The San Francisco call., 1904-04-16
A MORMON DEFENSE.

~ HE revelations in the Smoot investigation have put
the Mormon hierarchy the defensive Inside
the church there developed spirit OF revolt
on the part of the young and women that was
alarming to the leaders, This revolt in the form
OF opposition the polygamous teachings of the church
and the polygamous practice of President Smith and
of the Apostles The defense runs, therefore,
appeal to these uneasy members of the church,
which is indirectly defense of poygamy, by declaring
that the opposition in the Gentle world produced
by immoral practices among Gentiles
If the church demonstrate to its faithful members
that poygamy is moral because those who oppose it
guilty of immoral practices, may check the spirit
of schsm its ranks. The fact that the defense
of this character evidence of the strait in which the
leaders find themselves When President Smith returned
from Washington and Snet by his five wives and
thirty OF his fortytwo children there public
acknowledge following the admissions his testi-
mony that he is the head of harem
While the enthusiasm of his fellow rulers of the
Mormon world unabated and they hailed him as a
religious hero considerable part of the membership
did not share in these Inscriptions the leader These
look upon poygamy unnatural condition and their
association with the growing Gentle population makes
them ashamed of it. 1t becomes necessary then to i'm
them that the Gentle society with which they
associate unworthy of their respect and that they
should permit their conduct be influenced by its
opinions. If this plan succeed they driven back
sympathy with the church and all that teaches
and firm support of the leaders and all that they
practice
The Deseret News, the church organ has undertaken
this work and carries it by what we believe to be
thorough misrepresentation of Gentle sentiment In
its discussion the News says: Refined society was
much shocked the number of President Smiths
children than fact that he acknowledged
the wives whom he welded previous the issuance
of the manifesto. So with the course of other Nor
mon in he oh1
that children born those plural wives Punish
for this increase the demand of modern moral
lists of the school of suppression"
This is If the mothers of President Smiths
children have equal number of children would be
but little eight each Families of eight children
in the Gentle world common. They curios-
ity, their presence refined society," or out of
of criticism ofense The President of the
United States has family of six children and if this
Mormon defense society should be shocked at it.
but It is not The numerous children of Senator Hale
of Maine and the large families of other Senators and
Representatives, in some numbering more than
the children of President Smiths individual wives shock
and other than feeling of adnlira-
ton that such public find their official duties con-
sistent with the proper of many children. Indeed
among the Gentiles, husbands and wives who have no
children much the objects of pity than those
who have the objects of aversion.
The objection President Smith is not that he has
fortytwo children but TO the number of his wives
The results of such system of plural marriage are
well known IN Utah. The and admoniton
which father to his children cannot be given
by him to such groups of families. During his testi-
mony he obliged to ask for time refer memo
randa either how many children particular
wife had the date of their birth 1t is certain that
these children without the joint which those
receive who reared in home daily and continually
ruled by the presence of the father and the mother
President Smiths FIVE wives live in FIVE separate
houses. On his from Washington after his gen
era reception he paid visits of courtesy each of these
five homes of his forty-two children If the Deseret
News thinks that refined any other form of society
has objection to that spectacle it is mistaken If
the young Norman will choose to think he will learn
that that which in the Gentle world regarded as
taught by the church be heaven inspired virtue
Non Mormon society is by means free of offenses
and vices but its conscience stamps them such The
Mormon conscience, the other hand, is taught to
regard those very oenses and moral and eevat
ing when they enoined by revelation and pracced
by the hierarchy.
Salt Lake baby possessing the attraction chill
dren have for varied diet swallowed nail The family