The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-19
POLYGAMY IN THE STATEHOOD DEBATE

ator
Mr.. Rawlins-I know.
Mr.. Warren-But such information is !
Of great interest to the senate and TO Z
the country and I should like to have /
it completed only ask the questions
so as to have the answer complete.
Mr.. Rawlins-As to the first question,
] regret that l am unable TO give the
limit, because when this manifesto was
issued by the church, announcing that
members aspiring to political Office
that is, persons holding positions Of au-
thOrity in the Mormon church-Should
obtain permission of the authorities be-
fore doing so. many Mormons them
selves made the inquiry and desired TO
have the limit defined, so that they
might know what degree or standing in
the church would make the person
amenable to this rule. As / understand
it. the church declined to fix any lirni-
tation, but, as a matter of fact, 1t re-
lated to two persons. One was an apos-
tie of the Mormon church, subsequently
deposed. The other was in subor-
dinate position in the church. He was
one of the first seven presidents of the
quorum of seventies. In one campaign
this man made the fight under the po-
litical ban of the church, without haV-
ing its consent, and was defeated In
the subsequent campaign, having sub
scribed to the doctrine and obtained
are conscious. not Gentiles, but Nor
mons, that if they could they would rid
themselves of this.
That leads. me to the answer to the
inquiries very properly propounded by
the senator from Wyoming. In Utah
I concede that there has been very
great progress among the Mormon peo-
pie themselves in the way Of the eman-
cipation of the people from this kind of
, influence. In the older days-the ter
ritOrial days-the sway was absolute,
and you would hear no protest. Today
there is a very large class among the
Mormon people who would readily
overthrow this church domination in
affairs of state, and it is just as OBJ
noxious to them as it is to any member
| of the senate. That feeling, that senti-
ment, that disposition to get rid Of 1t
| is growing.
Now. one of the great troubles we
have in Utah is this: The managers of
/ political campaigns land it is true of all
managers. and I do not speak in
party sense) seek to pull all the strings
| in order to win. Those are sometimes
/ legitimate and sometimes. in the es-
timation of people who look at the mat
/ ter impartially in the interest of the
public veal they are illegitimate.
! If these extraneous influences could
/ be got rid of, il leaders of the Mormon
! church, or any other church, are not
! led TO believe that they can gain some
advantage, some immunity, by aiding
| one political party or another, they see
| that there is no reward for them by in
| termeddling in church affairs. On the
other hand, it ought to be the case that
I instead of rewards il ought to be repro
bated. No advantage at least, but
rather a disadvantage, should come in
consequence Of this intermeddling. This
lattempted interference would disappear
~, Tal
! their hands out. Many of them pro-
claim that they do not want or do not
put them in, but if they would keep
their hands out the rank and file of the
| Mormon people would be left to them
selves They are not dangerous peo-
pie They are an industrious and fru-
gal people
Mr. Warren-I wish to ask the SEN
ator a question right in the same line.
1 think the seLator will be glad TO an
swer it.
Mr.. Notwithstanding.
Mr.. Warren-Is il not a fact that
/ when this condition first prevailed and
two parties in Utah, one the Mormon
and the other the Gentle? Or, to be
more specific, the Peoples party (Mor-
mon) and the Liberal party (Gentile)-
There We're then no political parties
such as are known today as Republics
.
it was the Mormon and the Gentle,
Since the division of the parties, since
there has been a Republican party and
a Democratic party, has the tendency
been toward greater freedom from the
dominating influence the senator has
mentioned, or OtherWise?f
Mr.. Rawlins-I think 50, most de-
cidedly l think I anticipated in some
remarks which I had the honor ten
years ago to make in the. house of rep
resentatives that we would not actu-
ally be free from this question, that 1t
would arise in one way or another TO
plague us. but that with conditions IA
verable to the free exercise of the
right to vote to deal with public ques-
tiOns. with the division of these people
who had heretofore been sOlidified dis
cussing this question, it would tend to
the accomplishment of the end which
all desire. That has resulted. and it
will continue, in my judgment. 1 do
not think that we will be dominated IN
our political affairs in Utah. The con-
ditions will improve, in my judgment
I Mr.. McComas-MT. President, the
senator says two new parties are there.
Republican and Democratic. Can the
i senator tell me the practical result in
the present legislature? Is he Informed
how many members are reputed Nor
mons?
Mr.. Rawlins-I could not give the ex-
act proportion
Mr. McComas-ApprOXimately?
Mr.. RawIins-But a majority of the
legislature.
Mr. Kean-It is utterly impossible to
hear the senator.
/ Mr.. McComas-I should like to hear
this answer.
Mr.. Rawlins--I am not accurately in
formed as to the number.
Mr.. McCOmas-Approxima
Mr. RawIins-I am quite sure that {
l considerable majority of the present
Legislature are members Of the Nor
mon church.
Mr.. McCOmas-A considerable ma
jorfty of the present legislature ar,
members of the Mormon church?
Mr.. RawliRs-Yes; think that il
l true That is a rough statement, be
cause ] have seen
{ Mr. Dubois-And of the state?
Mr.. Rawlins-Of course a large ma
jOrity of the population of the state ar
members of the Mormon church
[ Mr.. Warren-So that the proportion
: of the legislature would represent yer.
T fairly the proportion of the population
2 of the state as to Mormons and non
Mormons?
Mr.. Rawlins-I do not think the Nor
: mon people have been disposed to dis
) criminate on the grounds of religion, t
lapply the religious test. I have though
= that in the elections generally the.
have manifested considerable hberalit.
in that regard.
In so far as the dominating influence