The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-17
THURSDAY, MARCH II, 1904
Morn1onisr11.
The salt Lake Tribune is indignant a

4he disclosures TINT have been made IN
the investigation Of Senator Smoot, OF
g1i,al,. It does not discuss tho Smoot
case per Sc, but says that It IS III or 'ts
to discuss polygany as witnesses con-
fessed to its existence in Utah. ll1 1e1
d no denial from, any source.tt pro
rccds that these Mormons were III de-.
1 f,nnco of law and Of the compact entered
8inio Inv tho church leaders on Inc con-
ferrinG OF statehood upon Utah
nae Tribune then reviews the circnm-
4 stances. under which personal property
which had been escheated under act OF
Congress. was restored to the Mormon
Church upon the pledge Of t,'e then Pres '-
& .dent woodruff, the afterwards President
4 Il orenzo Snow and sne present prcsi-
dent. Joseph L. Smith, that the law w. OF.
the land against polygamy and polyga-
nous practices would be obeyed 1t IT
yiew Of this''sit goes OH, Congress pass
ed n liointS resolution restoring /. 1nes
escheated property, rccitlng among o,hcf
i things that .'Nvherens, said church mas
" discontinued the practice OF polEgaf1ly,
and no longer encourages or gives coun-
4 tenance in any manner, to pracuccS ~
violation OF laws or contrary@lo soou
morals or public policy: and It the SAD
personal property Is restored 70 ne sai.l
> Church # will not be devoted TO any such
unlawful purposes therctcre tne ploi-
erty would be restored.
Under that explicit understanding.tt TINS
i resolution was passed, and approved s Oc'
4 tcber e5, 1893, The church had ceased 10
Y encourage or give colrntsnance ~ any
manner to practices in violation OF law"
ySit was stipulated. and the church .sIc--
n t,eived that property back on TINS clearg
and explicit declaration. The same SUP,
s5ulation that unlawful cohnpltation as,
# veil as new polygamous marriages was
u done away with appeared in the tcsti-
Il mcny in the litigation over the temple
lot in Jackson county. Missouri. and 1t
has enthusiastically been n constant stp-
" nlatIon backed by as solemn testimony
as the church leaders could give, that
unlawful cohabitation was given up,
5 But in spite or this. the Tribune says
il disgust. the head OF the church, who
In the hearing OF the committee con-
ceded that the, only fair Interpretation.
of the manifesto was that poygamous
practices should cease and the laws OF
the land obeyed, coolly testified that he
had been Al the time living in contra
diction to that Interpretation, in defiance
CT the laws of God and OF man.
The Tribune declares in conclusion that
It is a libel on the people of Utah to
say that they have quietly acquiesced In
all this. 1t asserts that there have been
constant protests from press and pco-
pie, and that efforSs have becn made
from time to Tins to, enforce the laws
with indifferent success. A few have
pleaded guilty, but for the most part. the
court officials, dreadng no doubt the
wrath OF the church officials, have either
refrained from prosecutions because they
knew no evidence could be had, or have
arbitrarily refused to prosecute when
complaints were made.
This is, indeed. a disgusting state OF
affairs, 1t il Illus made all the more
apparent that he officers OF govern
ment In Utah are dominated by tho Nor
mon Church and It is fair to presume that
z Senator Smoot is no exception. Mormon
ism is still rampant and Mormonsnl
means polygamy The missionaries Of the
& Mormon Church are going about in al
,arts Of the country and there arc many
OF them here in Virginia. They are per.
slstent and sometimes almost insolent ii
Ealing at private residences ana seeking
10 distribute their literature. IT Is I
If question which the government must han
d, die and handle promptly and handle Will
tirmness and rigor. Mormonism is lik4
loathsome disease spreading over tn,
land and 1t must be stamped out.