Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-02-25

Of polygamists TO the population was
computed ON that basis ard az has
been repeatedly hown In Congress and
IN the public prints, was very spalt
IN 1883 the Commission evidently
made an error In their calculations,
placing the number dlsfranchiscd at
nearly on quite fifteen thousand per-
sons" But In 1884 their report statos
on page 2. I'VE have estimated the
number OF voters, male and female who
have been disfranchlsed by reason 0f
p0lyRany at 1900 and there Is nopnow
a polygamIst In Office In Utah They
also used the words nearly or quite
i2OOO Yet on page Q Of the same re.
port they assert Among the orthodox
Mormous Of Utah polygamy ~ a part
Of their religious faith and While but
a small percentage Of the Whole adult
Mormon population have actually en-
tered into polymmic relation yet all
the faithful believe w II as q divine
revelation The Ministerial Associa-
ton In adopting MS misleading resolu-
ton did not quote that paragraph from
the report " the Utah Commission,
What they did attempt 10 cite IL not In
the report Of 1854, Notwithstanding they
pretend TO give the pages on which
they found their assertions
hut the question which Us asked on
every hand among people who have
paid any attention to the latest effort
Of the ministers H. what has their
retrospective oxaggoration 10 do with
the present status of Utah Affairs
what reply rs their resolution to the
figures given BY Congressman Suther-
land, as to the rapid decline In the
number Of poygamous families in the
State and It's present nslgnldcance
compared with the population? We
win state for the benefit Of our readers
that his figures were obtained after the
most rigid Investigation, instituted for
the purpose Of learning accurately the
condition Of affairs and securing in
formation positively reliable
The Congressman's statement can be
depended upon, whereas the resolution
adopted by the Ministerial Association
was based upon crafty and deceptive
computation by an ex-preacher who
many years ago was convicted by the
Deseret News Of wilfully lying about
the "Mormons in prominent maya
zine lie accused the "Mormons' Of
setting fire to Presbyterian chapel
when Che fact was proved beyond sue
cessful contradiction by members Of
that denomination. that the "Mormona'
were Instrumental IN saving the build
ing from destruction and had nothing
to do with causing the c0n0agrotion.
We never learned that he ever attempt
ed TO retract his falsehood as TO that
matter or TO others Of a similar char
acter Of which he was guilty
IL II were worth while we could nd
duce plenty Of evidence In support Of
the statement Of the Utah Commission,
which the ministers have Ignored, that
but small percentage Of the whole
adult Mormon population actually
entered into the polygamic relation"
But that is really dead Issue, and we
now touch upon 1t simply because II
has been brought out Of It's grave by
body Of proiessed Christian ministers,
for theyery" Christian 'purposeo of arous-
ing prejudice and melting hostility,
against a Church and people who diff
fer from them in matters of faith, but
who are yet sincere believers In Jesus
Christ as the Savior of mankind and
are laborng for the redepmtion of the
whole human race.
II the Ministerial Association Of this
city cannot find sufficient field for
their plOus exertions In the promuga
ton of their own doctrines, we advise
them to be a little more careful when
dabbllng in the murky pool In which
figures float that have been prepared By
so unreliable and tricky q hand as the
authnr of their latpst rpgOmtiOn