Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-19

now goes TO the governor, having al
ready passed the Senate This action
ON the part Of the legislature meets
with universal condemnation of the
Gentle element. Tho opinion Is general
that the author Of the bill, In introduce
ing the measure, merely did what he
was counseled 10 do by the Church"
The ST. Paul Pioneer Press published
a dispatch, not headed special COM
mencing thus
THE Utah Legislature has practically
passed 4 law permitting polyeamy
The Mormon Church through
Angus II Cannon ordered us members
In both houses to pass it,
But this appeared simultaneously in
other papers as Special" and In one
Los Angeles paper az an Exclusive
Dispatch" The lies in II were not ex-
elusive, and the dispatcher was not any
more particular as to It's exclusive
ness" than as 10 his own veracity Both
assertions In It are absolutely false and
the members Of the Legislature know
as well as President Angus NJ. Cannon
knows. that he was not authorized by
the Church 20 urge the passage Of the
bill, and that he made no visit to the
Legislature for any such purpose.
It is on the strength Of Just such
false dispatches, either special or doc
tored for the occasion, that the absurd
comments Of many leading newspapers
are made. New York and Chicago
editors commence their Trades against
the Mormons' by stating that, The
Legislature Of Utah has passed a law
which provides that no prosecution for
polygamy shall be instituted except on
complaint OF the legal wife or the
plural wives Of the defendant" Then
follow remarks about the violation OF
agreements and OF the State Constitu-
ton, which show the dense ignorance
OF the writer's 90 the whole subject
treated upon, as well as Of the simple
provisions and purport OF the vetoed
measure, and an appeal is made for an
amendment to the National Constitu-
ton to meet the alleged danger to the
country.
II is Of no particular use Just now
to say anything further, In denial OF
the falsehoods wired from this city TO
the press of the country, The click OF
the telegraph touches off kegs of Wild
FIRE in every town In the United States
where newspaper Is published While
the flames extend, the foolish excite
ment will continue and all kinds OF
nonsense may be expected from both
pulpit and press.
When the noise subsidies and the
country cools down, rational people VIII
wonder why such racket was made,
by a simple proposition to apply TO
Utah the same rules for prosecutions,
In certain cases, that prevail in such
comparatively modern states as Iowa,
Michigan, Minnesota Oregon, North
Dakota. II win then perhaps be possl-
BILE to make our New York and Cali
fornla contemporaries see that any
regulations as to prosecutions for adul-
terry, would be superior to the rule In
their own States. where that offense is
not made crime by statute. Also the
country may be persuaded TO look into
the matter far enough. 10 see that there
has been no attempt to change In any
way wha. ever the very stringent laws
IN Utah against bigamy, polygamy or
plural marriage, by whichever name
It may be called
Our friends and foes have been great
ly exercised over a very small matter
They have been grossly deceived. The
deception has come as usual from this
city. The morning papers called the
bill which was vetoed a "Polygamy
BILL" when they knew II was not any
such thing. The trainers OF the specia
dispatches sent over the country knew
that by the use of the same term they
were creating false impression. The
whole attempt was despicable, II any
evil results from It, the responsibility
win rest upon them, There was no at
tempt to revive polygamy. There was
no intent to bring about any such
change. The severe penalties in force
here against every sexual crime known
TO the law, were not In any way modi-
fed.
The wisdom or otherwise Of the pro-
posed regulations. Is a fair subject fol-
discussion, and II was debated with full
sincerity on both sides. There is nc
feeling among fair and rational people
against either the supporters or the
opnonents OF the measure. II is only the
miserable and malicious creatures who
manufacture falsehoods, and take de-
light In arouslng animositles to the IN
turv of a Church and a people whom
they hate that provoke the just censur'
NJ honest men and women In this
category we do not include the agents
~ the Associated Press, because the
evidence is strong that a fair state
meut Of the actual facts was sent
through that source TO the papers east
ana west that use that service Lei
the blame rest where It belongs, and
lct the people Of Utah understand the
source from which the falsehoods 90
eortb that they have SO frequently &c
meet Some time justice will claim
,ts own; God speed the day.
a GROWING PENSION LIST.