The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-19
FORMER REASSURANCES.

In the years immediately preceding
the granting of Statehood to Utah there
was much discussion over the probable
conduct Of the Mormon polygamous
cult under State sovereignty. Those
who had endured long experience with
that cult expressed the fear that with
the acquisition of practically supreme
| power and freedom under Statehood
there would be an eventual recrudes-
cence Of the polygamous practice in
| Utah, The matter was agitated for Il
considerable period. and along with the
expressed doubts Of the pardonably sus
piclous citizens came positive assur-
ances that the Woodruff manifesto was
| issued in all sincerity, and that the com
munity could rest serene in the conf
dencc that the abandonment of polyg-
amous practices was final and irreyoca-
bic. These assurances came so often,
and with such apparent candor and hon
csty, from various Mormon leaders
that the doubling ones were largely
won over to the advocacy Of Statehood,
the result being the final achievement
Of the general desire thus expressed.
On August II, 1894, The Tribune sc.
cured Interviews with promient Gen
tiles and Mormons upon this subject,
and printed them in its issue of the
next morning. 1t was the opinion of
the Gentlles thus approached that the
Mormon church would keep the faith
in this respect They based their CON
IDlD IL.
and public pledges of Mormon leaders,
being led To believe that no man or set
of men could possibly prove recreant to
the solemn covenants thus made to the
people of Utah and the citizenship of
the entire Nation. The late Hon.
George @, Cannon, who was first coun-
selor to President Woodruff, was among
those interviewed. He was regarded as
gentleman of the highest honor in
public affairs, and there remains no
doubt IN the minds of those who had
the pleasure Of his acquaintance that
he was absolutely sincere in his pro
nouncement; and they believe that had
his life been spared to the service Of
this community for a few years longer,
the story of today could never have
been told. In this particular interview
President Cannon said:
There is not the slightest danger of
resumption OF the practice OF polygamy.
The views OF the first presidency on this
subject have been published so many
times that any further statement would
merely be n repetition There Is no more
danger of q resumption of the practice of
polygamy than there would be had the
practice been that Of burning widows,
We would be annlhllated by public senti-
ment
But George Q. Cannon did not live
to insist upon a fulfilment Of this
pledge. Nor did President Woodruff,
for whom and for himself and the
entire Mormon people George Q, Can
non spoke. These men were succeeded
by others in authority who appear, in
view of later developments, to have
been infinitely less particular TO keep
the word of faith and promise. BY de-
grees there was a rccrudeSence of polyg-
amy in secret The practice has in
creased in this form until now it is
almost certainty that there are more
new polygamists than there are of those
who entered that relation previous TO
the issuance of the Woodruff mani
festo, which was intended to absolutely
abolish the practice forever. At first
il was frantically denied that this re
crudescence had arisen, the denials be-
ing made officially By the chiefs Of
the church leadership and by the
Deserct News, the official church or
gan. Proofs were brought forward
numerously and insistently, however,
that there was an alarming increase in
the number of those who were constant
ly engaging in new polygamy. In the
face of these proofs the denials became
Of no avail, and finally the first presi~
dency officially confessed that there
had been ga few sporadic cases. - Upon
the presentation of still further proofs,
and the publication of numerous names
of new polygamists, the church authori-
ties ceased to make any pre-
tense whatever of even minimizing
what they knew, and the public finally
came to know actually existed At the
present time there is absolutely moth
ing said upon the subject, either by the
church authorities or the church organ.
1t is as if the chiefs of the church
had arrived at the hopeless conclusion
that while this new polygamous prac-
tice had grown TO such an extent that
they no longer dare to deny it, for fear
of public denouncement as deliberate
falsifiers Of the facts, it has reached
such a point that 1t is altogether gone
beyond their control.
Is this the truth? Or is it that the
faith has been viciously broken. and
that the church authorities are not
disposed to curb or definitely and con
clusively stop the practice among the
Mormon priesthood'
Another OF the church leaders inter.
viewed at the time spoken Of was
Apostle Heber j. Grant, who said: Il
do not think there would be the least
attempt. 1t would be AN evidence of
bad faith-punic faith, so to speak, on
the part of the Mormon people to at.