The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-21
POLYGAMY IN UTAH.
Testimony 90 an Old Resident Opposed 60
smoot's Remaining In the senate.

8m00Cs Remaining IN tho senate.
To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sir: Attracted
by the caption Bitter Cry from Utah" read
. letter signed by the editor OF the later
Mountain Republican which was printed IN
THE sun on December IL.
Il may not DO known in the East. but IL 10
generally understood In the West. that the
Inter- oUn tain Republican IL Reed Smoots
paper; the Dessret Negs itself II scarcely
more the apologist Of the Mormon Church
than IL the IDter-MouRtdin Republican.
Unfortunately there Is much false sentiment
abroad in the Smoot matter. and Ere
Armstrong's letter will be read with sympathy
by many who have given the Mormon Ques-
ton only cursory consideration.
No later than this fall the writer OF this
letter knew OF many cases OF polygamous
cohabitation existing In Utah and Idaho, not
the cases on record In the Smoot testimony.
but others. Because there are no marriage
records the polygamlst who has been notori-
eusly living with some woman before the eyes
OF q whole community can deny that he Is
married to her. And the wife 90 will deny IL,
too. and they viii laugh in their sleeves at the
evaded law. More than this. women will even
swear, for the protection OF the men, hat
they do not know who is the father Of their
children.
In one OF the Rocky Mou ntaIn States In Sep
tember. 1906, during my residence there a child
was born in a certain Mormon household; In
the household were the mans lawful wife and
q woman who passed for the domestic ser
want. but the child was the child Of Hagsr
the father was punished2 Not at ali.
Does not the minority report In the Smoot
case. signed by five Repu blican Senators. take
nor any desire on the part OF the Government
OF the United states or the Government. OF
Utah since 1895 to deal severely with existing
The minority report states that there was
no effective legislation against polygamy
IN 1887. during the administrators Of Grover
Cleveland. and that Reed. Smoot has but
followed out the general policy. Of the Govern
IT Is not surprising,' says the minority re-
port leniently, that there was a feeling that
might be tolerated II they were not openly
nor fiauntingly carried on Nevertheless I
was told BY a man who has lived for sixteen
IN the thicEiy settled Mormon districts. that he
could easily find to-day in southeastern Idaho
several hu ndred children who do not know
The editor OF the Inter-Mountdin Republican
must know. for every one else in Utah and
sive and educated of the Mormon women
openly assert that "polygamy is the ideal con-
dition: and that they are only waiting for a
policy OF the Church again.
IL 10 puerile for intelligent people TO con-
tinue to consider the desire TO unseat Mr..
Smoot as an attack upon his private charac-
ter or an act OF religious persecution. As a
matter OF tact. nobody in the whole United
states cares a ~picayune what MIR. Smoot be-
lieves. or whether he believes ANYTHING at all.
The question whether he should retain his
seat turns upon the fact that Utah made a
definite agreement with the United States
in 1895 by which she pledged herself. as the
price 81 statehood. 70 abolish certain, prac-
tlces OF the Mormon Church, and that she has
broken every article of that agreement and
the. Mormon Church has snapped its fingers
In The face OF the Senate Of the United States.
III NAV not he generally known that in IagQ
nine. applicants were refused naturalization
by the Associate Justice Of the Supreme Court
OF Utah because, after a most careful and ex-
haustive examination OF testimony concern
ing the endowment oath" which all OF these
men had taken. the evidence was such as to
prove them mot ft persons to be citizens OF
the United States The decision'of the Judge
was that the evidence in this case establishes
unquestionably that the teachings. practices
and aims Of the Mormon Church are anita go
nistic to the Government Of the United States
SUMMIT. n. j.. December 10. ACITIzRN.