The Tucson citizen., 1902-07-26
AN INTERESTING CONVENTION.

There have been many conventions
held this year. but it is probable that
the most interesting gathering Of all
Is yet to come Some time in Septem-
ber the widows and orphans OF the
hate Brigham Young will convene at
Salt Lake City. and as that beautiful
city has a delightful climate at that
season. the convention will be held in
the open air, under the blue vault of
heaven. encompassed about by green
trees and enlivened by the songs OF
birds.
The convention. it is stated. will De
composed of more than hoo dele
gates OF course all OF these are not
widows: some Of them are orphans.
MIR. Young. the great husbandman.
went to his rest about a quarter of a
century ago. and multitudes Of his
widows have now been gathered TO
their husband in the realms beyond the
stars Indeed. the fast thinning ranks OF
Mr. YOungs widows is constant re-
miLder to MS of the transtory nature of
our existence in this vale of misery
and how frail and uncertain our own
condition is.
Brigham Young mas been made n
subject OF derision by many hippant
and thoughtless people But. In point
ot fact, he was a wise man The
wisest OF all men had the marrying
habit of an even more pronounced
type than Mr. Young. and Solomon
did not take as many precautions as
Brigham. II will be remembered that
Brigham's wives, or most of them. were
only sealed to him for time" He
took the precautlon to have them
sealed 10 Joseph Smith for eternity. ="
He knew that by adroitly playing one
wife against another, upon the theory
OF competition. he could get along with
the partners Of his joys and sorrows
for season. But he was not a.
'N''hti certain OF tDe conditions
which would confront him in the sweet
by and by, and he took pains to pro-
vide for his entry into that blessed
state free from contractual obligations.
His predecessor. Joseph Smith. will
have to bear that burden.
Brigham Young was a great man for
his times. but it Is difficult to saw
whether he would be considered a
great man now under the changed con-
dltlons, He lived before the days If
syndicates and community OF interest
His family was conducted upon the
competitive plan; each wife was COM
peting with the other to win him to
herself more especially by sweetness
and exemplary conduct The plan
succeeded admirably. because the syn
diCate was unknown. In these days
the wives would speedily merge or
form syndicate and control a man
who might try to set himself up as a
modern Brigham Young.
There are doubtless many men now
living whose genius Is so versatile as
to speedily become weary of tho
monotony Of monogamy But. in view
OF the growing disposition to form
syndicates, it would be hazardous to
take the wise anu greatly married
Young as a matrimonial example, II
would be safer to take the wives CON
secutively as they do in Chicago.
south Dakota and Newport than to run
toe lisk of marrying into a community
OF interest Besides marrying n
whole convention of women sayors
very much OF Monopoly which Is inst
now so repugnant TO the masses of our
p 'tpie ttat even oar strenuous Presi-
dent feels compelled to fling language
at II occasionally. If it were not for
'he laws against polygamy, it might be
expected that some great Napoleon OF
combinations would be cornering the
matrimonial market
In one OF the Arabian Nights" sto-
ries man had secret which he could
lmpart only at the cost OF his life.
His wife discovered that he had a So.
cret and determined to make him tell
| 1t. She pestered him and pestered