Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-08
\ FEW FACTS.

normal conditions Republican, but TWO
moral issues make II doubtful. There
pre the smoot case and the temperance
question"
Discaisslng. further, the Smoot case
the Advocate says Senator Hopkins
did not realize the feeling caused by
his speech in favor of retaining the
Irtab senator. And then IL has lis
customary little fling at the Church III
this description of Senator Smoot!
who is II member of the body
OF the Mormon Church which gave us
polemn pledge to the nation In behalf
OF the Mormon Church that polyganly
and polygamous cohabitatlon should be
forever abandoned which pledge mas
been broken by the same officials VINO
gave it."
This is the same old falsehood that
has been relied upon now for many
years to do political service. But ire
aueut repetition does not make 1t true.
The fact is that whatever pledges
were given by the Church. or In behalf
of the Church, have been faithfully
kept. and will be kept by the Church
Whatever there has been. or Is, OF
pledge breaking, is all on the other
side. As far as the Cnurch Is con-
cerned. polygamy has been abandoned
and this has been so amply proved that
there can be no reasonable controversy
ON that question any Longer.
But 1t is unlawful cohabitation'
that bothers the Christian Advocate.
Now, may we ask that paper to look
at the facts for moment, instead of
1ounderlng about among imaginary
conditions? II is perfectly true that
the Manifesto which was accepted by
the Church, was interpreted to mean
both cessation of plural marriages
and the living together In plural mar
rage relations but it is not true, as
the Advocate assumes, that the under
standing was that the latter relations
We're to cease all at once. on the
contrary, though nom "MOrmons' de-
manded the Immediate cessation of the
further contracting OF plural mar
riages, they did not demand, and they
did not expect, that existing relations
should be violently disturbed They
We're content with promise to cease
plural marriages because the keeping
of that promise would In time bring
about the cessation of unlawful CO.
habitation," too, and that was the un-
Outstanding, or the pledge, IL that term
is preferred. 1t was. in other words,
the understanding, that plural mar
riages should cease at once, and that
the effect would he the cessation of
unlawful cohabitation, though the Mani
festo did not say so In express terms.
The testimony of non" aiormons" on
this point, before the Senate commit
tee. was conclusive. Mr.. Critehlow, for
instance, said:
~ think that in all probability. as
near as | can get at my state of mind
at that time, IL was, that very shortly
after the Manifesto, under the condi-
lions that existed and that we thought
We're going to exist, there was no in
clination on the part of the proCeCut-
ing officers to push these matters as
to present cohabitation. | think that
il is so-thinlIing II was a matter that
would Immediately die out"
This, Mr.. Critehlow continued. was
now there is no inclination among
-"Mormons" generally in Utah tC
prosecute those who entered into thC
plural marriage relation before tn,
Manifesto.
Orlando Powers testified:
1--WE have not known what was bes
to do. II has been discussed, and peo
pie would say that such and sucl
man ought to be prosecuted. ThcI
they would consider whether anything
would be gained. whether We would
not delay instead of Fastening tn
time that We hope TO live 10 see
whether the institution would no
flourish by reason of what they woulC
term prosecutions And so, notwith
standing n protest has been sent down
here to you, | VIII say to You th
people have acluiesced in the coudi
tlon that exists
According to the testimony of Z
ii. Holzheimer, an Idaho lawyer:
"Tho concensus of opinion ut tina
time was that those who had con
tracted marriages prior TO the Mani
iesto should be left alone
Speaking especially IT cases Of un
lnwful cohabitatiou, hc continued
at is true it is against the law
but II has not been done In such al
open, lewd manner as has been intim
atod nor has It been general. AM
because of the peculiar state lf az
fairs, II was the opinion that tn
whole thing would die out, that /
was only q matter Of short tim
When the question wolld bee cutirel
settled, because there would DE M
new murrIages.'
This was the general understanding
The Church has kept faith absolutely
And that IS proved ny the fact tina
plural families have decreased In mum
Der both in Utah and Idaho VIVA
was once called "thc Mormon prot
lem IS being solved very rapidly (
accordance with both the spirit an
he letter of the Manifesto. and W
may say for the benefit Of the ADV,
cate that II Is being solyed notwiu
standing the mcddlins in the Anal
" Utah Of people at Distance WI
have worse problems Of their own ar
who might try to learn from Il
"Momons' TO mind their own bus
ness,
The Christian Advocate may suppo
that II rs aiding a righteous cause I
Joining crusade against Chur,
supposed to be hereto. The insug