Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-14

their little world in mutual love and
sympathy.
The majority OF people believe now
adays or pretend TO believe In the
homogeneous system Of marriage. This
belief Is mine. However. any man or
woman has a right 10 his own opln-
Ions, even IL II Is not IN keeping with
law, providing he neither breaches nor
practises it. A nation has no right
to take out n mans brain. They did
that in olden times, but It won't do
now.
As one looks around ana sees the
many wrecks of manhood and woman
hood II seems safe TO predict that tho
civilizing process has just begun and
that 1t will take at least another 10000
years TO convert men to really believe
In and practise monogamy.
1t is impossible to give In a brief
article even a glimpse of the marriage
system and Of the beliefs pertaining
to IL OF the Mormon Church,
Let me assure you that polygamy
never was REGARDED as the central Idea
OF their marriage system, 1t was never
held to be a commandment to all their
people, but rather a permission
granted to men of approved character,
and then under very special circum-
stances,
POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGES.,
Let me tell you, dear reader, that
when polygamy was most urged upon
the membership and reached food tide
In practise, according to the govern
ment official report there never was
more than to per cent or the
population Of the Church who could
be induced to accept its obligations.
IN Uta'i every polygamous marriage
meant TO both man and woman what
a homogeneous marriage means 10 you.
1t meant an increase Of toll and anXl-
ETY. for every additional wife taken IN
proVidng an additional home, food
raiment and education Of the children
that might be born Of the union.
Be It said TO the credit OF both the
Mormon man and the Mormon woman
these unions were real MARRIAGES and
meant to them all the obligations OF
homogeneous marriages.
Whatever you set down In your
prejudice against your Mormon fellow
citizens, race suicide must not be one
of them, but to the contrary every
bouncing baby boy or girl Is welcomed
with songs of Joy by the Mormon
people
Don't worry about Utah polygamy.
II has been dead 1G years. Turn your
eyes from mole hills TO the noun
talns Of wickedness about YOU In
1900 there were 1894 divorced per-
sons in the United States. There were
about 10000 divorces In 1908,
The homogeneous system OF mar
rlage prevails In Utah absolutely and
has dona IN since 1890
The few remaining old men and
women who were married many years
ago are rearing and educating their
children and should any old polyga-
nous father desert his family because
some crank told him to or of his own
free will he would be dlspised by
every manly man In the nation.
Remember you are not dealing with
a criminal class. The men involved
are counted amongst the most honor
able of the state, regarded as such
not BY Mormons alone, but 1t is also
the gentle sentiment The non-Mor-
| mon does not hesitate to enter Into
business. political and even In social
relations with them.
PASSING OF PLURAL MARRIAGES..
The people who assumed the obli-
cations of plural marriages are passing
away,
The manifesto was issued 16 years
AGO. Two-thlrds of the men and wo-
men who were alive then are now dead
There are now less than 500 men
| and women who were involved In this
marriage system still living. They are
| ali over 80 years OF age, the majority
being over 60 years.
The whole matter of polygamy chat
| Is. among the Mormons) Will be a
| thing Of the past In 20 years from now,
| Some OF these dear old people may
| be living together, because was
| asreeably understood when amnesty
was granted and the manifesto was Is
sued that these families would not DC
| disrupted.
II would be cruel and unjust to even
| attempt TO separate these old people
| IN their declining years ana 70 say tne
man may go 10 the door and feed MS
wife and children and not go into the
house Is silly, very silly.
| These peopIe entered into these re-
| Intions with the full sanction OF their
| Church teaching and they we're sane
| tined 10 them BY their Church cere-
monlals, Among them exist the dear.
| est family ties, that Of husband ana
| wife. parents and children and grand
| children, together with all the colldt-
| eral relationships growing out or the
| family. Remember the religious nom
esty OF the people Strange as 1t may
seem to you they believed they We're
! doing Gods service when accepting
| that order of marriage.
No class Of people could have right
ed the mistakes Of the past In a bet
| ter way than the Mormon people nave
| done and are doing. Polygamy was Il
principle In their religion and not Q
! llcentlous institution. In response 20
| the demands OF the Christian cent?
ment of this country, polysamy mas
been cast aside. In the battle NJ life
| It Is considered amongst men. very
| unmanly to strike man when he Is
down and has signed a treaty OF
| peace,
| Thinking people know full well that
the results Of a marriage system lived
under for so years cannot be entirely
obliterated In 16 years,
Polygamy Is a dead practise, and Q
diving belief OF early Mormonlsm II
space would permit ! should like ia
| give YOU, In n pen picture, the strug-