New-York tribune., 1901-03-23
POLYG4MY AND LOYALTY.
UTAH MISSIONARY TAKES EXCEPTION TO
STATEMENTS MADE BY A DAUGHTER
OF BRIGHAM YOUNG

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: Mrs. Susie Gates article published in The
Tribune on March 15 greatly understates the num-
Der of Provo men who have lived in polygamy. This
may be due in part to the mental condition which
her to believe in polygamy "as a theory
which she admits. Again, she says that there have
never been more than about per cent of the Nor
people actually living in polygamy. In this
she is honest than many Mormons, who
try bear the number down to per cent. The
former would make the active polygamists about
10 per cent of the marriageable men and women
while the latter would make them about per cent
Both underestimate the number but either is per-
haps large the percentage Of polysamists
among the Turks at the present time. and would
therefore give Turkish civilization in a few
generations, which propose to prevent by secur-
ing an anti -polygamy amendment TO the constitu-
ton Of the United States.
The charge of Mrs Gates that Senator Evans's
polygamy bill a mere bluff" does grave In
justice a sincere Mormon. Aside from that, 1t Is
very funny. Imagine nearly two-thirds OF the egis
lature overwhelmingly Mormon in both branches,
joining with this Mormon Senator in stutifying
themselves and their people before the whole civil
lied world for the sake Of helping him to carry out
this little "buf'i Then, complete the picture,
imagine the Governor of a great State like Utah
writing his veto message in tears and with heavy
heart, proclaiming to all the world that it is the
greatest trial Of his official life spoil the Evans
bluff by intervening with his veto to save the
name Of his State and the honor of his people from
the disgrace and shame lightly thrust upon them
but that he is compelled do so in order TO ward
off the proposed constitutional amendment!
I share with Mrs. Gates the State pride which is
due to the splendid courage and achievements Of
the Utah Battery boys at Manila, and should have
been glad have let the glory which they have won
shine on undimmed by the clouds of this polyga-
nous controversy; but since Mrs. Gates has seen
fit drag the matter in here and to use 1t in such
a way 10 leave the impression that the record
which those brave boys have made is vindeation @ l
of Mormonism thus carrying the idea that the boys
all nearly all Mormons, fidelity TO truth
compels me to say that nearly wo-thirds OF those
boys non MormOns, and that they all 1ouSht
not a Mormons non-Mormons. but as splen-
American soldiers in the face OF their countrys
foes. one would, of course, naturally have ex-
pected that in a State where the MormonS claim
from two-thirds thu eefourths OF the entire popu
lation much more than one-third, aye even more
from Mormon ranks; but the fact that they were
not is probably in n measure due to the speech
made by Mrs Cates's brother. Apostle Brigham
Young jr., in the great Mormon Iabernacle on
April "a 1898 when the fires of patriotism were be-
ing kinded in every loyal heart all this land
in which speech this worthy Of his distinguished
nolyayamolis sire advised the Mormon boys not TO
go the front. using the following language In
part: ~. - ~
men to Cuba fight in tl@ present conflict. The
fact that they would go these lofty mountains
into the malarial swamps of the South would make
them much liable to catch fevers and perish
volunteers from almost any other part or the
/ say all honor to the brave boys who went to the
Mormon non Mormon, Hurrah for the
Utah Battery boys, But God forgive the sacriege
which would make their splendid courage and their
glorious record do service in the OF poygamy
which if successful, would sink civilization to
the level of those degraded people whom our boys
,lpbr % liberate. Truly yours.
WILLIAM r. CAMPBELL
Home missionary Utah for fifteen years.
NeW-York CITY. March 20. 1901