The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-04-16
THE MORMON APOLOGY.

New York Resolution"
1t is presented by this paper in a
spirit of fairness In order that all who
care to read may know the best de-
fense which the Mormon church can
make OF its antagonism to the placing
of the crime of polygamy under Fed
eral control
The article OF the News is particu-
larly pertinent at this hour because
of the great fear which has seized
Joseph F. Smith and his colleagues,
that their mode OF living may be sub
jected to examination, and their crimes
to punishment under Federal statutes.
The Deseret News has been fond of
charging that the articles published In
The Tribune, against the Mormon
hierarchy, were vituperation and per-
secution of the servants of God al
| though In the main the accusations
against Joseph F. Smith, Charles w.
Penrose and others of their offensive
and offending class have been based
| upon the sworn testimony which they
| themselves have given to the world.
The News designates these repetitions
of Mormon official evidence as beins
mendacious, ribald. vile, despicable
| and other choice names lifted from Il
introspective depths of Apostle Pen
roses mind. In view OF this whineful
protest against the accusations con-
| cerning the hierarchs, what must be
said of the infamous charge made by
! In, In,
the United States? Readers. If you
can bear to scan the News editorial.
just note particularly the contrast
between tainted New York and clean
| ly young Utah"-mcaning by "cleanly
young Utah" polygamists like the
News editor himself, living in re
| ligious recklessness" with two women,
neither of whom is his legal wife.
After comparing poygamy with So
cal vice in general, the Deseret News
| makes the useless and ridiculous as
scTtion that it has not classed Nor
mon polygamy with the abominatlons
that flourish throughout Christendom."
And yet that is exactly what the News
has done, and its entire argument is
plea that the polygamists shall be per-
mitted to riot in their offense because
there are social evils uncorrected else
where
With a sapiency quiet unusual the
News anticipates the question which
VIII be asked: IF what you say about
the decadencc of plural marriage is
true. why should YOU be concerned
about a constitutional amendment for
Its prohibition and punishment" To
this the News answers: 1--WE are not"
And the only reply to that answer OF
the News is that II is a rank false
hood-for the only church which is op-
posing a constitutional amendment is
the Mormon church. and the only
against an anti -polygamy amendment
are the Mormon polygamists. But
despite the skill of the News writer in
forecasting the inevitable question
and in making reply, he falls into his
inevitable error. He proves too much.
II polygamy is righteous why does the
Mormon church permit II TO become
decadent? And II 1t Is not righteous
why does not an "all-righteous
church" abolish It? The News proves
that It does not exist and would be
evil if it did exist 1t also proves that
it exists and is the better form OF the
social evil, and should at least be en-
couraged until after all other forms
are annlhilatcd
The argument OF the Deseret News
that the reformer must not attempt
to reform unless he himself Is re-
formed, II made effective. would rele-
gate Joseph Il. Smith, Charles w. Pen
rose and their kind TO perpetual ST.
lence They are criminals before the
law of the land: they are pertured Nio-
Iatots of the law OF God-and, accord
ing TO their own confessions they IN
tend TO continue their offense while
they live. Therefore, so long as they
exist they must never criticise any
crime which the rest of the world may
perpetrate.
The statement by the Deseret News
that the church Is not responsible ior
its polygamists is one of those mon
strous things which only a man
schooled in trickery and evasion could
utter. Is the Mormon church not re-
sponsible for Joseph F. Smith, polyg-
arnist2 II sustalns him as It's law
gIver, as its prophet. seer and reveia-
tor. as its trustee In trust. as Its su-
preme ruler Is the Mormon church
not responsible for Joseph H. Tanner?
II knew his crime; it knew that he was
using his position as superintendent of
church schools TO coax young women
teachers and nupils into the practice OF
polygamy. and year after year. despite
the horror of his offense. despite the
animaIism of his career IT sustained
him. Is the Mormon church not respon-
sible for the plural marriage practiced
by Apostles Taylor and Cowley? Long
after their offenses were proved II sus-