah j. Elliott. Il member of the
council who for seven years was mis-
sionary in Utah. She spoke of the con IL
tions existing in Utah. DIR. Elliott said
that the general impression that poiygl-
my was extinct among the Mormons was
an erroneous one.
She showed that since Utah acquired
statehood there had been n great in
crease in the preaching of the doctrine of
polygainy and that this was responsible
for a considerable increase in the prac-
tice. She spoke of the homes in Ctah
and the manner in which the practice of
polygamy is regarded by Mormon women.
But those women who had been born
Mormons, she added, regard the practice
Of polygamy as a divine institution.
In touching on the political effect of The
spread of polygamy DR.. Elliott showed
that there We're at present nine Western
states where 1t was practiced. and that
If there was to be an extension the doc
trine would gain such strength that the
laws of the land might he set at defiance.
DIR. Elliott said that ut present the pub
lie schools OF Utah were under control of
the dominant Church. and the chill iren
are taught by Mormons who advocate
the doctrine of polygamy. She Urged all
present to join forces regardless 6t sect
and interest themselves in the kolish-
ment Of the iRiquity.
Mrs. Teunis S. Hamlin added plea for
the cause in a brief speech. speaking of
the good work that had been done by
those who interested themselves IN the
fight against the seating of Brigham
Roberts in 1899.