The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-10-06
CONFERENCE OPENS TODAY

in tbe streets already assure that il
conferences ever held. We do not an.
, ticipate. however. any remarkable ac-
,ion To be taken at this conference, al.
though progressive action is very much
to be desired. The throngs here today
arc largely composed OF people who
: came 10 see the President, and who arc
in attendance on the State Fair; but
undoubtedly the Conference itself draws
great crowds here twice year. and is
entitled TO full credit for filling UP the
city when il assemblies
Las, April a progressive step was
taken bv leaders of tho Mormon church
in having the Conference publicly and
absolutely repudiate polygamy. To
what extent this reputation is OK
planned away in the inner circles of
ing, but we are satisfied that TO a great
leXtcnt il is explained away. because the
feeling for polygamy appears 10 be just
labout as solid as ever. and there is no
movement anywhere TO give practical
effect 10 the reputation. Although
the leaders of the Mormon church must
necessarily know the names of those
who have within recent years gone into
polygamv in defiance of the Manifesto,
there has been no move made by them
to enforce the law against the offend
ers. Good faith requires that when
the church abandons polygamy. as it
pretended 10 do at the last April Con-
ference, and TO warn all concerned that
lnolygamy was thing of the past, and
| has been under the ban Of the church
since the Manifesto Of 1890. some prac
tical action should be taken 10 stop the
evil. AS long as the church hugs 10 its
bosom the offenders against the law
which forbids poygamy. and protects
defends, and favors them. its good faith
in alleged reputation of polygamy Will
always DC open to question and at.
tack.
We could wish to see at this Confer
ence n definite warning given to all
offenders against the law that the
church viii not only discountenancc
their action, but if they do not repent
and come within the law. that the
church Will deliver them up to the civil
arm for the punishment which is their
due.
We submit that this would be the ap
propriatc and natural step next in pro.
grcssion for the church TO take in order
to shake itself free altogether from the
polygamous abomination. IT has been
now twenty.onc years since the Mani |
festo discountenancing polygamy Was
adopted in the general conference of the |
church. Twcnty-onc years is a period |
long enough certainly for all to adjust |
themselves TO the new order adopted. |!
And surely those who might be caught !
in offense at this date would have no
Just cause of complaint if the church |
leaders should turn upon them with the
drastic treatment which their offensc
merits. And this is especially so since,
from time to time. there have been re-
peated warnings that the church would |
not consent to further trifling in this
matter.
We offer this suggestion in friendly !
spirit 10 the church as something that !
would relieve it from suspicion and |
an odium which undoubtedly attaches
to it by reason of the bad faith shown
hitherto in dealing with this question
The opportunity is now presented for
the church to free itself altogether from
this taint. The question is, will the
leaders have the wisdom 10 seize itl
We note that a good many of the
members OF the church are discontented |
with the trifling on this question which
has been connived at by the leaders
The masses of the Mormon people are
candid. honest people. who do not coun-
tenance trickery. deceit, or falsehood |
It is humiliation TO them to sec the |
church put in the position which it |
has been by the failure of the leaders |
TO do what candor. honesty, and good !
faith clearly require them to do in this !
matter, but which they have hitherto
failed in doing.
The Tribune presents this progressive |
step to the church at this time, con-
fideut that il is the best possible thing |
which the church could do, For 4 great |
many years The Tribune has been point. !
ing out to the church leaders the things |
that they ought to do. and which, if \
they had done in good faith and prompt.
Is, would by this time have freed them 4
from all odium. and relieved them from
every suspicion of bad faith, The Trib. |
une in the old days called upon them to |
abandon polygsmy and come into line
with American institutions They fought I
this off for years. but finally agreed /
that they must give up polygamy. If |
they had given it up twenty years be- |
fore and squared themselves with the |
American people, what happy coudi-
tion we should now he in, compared |
with the continued striving against the |