Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-31
PEET ADDRESSED
LIBERAL LEAGUE.
PhiladeIphians Listened With In.
trest About Utah and Her
People.
THE OPPOSITION WAS SILENT.
Others Spoke Of the Inler-Nlounisin
Region and Press Gave Fair No
tees Of the Meeting.

Tho Friendship Liberal league Of
Philadelphia, PA. extended an invi-
ta,iou to V. & Poet, who is trayeling
In the east. 20 address the members
~ that society. The gentleman re-
sponded 10 the request aud the meet
Ing was held On the evening OF March
25 About 200 people were present.
and they listened WITH attention 10
Mr. peet while he spoke IN behalf Of
Utah and her people, Opportunity was
given for any so desiring TO be heard
on the other side, but no responses
were made. When remarks In line
With Mr.. Peets talk were called for,
several persons, including one lady,
stepped forwarl and heartily endorsed
the lecturer In his defense OF the
Mormon" people. Some Of these
we're native Utahns, who are soIourn-
ing for a time I'm the CITY Of Brother
" Love" but Ave or six OF the speak
ers were citizens OF Philadelphia and
each of them oulogized the people OF
the inter-mountain region, The press
gave fair notices OF the meeting. as
will be seen from the following clip
pings They are from the Philadelphia
Inquirer and the Philadelphia Record,
respectively.
~. s. Peet OF Utah, who created a
stir at a recent meeting of the Moth
crs' club by challenging the assertions
OF Senator Du Bots Of Idaho, regarding
the Mormon peril. appeared on the
platform OF the Friendship Liberal
league at us north Broad street yes
terday to defend the 'Mormons' from
what he contended were the unjust
appersions of those who are advocat-
ing the exclusion of Reed Smoot from
the senate.
"A debate was scheduled to follow,
I'm which both sides OF the question
were to have been .threshed out IL
failed 20 materialize In the manner an
ticipated because no one appeared to
defend the anti-Mormon cause A
number Of avowed 'Mormons,' includ-
ing a young woman, expressed their
cordial appreciation of the kindly SEN
timents entertained by Mr.. Peet, who
IL not himself Mormon for their
faith
"Mr. Peet expressed himself as dis
appointed that the opponents OF Nor
monism' had not put In an appearance
and permitted themselves to be COM
batted There are In this hall he
had said during the course OF his re-
marks, "a number ~ the Presbyterian
board of home missions. want TO
ask them some questions why have
YOU spread untruthfu tracts broad
cast through the country? Why do
you hate Utah and the MornonsY
NO ANTI-MoRMoN VIEWS.
when the chairman threw the
meeting open for discussion and In
vited the opponents of Mr.. Peet 20
refute his pro-'Mormon' opinions,
there was a long painful pause, The
members OF the Presbyterian board,
IL there were any present, were pre-
serving strict incognito, and oppon-
ents of the 'Mormons appeared TO be
either absent or shy about expressing
their sentiments.
THE chairman then called for those
who desired to speak on the Mormon
side, There was another pause almost
as long as the preceding. Finally,
young man who said he was born and
brought up a Mormon" assembled the
platform and delivered a panegyric on
the Mormon" faith. He was followed
By another who identified himself as a
Mormon" missionary. a young Nor
mon woman then assembled the plat
form and said II she were n slave she
was glad OF Il. Other nom Mormon"
speakers took the platform and said
they were glad to hear what excellent
people the "Mormons" were
I'm his remarks Mr., Peet denied that
the "Mormons" practised polygamy
which, he said, had been dead for six
teen years. lie gave the "Mormons"
an excellent character for thrift indus
try and virtue and said that. although
not Mormon" he was speaking as a
resident OF Utah, which was being tro-
duced and injured by the antl-"Mor-
mon agitation.
Mrs. Irvine, a comedy young woman
OF Salt Lake City. introduced herself
as one who was perfectly happy as a
Mormon woman at a meeting for the
discussion OF "Mormonism" yesterday
in Liberal hall, No, rs North Broad
street.
THE women OF Utah are not de-
graded, she declared. My parents
were Mormons, and ] owe all that |
have TO them and TO the Church We
Mormon women are taught that the
highest sphere Is motherhood, and |
do not believe that TO be a good mother