Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-15

the continued cohabitatlon Of some Of
the persons who had contracted plural
marriages prior TO the enactment OF
laws forbidding them. although the evil
OF this Is apparent In the birth OF fresh
broods OF children. stll. all poygs-
nous relations resulting from the old
order OF things IN Utah would disappear
with the death OF the persons sustain
ing them and the question has been
whether It was wise to try 10 force re-
calcltrant people into "A homogeneous
state when time alone would afford a
cure for the anomalous situation"
That reflects the sentiment OF the
masses OF Utah's sensible people who
dissentcd from the doctrine and prac-
tice OF polygamy, The latest issue OF
the lnter-Mountain Catholic COM
mences strong editorial with this
paragraph;
THE Mormon Church Is on trial In
Washington. more so than the defend
ant in the case, Senator Sm0ot So far
nothing has been offered to connect him
with any violation Of the law against
puroI marriages and polygamous CO.
habitatlon; nothing but the knowledge
that he must have known and did know
that most Of the high officials OF the
Church lived up 10 their religion and
practlced that which Is condemned by
the state as unlawful. Most people
hereabouts. other than Mormons, knew
"A fYu 49, ...s al
probably had as much knowledge con-
corning them as Senator Smoot could
testify to on the witness stand,
The Milford Times, non" Mormon"
paper edited by an old-tlme newspaper
man, long identified with Salt Lake
anti Mormon" Sheet has this to say
on the subject
up to this writing the smoot in.
vestigatlou has revealed little that was
not generally known In this state be-
fore the investigation was started.
When the abandonment Of polygamy
was accepted and statehood was grant
cd, 1t was tacitly understood that po-
lygamists would be permitted to con-
tinue relations with their wives and the
practice has been winked at by the civil
authorities, although perhaps II was not
foreseen that this cohabitatio would be
quite 80 strenuous and fruitful Ms ap.
pears 10 have been the case with Presl.
dent smith, II has boon generally be-
lived that polygnmy would die out with
the present generation, and the people
have been willing TO endure present
conditions under the belief that the
practice would disappear without fur
Their agitation.
UNLESS It is shown that new p0lyg'
amous marriages have been solemniEed,
with the knowledge and consent OF
Senator smoot we ore unable to see
how his case can be affected
II we had space to spare we could
enlarge on this point. And II we de-
sired we might be as personal as some
OF the woud-be agitators, and rake up
old records that would be interesting
If not profitable. But let that go at
present. AS to Church Influence"
when II comes to aspiration for pollti-
cal office, how many are there of the
whole clique who would not seek TO
obtain Mormon" votes by every means
that appeared feasible? There are some
Of them who have made nulsances OF
themselves by their appeals to men
whom they regarded as influential In
the Church
We know. personally, OF men who
pretend to be aghast, over Mormon"
Church influence, who have sought for
II eagerly but In vain. They have
imagined that II they could gain the
support Of some high Mormon as
they termed II. they were sure OF the
votes of the Church" Now they yell
Church influence" till they are hoarse.
The idea seems to be with them, "lr
the Church helps me It Is all right;
but II the Church helps the other can
dldate or imagine 1t does, It is all
wrong and un-Amerlcan and shame
full"
II should b. observed by thinking
people that not one particle OF proof OF
the interference OF the Church author
tiles with the freedom Of voters has
been adduced, II Is all suspicion, as
sertion, goneraltles and assumption
We say the Church influence stormed
about Is q myth, "Mormons" are not
told how to vote or required to conform
to any political act or doctrine by the
Church, and are absolutely free except
when they ally themselves with poliu.
cal bosses, and committees, and eau
cuses and they are controlled thereby
Then they measurably lose their lib
erty Just the same as non "Mormons'
lose theirs and thus become slaves to
clique or party
We warn the sober-minded peaceful
and sane people Of this city and state
not to suffer themselves TO be led away,
by wIld-nre agitators, into anything
that they may afterwards regret, We
should tll be able to live here in peace
and ami " each pursuing his own way,
10 long as we do not Interfere with
each Others rights, and do all we can
to build M the state and to promote
peace on earth, good VIII to man. In
other words let US be rational,