The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-23
THEIR BRAZEN EFFRONTERY.

| Our attention is called 10 tne ldCl
that the Christian Work and Evange-
list. published in New York, reprints
the interview given by Joseph f. Smith
to the New York World upon his return
from Europe, and that no comment is
made by that publication, thus leaving
It's readers to form their own Judgment
In the matter.
Unintentionally The Christian Work
and Evangelist has done precisely what
Smith and the other men who concocted
that interview would like all newspa-
pers and periodicals to do-glve ex-
tensive circulation TO their falsehoods.
1t would be all very well to give the
Smith statement to the public, and ask
the public to render its own Judgment
in the case, if the public were only ad-
vised as to the true state of facts. lt
will be remembered that Joseph +. told
the New York World that "polygamy
Will cease to be associated with Nor
monism only as soon as the world out
side Of Mormonism lets it That Is 80
manifcstIy absurd that 1T would seem
to be unnecessary TO combat the state
ment, but the danger is that people un-
Informed Will accept the outgiving as
being sincere and coming from an hon
est man. as one should be who holds the
position occupied by Mr., Smith. Polyg-
amous practice as religious tenet was
not known in our modern civilization
until Mormonism adopted it. The prac"
tice has become general in no commu-
nifty other than Mormon. The polyg"
amous ceremony is of Mormon origin
iu our day, and it is impossible to marry
in that state except under Mormon au-
thorization. in all other communities,
men who tamper with the marriage re.
lation bigamously or polygamously are
sent to prison. In the Mormon church
they are protected and favored, There !
are no mon who marry polygamously, |
and no men who perform polygamous
marriage ceremonies, except they hold |
the Melchisedek priesthood in the Nor
mon church. In every way Mormonlsm |
and polygamy are associated through |
the determination of Mormon propon-
ents to perpetuate the practice IN spite
of all outside effort to dlssociate the |
church from its vileness in this respect.
Another statement made by Joseph L,
Smith in respect Of polygamy was that
8 when the decision was made against
Us we did lust as the South-we obeyed
and will obey Which is lie, bold
and barcfaced In his own testimony at
Washington in the Smoot case he de
clared that he was a breaker of the law
and OF the commandment of God, Not
sentiment and statute, but he sealed his
for both by saying that even
when the decision against the practice
came from the Almighty he scorned it
by continuing in his immoral living to
the extent Of bringing into the world
,leven illegitimatc children. Since that
confession was made he has paid fine
IF three hundred dollars, imposed upon
lim by the District Court here for I'M
awful coha bitation as evidenced in the
birth of his twelfth unfortunate lille
Ultimate. Joseph f. Smith is one Of
he men most determined 10 perpetudJe
,olygamv. and he is the chief Mormon
# them all. and consequently is the
highest exponent of Mormonism upon
he face of the earth.
To men here III Utah who are advised
If the facts IL is easy to see the col
alteration that existed in the coucoc.
ion of that interview, when we learn
hat during its emission Joseph f.
smith was the guest of Elder Ben L
Rich, president of the Eastern States
mission. Ben has most solemnly and
most frequently declared to Eastern
,eople that the Mormon church has
bandoned the practice of polygsmy,
md at the same time he has himself
AIKEN two new polygamous wives since
he Woodruff manifesto was issued in
800 Ben is not only the biggest poyg.
NOUS liar that ever lived, but he is also
he most cheerful and brazen-not bar
ing Joseph "