The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-08

}fSor1hwcstern Christian Advocate.)
40 student OF the question OF polyg-
10 as a doctrine and practice oil the
Hrr,rnon church. can reach any other con
Hrion than that 1t Is simply held In
terancs at the present time, with an
rpectation OF a removal OF the check
ow placed upon 1T By precise. Sc,
Irting prohibition OF polygamous mar
Ices shall not attempt 10 decide IL Is
|afsy however, 20 state the one enactment
hich would prevent the success OF any
trh efTort This would be the adoption
= Congress and ratification by the nee
szary number of States OF constitu-
anal amendment making the practice
81 and giving the Federal courts juris-
Esion 10 punish any Violators OF this
'w The Mormon church recognizes this
scf and whenever such an amendment
mi be directed TO prevent Its ratihca-
~ Governor Wells's warning In his
,sssage vetoing the Utah Act Of March,
hi concerning prosecutions for adul-
IcnaI for general demand for the pas
|>srn of constitutional amendment
rsinst polygamy. showed how far the
|<cutfve thought II necessary to go TO
eevent even the possibility OF such an
nsndment One OF the main reasons
nv the Mormons aro-so constantly In
veasing their numbers In the neighbor-
,g States is that they may secure the
oivxamy amendment. Whenever such
bn amendment is introduced at Wash
! 1rton II will be found that every Nor
i ION nfluenoe-political. mercantile. and
eiiroad-w!u be Hrrayed against II, and
q passage is unlikely unloss the church
beli mako GONE misstep which will again
|uIrect public attention to II In a hostile
,anner The devout Mormon has no
| sore doubt that his church will dominate
| his nation eventually than he has in the
Wine character of his prophets revela
ons.-William Alexander Linn in THE
'etory OF the Mormons."
IA new issue has arisen in American
oiftics. It is the reservation of the
,merican womanhood from the insidi-
us assaults of Mormon polygamy. Sen
tors of the United States struggled
10 make it appear that the personality
|sf Reed Smoot was the issue, but while
fhey were able by that means to Justify
heir votes. at least to themselves, they
Ind the world know that the real issue
|Nns the polygamous practices of the
|,formon hierarchy, of which Mr.. Smoot
!, member We do not question the
,otives Of Senators. We do not know
lheir motives, One of the wisest utter
ynces Of Abraham Lincoln was, 1--WE
kRnnot escape history History Will
|bhdge the Senators who voted in favor
~ Reed Snoot s retaining his seat, not
| " their motives, but by their deeds;
| nd history will record that the United
tates Senate on Wednesday, February
o. 1907, by vote of 40 to IS, or if
|Senators who were paired had voted,
N vote Of 81 to 81, put the stamp
|f approval upon the polygamous prac-
ICES and the broken pledges solemnly
| ren TO the Nation by the president
Fad apostles of the Mormon church. and
&nck blow at the Christian Ameri~
|Nn home, which the Mormon church by
g teaching in its Book of Doctrine and
| rovenants and by the example OF its
resident and apostles would over"
tprow.
Last Wednesday was n dark day in
| Ne history of the American republic.
| senators and spectators seemed to rea-
&c that they were in the presence of
|.amomentous evcnt-an event that NAV
syolutionize the social and political
fe of the Nation. In the chair was
ie Vice President of the United States,
ION. Charles w Fairbanks. by nature
ignifed in manner and kindly IN tone,
was befitting such an occasion. His
fesence recalled the fact alluded TO. by
ne of the Senators, that Mr.. FAIR
enks during tho campaign Of 1904,
hen a candidate for the high Office
'hich he now holds. in public speech
M Salt Lake City. the center of Nor
llon power, boldly rebuked polvgamy,
|nd e,logized the American home with
Ilne wife presiding over it, His ex-
kmplc Of moral courage might we'll be
B,llowcd by all public men.
n Every Senator able to be present was