The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-13

| Living as We do in an of rapid and
even startling institutional changes, hard
! ly anything could happen in connection
with political or social revolutions which
ought to surprise the people of America.
( Nevertheless, it is fair to presume that
/ there will be a harsh outcry against the
State of Utah on account of the action
I of its Legislature i'm passing a law which
allows polygamous citizens who establish
ed harems before the date of the Edmunds
Act to continue in their plural relations.
The new law goes n little further, in pro-
viding that the fact of polygamous rela-
lions can be judicially noticed only on
the relation Of the poygamous husband
or one or more OF his wives, or of persons
in close consequently with one or the
other. Inasmuch as all the parties to such
Il possible proceeding would be Mormons,
and, as such, subject to certain and Sc
we're penalties neither known to nor
contemplated by the statute or common
law. the idea that polygamous relations
would result in punishment would appear
preposterous
We may dismiss from our minds any
notion that the people of Utah-a large
majority of whom are humble and fanati-
cally conscientious followers of Joseph
Smith and Brigham Young-ever intended
to keep faith with the General Govern
ment when they pretended TO abandon
polygamy the price of statehood.
Under the rose. it is notorious that the
system ha" been perpetuated, and exists
in a more less hourishing condition to-
day. 1t only needs the legal protection
which the Legislature has now shrewdly
provided to make the practice safe. That
the law, should it be signed by the Gov
crnor. matter as to which there is no
reasonable doubt, will be accepted gen
orally in the State as a license to re-
turn to the ancient family landmarks.
there is no reason to doubt, Short Of
constitutional amendment, making 20
lygamy within the United States or its
jurisdiction felonious. there is no legal
means of reaching the case
We are not as much inclined as are
some people to throw the first stone at
our Mormon fellow-citizens To begin
with, there is really something to be said
for their contention that their plural
method, which they attempt to legftirna-
tie and MAXI honorable. is at least bet
ter than the EQUALIZATION practiced in
other parts of the country and which
degrades and makes outcasts of the
women who are parties to it, But IL must
be admitted that there is a specious quail
ity In the argument; because two. wrongs
do not make a right, and, morals aside,
public policy makes II mandatory upon
us to preserve that only normal and sue
cessful basis Of civilized modern society,
the monogamic family.
AT the same time it is proper for us to
look at the subject from the Mormon
point If view. which must be in a sense
honest, because 1t exposes those who hold
TO it to the ridicule and aversion Of all
christendom. As a question of plain
equity it might be cruel to forcibly sep
arate the elderly saint from the compan-
ionship OF the half or whole dozen of
dearly beloved wives who have brought
him small regiment Of sturdy children
and have been the partners of his joys
and sorrows all the way from a quarter
to half a century. But this is not, per
haps, the strongest claim that the Latter
Day brethren have upon our charitable
consideration.
1t is quite competent for them to insist
that If Dolygamy and slavery are recog-
nized legal American institutions in
the Sulu Archipelago 10y an executive or
der having all the force of law-as law in
the colonies is Interpreted by the Admin
istration-polygamy alone should he toll
Grated in another part of the United
States. The flag which floats proudly
over the harem of our subject the Sultan
Of Jolo need not think itself in bad COM
pauy whep it is hoisted over the vir-
tuous and truly plural home Of a Mormon
bishop ~ elder.
in other words we must take the walk
ing beam out of our own eye before we
can hope to find the little domestic mote
in TIE eye Of Utah.