The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-08
THE ANTI-PoLYeAMY RULE.


A ssUNITNG, AS EVERY ONE MUST.
Il that the resolution on polygamy
adopted by the Mormon church con-
ference is meant to be carried out in
good faith, the friends of Utah and OF
the church viii welcome the clearing
of the atmosphere that should follow.
So far as the celebration of new
polygamOus marriages was concerned,
the public record Of the church has
been plain since the Woodruff mani
festo, but the failure to provide any
penalty for the violation Of that mani
festO's spirit and intention has led to
doubts Of the good faith with which it
was being observed Foes Of the church
pointed to the fact that men supposed
to be living in violation Of that mani
festo were not only allowed to go un-
punished but were rewarded by &c
clesiastical promotion. They claimed,
with a show OF reason, that no number
of manifestos could mean anything so
long as members of the church in high
station took unto themselves new
polygamous wives and went unrebuked
OF the church authorities.
This latest declaration not only re-
probates polygamous marriages in
violation of 1.-THE law of the land but
expressly says that members who
break the law make themselves amen
able to church discipline. The rule APP
plies to officers who may solemnize the
prohibited marriages as well as TO
members who enter into them; and the
offender will be deemed in transgres-
sion against the church and viii be
liable to be dealt with according to the
regulations thereof and excommuni-
Gated therefrom.''
The captious will take exception to
the verbiage Of the ordinance, par
ticuIarly TO the phrase will be liable
to be dealt WITH because it is not
mandatory in its nature. That is, the
rule might be construed as an optional
rule under which a church member
would be liable to be dealt with, pro-
vided the officers saw fit to take ac-
ton. but it would not necessarily fol-
low that action must be taken. That,
however, is hardly a fair interpreta-
ton unless it is assumed in advance
that the proclamation was made for
effect only and was not TO be taken
seriously by the initiated. Those who
know the president Of the church do
not accuse him of insincerity in his
dealings with his own people and it
may be taken for granted that offend
ers viii be disciplined if they come be
fore him.
Probably the result abroad of this
proclamation will be in direct ratio to
the sincerity with which the Mormon
church is credited. Here at home, it
ought to go far toward finally settling
the one point on which the bitterest
antagonisms have been aroused. To
most honest non-Mormons, the church
and its people are viewed with favor
except where polygamy in some of its
social and political phases has obtruded
itself as an Objectionable feature Of
the church economy. Remove that
and it is practically certain that its
worst enemies viii lose their main
argument against MOrmonism as a
religion.
It will be observed in passing that
there is something of a coincidence in
the fact that the SmoOt hearing may
be affected in it's results by the new
declaration. While the protestants
against Smoot have abandoned the
polygamy charge as affecting him per-
sonaIly, the committee hearings have
been devoted largely to the subject of
plural marriages. Whether the action
Of the conference just closed will help
Shoots cause does not appear as yet
but it may quiet the clamOr of the
fasteners who have taken an active
part in pushing the investigation.
Politically, the most important point
before the committee is whether an
apostle Of the church can hold a seat
in the United States senate and the
anti polygamy rule just adopted does
not seem to have any bearing on that
narticular question.