Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-05
THE COURSE OF REVILERS.

The sensational headlines which some
OF the local papers are printing, for the
purpose OF inhaming the public mnd
over the senatorial investigation at
Washington, are very misleading and
Intentionally so, because not warranted
by the information that follows, That
however is one OF the tricks OF the
trade known a. yellow journalism
The testimony of President Joseph F.
Smith has disclosed nothing In the
shape Of Skeleton" no. anything IN
the nature Of n mystery The facts
as to the Revelation on celestial mar
rlage including the plurality Of wives"
have been published to the world for
more than half a century, The adop'
ton of the counsel Of President MILFORD
Woodruff In what Is commonly known
AS the manifesto Of September 26, 1890,
did not In any way deny or change the
truth concerning that revelation, which
vested the keys Of authority In relation
to the eternal marriage covenant IN tn
one man, who Is the earthly head Of
the Church. That man ceased to per.
NIT the performance Of plural mar.
riages. and his successors have followed
his example
But, as the Deseret News has ex-
planned over and over again for many
years number Of PEOPLE had con-
tracted such marriages and their cove
nants We're for time and eternity. In
most instances they would not repud-
ate their sacred obligations, no matter
who or what earthly authority de-
manded II, President Smith has
clearly defined his position, individual
ly and as President Of the Church. He
has lived with his families as husband
and father, but has not performed au-
thOrized or entered into any plural
marriages since the manifesto was
adopted by the General Conference
october g. 1890
This has been no secret to the people
Of Utah. It's declaration is nothing
new In principle, There need be no
sensation or excitement about It..
There Is not, In the minds Of we'll
Informed people be they "Mormons' or
"Gentiles," The very papers that are
making 80 much fuss over It as
though It was something astounding
IN the same columns declare that they
have known about It aud published 1t
all along so much for their consistency,
But they attempt by juggling with
language and downright falsehood, to
make il appear that the Dcseret News
has denied the truth Of their charges
in this particular. This paper has never
disputed either OF the propositions or
declarations presented by President
Joseph f. Smith, It has denied the
charge that plural marriages have been
solemnized by the Mormon Church
since they were prohibited by mam-
festo. II has maintained the position
taken by men who had plural wives
when that document was promulgated
1t has affirmed that there was tacit
understanding that such families were
not to be disturbed II plural marriages
were stopped, It has been taken tC
task for saying 30, by the same papers
that now want to put II In false
light, and by the ministers who have
formulated charges against our leaders
that were untrue In many respects, and
who have commented sayagely upon
our utterances concerning that tact
understanding,
The trouble with anti Mormon" pa
pers and preachers IS, that they vii
not abstain from falsohood, They know
very well when they proclaim tina
Mormon leaders are practising polyg
amy that they are dcceiying The
general public, They know that polyg
amy is defined by law TO meal
the practice Of contracting plura
marriages They shelter themselves
when accused Of bearing false witness
by creeping behind subtcrfuge ant
pointing TO the present marital rela
lions of men who have not entered int
poygamy Tor decades, They know
that they do this to deceive the Amen
can people, and that they are without
excuse before God and before honorabl,
men.
While the Deseret News has not re-
lerred, personally, TO the marital cours,