Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-08

resolutions OF smoot and Of "Mormons"
en- masse feel that much OF their agi-
tatlon has been harmful instead OF help
ful TO the cause Of purity which they
nave espoused. and Of which women are
indeed. as is said over and over again,
the natural advocates. There has been
much hysteria, much sectarian preju-
dice, and not a little unpleasant, how
ever, unconscious Pharisaism In what
has been written and said by women
upon this subject. / have never heard
a discussion involving a comparison OF
the purity Of the monogamic with the
plural marriage IN which the assump-
ton on behalf OF the former could not
be PARTED by retorts too well sustained
by many features OF modern social life
climaxed by the records OF the divorce
courts. True IL Is that such retorts
are no excuse, no palliative for the
blightlng system Of plural marriage. but
n Is also true that thosa who Justify
that system can be won from Il only by
being met IN a truly Christian spirit
which IS the spirit of love; that spirit
which III there be any virtue, and II
there be any praise, dwells upon
whatsoever things are true. whatso-
ever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just. whatsoever things are
pure whatsoever things are lovely.
whatsoever things are OF good report. "
that spirit which seeks 20 KIN that
which II offensive by ignoring Il. Wo-
men ought 10 have power as we'll as in
direct influence. and II all women, who
realize defects I'm the present laws
and In the present administration
Of the laws which affect the home,
could be united In working to get the
ballOt--that instrument OF power which
q 81 .
supplicdnt at the feet of the voter, to
the voting class-they would be doing
vastly more for domestic and social
purity than they can do by signing
petitions all their lives, Let us not
treat men as II they had no response
blity for the domestic situation what
ever II may be--good or bad At the
present time men are more responsible
than women, since they alone have the
power TO frame laws according to
their convictions and TO execute the
laws which they have framed. In "a
right state Of society women would
have with men equal power, and men
would feel that their responsibility for
the purity OF the home was not less
than the responsibility OF women.
Personally | always rejoice at every
manifestation 10y women OF public
spirit, Of interest In any public qucs'
tin. ! am one Of those who think
that Il is better that women should
discuss questions Of public moment In
iudiciously, than not to discuss them
at all / am, therefore, glad OF the
attention which the Smoot case has
attracted among women ! would not
however have women assume that the
purity Of the home rests with them,
The home proceeds from "A double foun-
tain, and II VIII never be an institu-
ton Of unaloyed purity so long as one
of the fountains Yields bitter water
and the other sweet, ] rejoice I'm the
attention which this case has attracted
among women because | hope that ul-
umately charity. instead OF arrogance
win be promoted by the discussion Of
the questions at issue, and that ulti-
matcly women, finding how vain are
petitions with no votes back Of them
will see that the vote Is needed for the
protection Of the home, and needed by
her own as queen Of the home may not
resign the symbol Of her Sovereignty
without losing also IT'S essence,
MAY WRIGHT SEWALL.