The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-04-10
HIS SINCERITIES.

One Of the Intelligent Mormon visitors
to the Mormon conference asked The
Tribune TO state why we attack Jo-
seph f.. Smith for not ceaslng to live
in polygamy The inquirer processes
10 abhor the resuscitation of polygamy
but he felt that there should be no critl-
csm Of and no punishment for men who
maintained their relations With the
wives whom they had married in polyg-
amy previous TO 1890.
Following is the answer and IL any
Mormon can remove II by any evidence
or any logical augmentation The Trib-
une would be pleased to hear from him:
Because Joseph f Smith promised
that he would do SO Because he gave
his pledge Of honor to this Nation that
he would do so. Because he coVenanted
with his God that he would do 80. Be-
case he promised his people that he
would do so. And because his violation
OF his pledge and his oath have brought
disgrace TO the Mormon community, OF
which Joseph F. Smith Is the head,
which cannot be wiped out while Joseph
F. Smith maintains his life Of offense
toward God and man.
This Is not the charge made on The
Tribune's authority, but upon the au-
thority of no less a witness than Joseph
F. Smith, who testified to all the world
upon his affirmation before the Senate
committee of tho United States that he
was living in defiance OF the laws Of
God and the laws OF man.
And now In return let The Tribune
ask that particular intelligent Mormon
and others OF his class to answer to
themselves these questions:
Was Joseph f. Smith a believer in
the divinity of plural marriage when he
took unto himself several wives In that
long period of Mormon history when
there was no danger and no particular
suffering to the man in the practice OF
the principle?
II so was he sincere in renouncing the
principle and agreeing to its abrogation
when there came a time Of danger 10
the man who practiced It?
And II so both times, was he still sin
cere when he renewed the practice
when IT again became safe for the man
to live with as many wives as would
consent to abide under his roof or
roofs2
Was he sincere all three times? If
not. which time?
Was Joseph F Smith sincere In ask
ing the President of the United States
TO grant forgiveness TO him, Joseph f.
Smith. for all his past offenses against
the law under the most solemn pledge
Of his honor for his future? Was he
sincere In accepting the amnesty which
was granted In response to his prayer
Was he sincere in his exercise of the
citizenship which had been restored to
him by the United Stares1 Is he sin
cere In holding the citizenship and the
forgiveness for past offenses when he
now renews his crime and breaks the
condition upon which that citizenship
was granted?
If sincere what must be the character
of his mind? What would You think of
your neighbor who had been stealing
your water for a term Of years, and
whom you were ABOUT to prosecute I'm
court, If he would beg your forgiveness
for the sake Of his wife and little child
rem. who after obtaining your generous
acquittance on his solemn promise
never TO rob your irrigation ditch
again, should renew and continue at
later time to steal your water claiming
that he had a special privilege from
God Almighty not only TO use his full
water right, but to steal the water right
from four Of his neighbors?