Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-23

, I'm the former case / could get away
end begin over" | said. in the latter
| could not" | am afraid the sweet
lady felt my standard was low, but
she has compelled me TO theoretically
make a choice Of two evils, and had
to be- truthful.
Our separate points OF view show
bow strong are the influences OF early
education and prenatal conditions
There could be no tragedy In life
more terrible TO me than 10 be one OF
several wieys Yet these sweet re-
fined, educated women regarded II as
religious duty, not unmlxed with
happiness.
am convinced beyond doubt that
the women | met In Salt Lake City
VINO had been born In pOlygamy or
lived as plural wives, were as happy
az the generality Of married women
have elsewhere encountered. They did
not and do not consider their situation
ideal--but few wives anywhere do,
one IN one hundred, perhaps, That the
MORMON women are sustained and
actuated by the strongest religious con-
Nlctl0ns, ! am positive Otherwise they
could not be so exceptionally lovely,
sympathetic ard sweet as they are.
That as much can be said for the
lower and more ignorant classes |
doubt, That the men maintained as
high ideals as the women | question.
IL Is women always who hold up the
standard Of any religion. Among tho
more ignorant and poorer classes
polygany was creative, have every
reason 10 believe Of untold misery. The
men found II impossible 20 properly
support their innumerable children. II
IS hardly to be supposed that the better
classes encountered themselves with a
score on two OF children without some
ideals beyond seDsuality. That the
lower order Of converts" gave the
Ideals little consideration or the re-
sponsibilltles little thought, Is unques-
tionably true There were here and
there noble men with religious zeal to
actuate their motives, but | am GER
tain they were few compared with the
great majority of the women.
II Is always my habit, when In any
country or community different from
my own. to look for things to praise
and emulate,
In Salt Lake City did not need to
look in vain, The men and women
born Of polygamous mothers, In the
upper classes OF Salt Lake City, are
superior In physique and In mental
endowments 10 the same members Sc
lected at random In other cities | have
seen, A little investigation will prove
the truth OF my statement.
i believe this to be explained by the
great desire OF the men to propagate
healthy children and the consequent
care given 70 the expectant mothers,
and by the willingness of the women
Ia accept the cares Of maternity. ct
course | refer always here to the hot.
ter classes-for those are what | stud
led.
The same physical superiority OF the
children born In the Oneida community,
New York, is observable, and the same
explanation IL to be made. Wherever
children are wanted and welcomed
wherever men and women regard the
office Of parcntage as sacred and desir.
able from any cause, the offspring will
excel physically and mentally.
IL is 20 years since polygamy has
been part Of the Mormon religion.
Tt devoteeg are dying out.
Because a few men still remain who
refuse 10 desert or cast OF the families
they already had before the passage
Of the Edmunds bill, II Seems idiotic
and ignorant for the people Of the
earth 10 denonnce every statesman
from Utah AS polygamist.
stu more ignorant and unchristian
does II seem for us to regard the Nor
mons" as monstrosities OF immortality,
and e 90 out of our way to insult or
irjure them.
For the last q years they have CON-
United no offense greater than to have
q religions faith differing slightly from
the orthodox churches.
They are essentially a peaceful and
industrious people. Their sufferngs
have been manifold, their industrial
achievements in the desert Of the west
marvellous Their young men and
young women lead beautiful and whole
some lives
Before we cast any more stones at
tfelr ancestors let us weed from the
ranks Of our own churches and our own
fashionable society all the unwelcome
ond tatherless children, all the desert
ed, betrayed girls, and stand them in a
Tow, and practise upon them as tar
gets In order that we may have a surer
aim when we stone the polygamlsts
sgain,-New York Journal.