New-York tribune., 1901-03-16
THE LATTER DAY SAINTS.
A DAUGHTER OF BRIGHAM YOUNG CLAIMS
THAT THIS PART OF THE CoUN-
TRY DOES NOT UNDER
STAND MORMONS.
STAND MORMONS.

Mrs Susie Young Gates, OF Provo, Utah, daugh-
ter OF Brigham Young and a stanch Mormon,
though by no means a partisan OF polygamy, who is
visiting friends in this city, was yesterday asked
bv a Tribune reporter to the significance of the
Evans bill and its veto by Governor Heber NJ.
Wells The value of Mrs. Gates's ideas on this
subject is considerably enhanced by the fact that
she is herself active participant IN public and
educa tional affairs. Journalist and a decided Re
publican in politics.
David Evans said Mrs. Gates 'is a Demo
crat, but personal friend OF mine. Just
before left Utah / him, and, in the course
of conversation asked him what he meant by in
Producing such bill as this in the Senate. He
told me he knew as well as I that the great
of the Mormons nowadays were no more anxious
for the restoration of plural marriages than the
people of the South pining for the restoration
of negro slavery that Utah loyal TO the cOnsti
tuition. and that his bill practically both
necessary and hopeless. All that he meant by it
was a bluff. Another bill, he said. and much
more radical one, had been introduced by Sen
ator on the opposite side. and he wanted outdo
it, Then The Salt Lake Tribune took a strong
position against Senator Evans and his bill. and
that made him all the more determined to push it
through"
What this daughter of Brigham Young is most
anxious to have placed before the public Of this
part the country is the true position of the Lat
ter Day Saints in regard TO plural marriages and,
in general, to the laws and the constitution.
1T is always so much easier" she said, Ito make
ones vationS of community Mt in with ones
prejudces and preconceptions. That is why people
VINO go Utah get such an unfair idea of The
Mormcns are above all things. loyal Americans
The first thing that happened when we entered
upon the land where Salt Lake City now is-when
my father planted his cane in the sand where the
Tabernacle stands and said. This is the place
the first thing that happened was that Orson
Pratt, the historian went to the top Of Pixies
Peak-the Salt Lake mountain which goes by that
name-and planted the Stars and Stripes there
And remember. 1t then Mexican territory. We
are proud of boys who went the Philippines,
who neither smoked. chewed nor drank and who
lost a smaller number by disease than any other
regiment
| LAS 10 plural marriages. / wish much pos
sibe to follow the advice given me by the presi-
| dent of my church He said to me- Don't talk
about that. The time is past when it could be
talked about, and the people have given it up.
But would like TO say that even in the old days
only about per cent OF the Mormons were of that
| order At Provo where / live, | had occasion the
| other day count up the number of families that
had practised the institution, and there just
| two out of fourteen hundred. I would not have
/ any one understand me opposed to the doctrine
| in theory. but [ good in talking about 1t
| now And our fellow citizens may be that, as
Mormonism began without polygamy, so 1t can go
| on without poygamy. now that We are sure that
| polygamy is against the laws of our country