Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-27


practised there, because when practises
OF that kind are carried on evidence
will necessarily exist-just as you ira
vel through the sand you make tracks
but you see no signs Of Il there, For
eighteen years I haV9 been IN every
settlement among them and have yet
70 see any signs OF polygamy, and i
looked for II with good deal OF inter-
est when | first wJnt there, with the
Intention OF prosecuting II, but when i
learned those people, learned them TO
be as true Americans as live under the
sun. know mat IL fact. When
the time came that tried mems nerves
and their hearts, when the long roll was
sounded and the battle flag was raised
In 1898 theT rushed TO the countrys
aid as quickly as the neryiest OF men.
They are people who attend strictly
TO their own business. they stay at
home they I'LL the soil, they worship
God according to the dictates OF their
own conscience, they pay their debts,
and they tell the truth. They do not
practice polygamy. Among other
things they figure In politics. They
send legislators to our legislature and
never have yet seen. nay, for the first
time ! have to see, time come when
there was legislation pending for the
elevation OF the moral mind, that was
for the education OF the young, the
promotion OF the morals of the coun-
try, but what they were for 1t to a
man. And have for the first time TO
see an effort to enact law that might
reflect against the morals Of the coun-
try or against the elevation OF the
posed 10 II TO a man. These things,
gentlemen, ! know TO be true. They
have their schools, more numerous than
any other people In the Territory and
they have children and they send them
10 school and they adopt rules OF school
government. am sorry | have mis-
laid q code OF their school rules. II
Vas a model for school government,
THE Chairman. You can incorporate
II In your remarks.
"Mr. Wilson. am afraid have lost
It. | have written for another copy
and perhaps II will come. As say, II
Is model formula TO be followed by
those who are teaching the young men
In America. These are the people that
We hear these statements concerning
made by people who live from them
thousands Of miles and who only know
them through the writings OF indlyld-
uals, which are written for purpose,
perhaps mercenary.
This much, my dear srs, | have to
say In reputation OF that charge be.
cause | know the facts that ! speak OF
concerning them to be true.
Mr. Thayer. How many Mormons
are there In your Territory?
Mr.. Wilson. do not know perhaps
20 per cent OF the population.
Mr.. Thayer, They live In communi-
ties by themselves?
"Mr. Wilson. No, everybody lives to-
gether, but they preponderate the great
valley OF the Graham, But you go into
the town OF Stafford, In Graham county,
where the population OF the town Is
perhaps 1900, and you viii find about
/ 900 OF what we call Genties az mat
ter OF distinction, and the balance are
Mormons. They have no trouble; they
nelghbor with each other Just like other
men,
"Mr. Thayer. What Is there about
their worship beyond what is generally
mir. Wilson. There Is nothing except
that some people say they are more
moral than the general run OF other
people
mir, Thayer Are there any bigam-
lists?
"Mr, Wilson. There certainly are not.
"Mr. Powers. About twenty years
ago spent about two weeks In Utah
and | never saw more sober, more
laborious, more honest, debt paying, In
iustrious people than | saw In the Nor
mons.
mir. Wilson. There Is no doubt OF
Il.
"Mr. Powers. AS you say, they pas
their debts and attend to their own
business, and while few might prac-
tise polygamy, the great majority do
not
MIR Wilson. want to say, MT
Chairman. and gentlemen OF the com
mlttee, that have reached my conclu'
sion about the Mormon people because
could not help myself ! did not want
10 | believed the other way, ! was as
thin skinned as some OF these people
who are here In the East bowling
against them, but since | have known
the reverse OF what / first thought
about them to be true, ! must admit H.
| have found In favor OF those people
he facts | have stated, and these are
tho reasons | have for defending them
here and elsewhere. and ] shall do 1t
though the sun shall shut off It's light