The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-04-13
SLANDERERS
ARE MUzzLED
Continued from PasA /.

called manifesto OF President Wlford
Woodruff, adopted by the Church In
conference assembled, Oct 9. 1890,
IN which he announced his intention
to live according to the laws OF the
United States, and declared: my ad-
vice to the Latter-day Saints Ia that
they contract no marriage contrary to
the laws of the land Since that time
the Church has not performed any
plural marriages or authorized any
violation of the law thus forbidden.
But there were some persons who con
.strued the language of that manlfes-
90 TO signify plural marriages within
the boundaries OF the United States
that being "the land wherein the laws
went or removed to Mexico and thus
acted on that which they believed to
be right without violating the mani.
festo. They looked on plural marriage
within the United States as nahum
prOhIbitum and not nahum in %.
When this condition was discover
ed further declaration was made by
President Lorenzo Snow, who sue
ceeded President Woodruff, in which
he announced that the manifesto ex-
tended to every place, and that "the
Church has positively abandoned the
practice of polygamy, or the solem-
nization of plural marriages In this
and every other state, and that no
member or officer thereof has any
authority whatever to perform q plur-
al marriage or enter into such q rela-
ton" This was published In the Des.
eret News at Salt Lake City, Jan. 8.
1900.
Rumors of surreptitious unions con.
rrarS to these Official announcements
being circulated, the present presi
dent OF the Church, on April 6. 1904,
reiterated the universally OF the in
bibition, and proclaimed that any per-
son entering into or performing q
plural marriage would be liable to be
dealt with according to the rules OF
the Church and accommodated there
from
Such violations of these positive
declarations as have been reported,
wherever proven by sufficient evi.
dence, have been death with by
Church tribunals and the offenders
have been disciplined or excommunl.
Gated. This course will be maintained
with due regard to the rights of the
individuals and the laws of the
Church, common rumor or gossip
without evidence being sufficient In
a trial either civil or ecclesiastical
We protest against the charges that
the Church or its leading officers en-
courage the resumption of plural mar
riages, and hereby declare the same
10 be absolutely false.
AS to the insinuation that the
Church has broken compact not Il
dominate again in political matters
we challenge the production OF an!
such pledge. There Is no such agree
. ment to be found. The authorities o
the Church never assumed to dictat
TO members politically. The Churcl
never attempted to dominate the Stat
cir hA al
tuition was framed, There are polit
Sal aspirants who have attempted I
dominate the Church, and who. fai
ing in their endeavors, have becom
30 rancorous in their disappointment
that hey waste time, money and rel
utation in fighting the Church an
those officers thereof who have r.
fused to employ the influence thu
desired. In Utah every citizen IL pc
fectly free to vote as he or she elect
by an absolutely secret ballot. Prin
aries, conventions and the usual p'
litical machinery with the several p,
litical parties are in vogue, and SEM
tors are chosen by the legislature. an
representatives by popular vote a
elsewhere One striking fact for tn
consideration Of fair minds Is, tha
with all the stories OK Church diets
tion not solitary instance can b
cited in which any Church membe
has been disciplined for voting for {
against any candidate or proposition
Advocates of each party take IL
platform and freely ventilate the
views and feelings as to their oppo
ents, and II there is anything real
Objectionable, it Is the excess OF tn
liberty In the INDUCING in persona
ties and other extremes OF partisa
ship which are greatly to be regrC
ted and ought TO be condemned. b
the Church does not interfere or {
tempt TO curtail the freedom OF
members. The prinClDal accusers