The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-01
THEIR OPEN DISHONOR.

That there is n determined disposi
tion on the part of the Mormon church
officials TO repudiate the pledges made
concerning polygamy is amply proved
in the extensive renewal of the prac
tice consequent upon the several utter.
ances Of those officials and their recog
nized organ.
Heretofore we have given several in.
stances wherein the present head of the
church has personally stated this de.
termination. We have quoted him, as
reported III official publications, in a
straight declaration that a man had
the right to hold an opinion as against
the validity or constitutionality of anv
law, and to break that law if he shall
take upon himself the chance of being
punished for his infractions. He has
SAID that so far as he was personally
concerned be preferre TO take sucb
| chances. He has declared openly his
opinion that the anti-polygamy laws
are unconstitutional, and that thew
therefore come within the category of
those that may be obeycd or disobeyed,
according TO the notion of one supposed
to be governed by them. He has re.
peatedly stated that the polygamous
commandment was a law of God given
by revelation to Joseph Smith. the
founder of Mormonism, and that anv
man who will deny this might, as well
deny every other truth connected with
his mission; that personally he be-
heved In the principle of plural mar
rage Just as firmly today as he ever
did IN his life; that any man who will
not live up to that principle, having
the ability to do so. shall be damned;
that Joseph Smith was the instrument
OF the Lord through whom the posnel
was restored TO the earth for the last
time, and that he led out in the nrac-
tlco of polygamy by taking MANY
wives; that while the command 10 sion
plural marriages "came from our Gov
eTnmeut, the saints were determined
to keep the revelation commanding il
Ito the best of their ability. - In
every reference that Joseph +. Smith |
has publicly made to this subject lex.
cept when uttering an officially.con. |
cocted falsehood for the clear purnose
OF "fooling the Gentiles') he has
gwen broad intimation of the secret de.
termination to continue the polygamous
practice, and thereby has ENCOURAGED
Mormon elders throughout the church
10 continue In defiance of the law by
both marrying in polygamy and living
IN the polygamous relation.
Probably the sneakiest utterance IN
this subject, however, was that mado
editorially by the Deseret News on
November IL, 1904, when it said: "Tbe
pledge for the future was solely in ref.
erence TO the persons for whom elem.
ency was requested" F." And that means
that. In the opinion of the church or.
gan, only the few who were pardoned
by Presidents Harrison and Cleveland
are expected to live within the law,
That this is the real position of the
News Is further attested i'm the follow.
ing, taken from that same editorial ar.
ticle.
NOW, TO begin with. there was not and
church and this Nation as a basis fo, ,
otatenood. That would be n political I'M
p0sslpillty. and may be dismissed as q
"hiH OF forensic effcrvescencc
No matter what the church organ. or [
my OF the pledge breakers for whom 7
t speaks, may say in denial of such {
compact, il is true that such a COMPOST 4
Ion OF old-time difficulties was had