The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-17

ing. The property of the church was es-
cheated. The spirit OF defiance was crushed
In 1890 MILFORD Woodruff, president of
the church, issued a manifesto. advising
the followers of his faith 10 abandon polyg-
amous marriages. Ahating not their pre-
vious declarations that polygamy was In
Spired, they were urged to obey the laws
OF the land Since then, lasting until the
present and 10 one knows how far into the
future. has been the period Of reconstruc-
ton
There is little doubt that the vast major
ity of the Mormon people took in good
faith the manifesto delivered by President
Woodruff. There is no doubt that others
regarded it merely as a suhterfuge. 1t was
hard for them to abandon the principles IN
culcated in their very souls from BIRTH 1t
was difficult for them to reverse the position
they had maintained for decades. A spirit
OF consistency was at their backs TO push
them on toward maintaining their old
stand; should there be an opportunity. me
troll over the political views, the temporal
affairs. of its communicates. IL was difn-
cult TO relax the power which TINS brought:
President MILFORD Woodruff and President
Lorenzo Snow, who occupied successfully
the pontifcial seat in the Mormon Church
Tor some dozen years after the MANIFESTO,
are publicly on record in favor OF living up
to the spirit of that document. President
Joseph f. Smith, a man of decisive char
acter and of intense religious ferVor, untll
recently was regarded as in favor OF living
up to the old principles, regardless OF the
manifesto. Apostle Francis NJ. Lyman, MS
prospective successor, is man OF the same
stamp. ardent in his religion, uncompromis,
ing. With such men as these at the nead
Of affairs, or giving encouragement euletl!
to enthusiasts. there have been polygamous
marriages since the faith of the Mormon
Church was pledged against them. large
majority of the lay members have not coun-
tenanced this course. This fact shouid pc
remembered by those who seek TO aid IN
the solution of the problem, but VINO, ms
guided and misunderstanding the real situ-
alton, are inclined 10 punish every Mormon
and even every Gentle who might De.
resident OF Utah, for the sins of a few
There are a number OF men VINO MAIN
tain their belief in the cardinal principles
of the Mormon Church. but who are deslr-
Gus of seeing il in the forefront or progress.
As the greatest step in the right dlrectlon
they are anxious to have ii keep entirely
out of politics
MORMON PLATFORM.
Their platform. as Mormons, might be
summed up thus:
LET the church remain absolutely out of
politics.
Maintain faith with the government re-
garding plural marriages; punish all per-
sons having anything to do with the con-
traction of new polygamous relations.
Keep the church up to the highest stand
ard as religious and not political or
business institution
Moses Thatcher, then an apostle, made
fight for political independence in 1895
and 1896. but he was crushed by the heir
archy. Not discouraged by this, such men
Governor Heber NJ. Wells, former Con-
gresham W. II. King, Major Richard W.
Young. former Senator Frank j. Cannon
ana others have had the courage TO ad-
vance these principles and make the tight
from within for regeneration. Perhaps 1t
was partially through the fact that this
large element exists within the church that
a little over a week ago President Smith
brought about the official declaration by
the church that it's attitude had been mis-
understood and misrepresented. and that
plural marriages were prohibited under
penalty of communication. AT the gen.
eral conference Apostle Lyman moved the
adoption of this statement as the doctrine
of the church. reaffrming the Woodruff
manifesto. This action was taken without
dissent. Those within the organization
who opposing the continuance of polyg-
amy declare the action was taken in good
faith and that the extinction of the prac-
tice will be only matter of time now that
the church for the second time has taken
a decided stand on the matter.
Tie manifesto of President Woodruff was
issued in 1890. In that year occurred the
victory of the non-Mormons over the Nor
mons in the municipal election of Salt Lake
City, which meant the establishment, on a
firm foundation, of the public school sys-
tenn in the State of Utah similar vic
tory had previously been won in Ogden, and
others followed in various parts of the
State. The Mormons had been in opposi-
ton to public schools, following the in
Splration of Brigham Young. Since that
time. however, education has been a cardi-
nal principle in Utah. The Mormons them
selves have become imbued with the neces-
sity for the teaching of the young, seek
ing TO vie with their gentle neighbors, and
TO give the lie to the accusation that they
are opposed to education. Their record,
nevertheless, has generally been in the di-
rection of a combination of ecclesiastical
influence with general education. But where
that is impossible, they have recently given
their support to the school system of the
State, and now Utah is spending for educa-
ton more per capita, than any other State
in the Union, with one exception, and that
Western State. An object lesson to an
outsider would be found in the course in
recent years, of the State Legislature to-
ward the University of Utah and the Agri-
cultural College, two State institutions.
Some of the Eastern educators, who are
obliged to fight valiantly to get even mig
gardly appropriations through for the sup
port of State institutions. would breathe
a sigh of relief If they would see the man.
ner in which proportionately large amounts
| are readily granted by legislators, OF whom
| = large majority are adherents TO the Nor
mon faith.
VIEWS BROADEN.
| Out of the common schools out of the
| University of Utah, out of the State Agri-
| cultural College and other Eastern and
| Western colleges beyond the confines of
| Utah are emerging annually large numbers
| of graduates who went there fixed in the
| Mormon faith. Perhaps some have views
unchanged when they complete their
courses of education. a vast majority
| however, have broadened and able to
| see the problem in a different light. 1t is
| safe to say that nearly every young Nor
| mon who energies from an educational in
! stitution outside of Utah becomes con-
| WINGED that although he may continue &c
believe IN the divine inspiration of Joseph
Smith, although he may still adhere TO the
main principles of the religion in which he
| was reared, which his father and his mother
| lived, he is opposed to plural marriage, and
| he realizes that a religious organization
! should not degrade itself by active partici-
| patton in politics Few can be found who
| will revie polygamy in itself. They can
| not abuse the men and the women who
| guided by what they thought TO be the vii
| or the Divine Power. entered into relations
| opposed To the generally accepted customs
| OF civilization and who brought them inc
| the world; but they are willing to ACCEPT
the spirit of the manifesto against polyg-
| put aside they are anxious to see a separa-
/ ton or church and state. This is the in
| fiuence which is working from within.
The solution of the Mormon problem must
| come from within and from without. The
| people of the Nation in general must hell
| those high-minded men and women who
| are seeking TO bring their church to a plane
| where ii will be recognized throughout the
| world as a religion entitled TO respect and
| consideration. To do this, outsiders must
| be honest; they must be broad and char
| liable. The greatest outside draw ba cks &c
| the solution of the Mormon problem are the
| bad faith Of practical politicians and the