Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-16
OBEY THE CIVIL Law
Mormons Say They Subordi-
nate Religious Conviction.
P0lYGAMY Is forbidden
Leaders, However, Indorse Principles
of Church Founders.
POLITICAL FOES OF GENTILES
President Taft's Gospel Of Peace
Falls on Stony soil-Bit-
terness Remains.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM T.. CURTIS
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
SALT LAKE, October Z, 1909
President Taft's sermon in the Mormon
Tabernacle about the blessings of tolera-
seem to have had much effect upon the
hearts of those for whom 1t was intended
His amiable words seemed to have fallen
upon stony ground. The bitterness be-
tween the gentle and Mormon politicians
particularly upon the former side, has
been even more intense since his visit
and the attacks ',pon the Mormon leaders
and the church at large by the gentle
newspapers have been fiercer and more
furious, chiefly because Senator Smoot, a
Mormon with one wife and lifelong OPP
ponent Of polygamy had charge of the
Presidents reception and entertainment
stranger finds il difficult to understand
the situation here, and a friend who has
lived here nearly all his life advised me
rot to waste any time in trying to under
stand it. He said the hostility between
the Moruons and the gentiles is confined
to few people, but is incomprehensible
and eternal. and they could not agree
upon any subject.
The poIygamy question is obsolete. The
leaders and members of the Mormon
Church-exIept small minorfty-still adj
here to the principle of plural marriage
as justified and authorized. not only by
Joseph Smiths revelation, but by the eX-
ample of the patriarchs and the biblical
command to increase and multiply. They
assert that plural marriage Is nowhere
forbidden, but is encouraged by the, Scrip
tures;' but so long as II is forbidden by
the constitution and the laws of the
state, It cannot be practiced and they
yield their religious convictions to theil
civil obligations.
Polygamy has been prohibited by every
president of the church and by every sue
,essive conference that has been held
since the Edmunds bill was passed. There
have been occasional plural marriages
perhaps an average of one a year, entered
into deliberately by fanatics as denance
of gentle authority, but those who have
participated have been disciplined by the
presidency in such a way as to make al
example for the warning of others.
Comparison With Liquor Laws.
A prominent member of the church in
conversation the other day used the pro-
hibition laws that have recently been
passed in the southern states to illus
trate the sentiment and the attitude OF
the church toward the anti-polygamy leg
islation He said very large and re-
spectable element in Alabama, Missis-
sipp! and Georgia, where he had recently
visited. regarded the recent legislation
prohibiting the sale and transportation
of LIQUOR an infringement of their con-
stitutional rights and liberties. but their
respect for civil authority compelled them
TO submit and obey. The Mormon Church
recognized the authority of the legislature
of the state and the Congress of the
United States III the same manner. al
though It's members believe that their ac-
ton was tyrannical and that the Jaw pro-
hibiting plural marriage is tyrannical and
unjust.
Practically all of the plural wives have
been put away, and the husbands. as a
rule, are living with the women to whom
they were first married. but the discarded
wives are being literally supported and
opportunities and advantages as those Of