The Washington herald., 1911-01-15
POLYGAMY URGED
AS SOCIETY BOON
New York Woman Finds
New Remedy for Evils.
CITES D0MESTIC1TY IN UTAH
Sure Cure for Divorce Evil 10 Found
In POlygamy, Ia the Assertion Of
tfOn-Says Homes In Utah Are
Happy-Was Utah's .'Governor."

New York. Jan. H.-"Polygamy Is the
have been put forward for the cure of
the divorce evil.
Il favor polygamy for those who
want it.
"Polygamy would be a boon to the tens
Of thousands of spinsters IN this country,
who at present lead a life that is in
complete without the masculine compan-
ionship which they crave and to which
they are entitled.
.'Polygamy is openly practiced in Utah
and is becoming less and less opposed as
the Gentle minority Of the population Of
Utah witness its manifold benefits
1t is not an elder in the Mormon
Church who is speaking: nor the shade
of Brigham Young or even one Of the
forty-three children of Joseph Smith.
Was Utah's "Governor."
Mrs. Mortimer NJ. Menken, wife of a
prominent metropolitan attorney, is the
one woman in a city full Of suffragettes
and modern women" who dares to raise
her voice in defense of the plural mar
riage system. Mrs. Menken. who is a
member of the Equal Franchise Society.
the Political Study Society. and the Post
of the women governors of the latter
organization at the Waldorf-Astoria on
Friday. Each of the women present
represented a State. Mrs. Menken was
the governor" of Utah, and she threw
the audience into a panic when she
boldly declared herself in favor Of
return to the practice of polygamy.
To-day Mrs Menken received a reporter
at her home in West End avenue. She
laughed heartily when asked if she IA
vored the adoption of polygamy for all
women.
My beliefs are hardly as drastic as
that she replied. The subject is a hard
one to discuss sensibly. People are so
liable to lose their heads in condemning
polygamy and the sect that practices it.
Now. | did not say | should advise all
men to get themselves a half-dOZen wives
or women to band themselves into clubs
of dozen or more members and marry
some man.
But from my first-hand observations in
Utah. believe that pOlygamy makes for
You should travel in Utah and
yol would observe that polySamy is be-
coming more and more openly practiced.
1t Is even spreading into the surrounding
States, Idaho in particular. And the Cen
tiles in Utah. who comprise one-third of
the total population. are nowhere near as
opposed to the plural marriage
system as they were formerly.
Benefits of PolyEnmy.
The people are beginning to realize
the many benefits to be derived from
polygamy. Polygamy. for instance. set
ties the labor question. In Utah you see
t,, husband nd 81 al
wives. as the case may be. tilling the
soil in perfect harmony. All take a per-
sonaI interest in the farm. and the re-
suit is that the family is independent
You ask me if the women are not
jealous of one another: il the husband
iocs not play favorites.' 1t may be so
IN some cases. But i have not observed
t in Utah. They look upon the system
Of plural marriages as a part of their
-eligion. and they respect their co-wives
Is we'll as their common husband.
"Polygamy practically eradicates the
divorce evil. In Utah | have found that
husbands are the most
moral, the most respectful and self-re-
specting men in the world. Their man.
ner of living tends to make them So |
Their every interest is wrapped up in /
heir family. They have nothing but the !
family and the church to think about. |
rhe tenets of their church. which to |
hem is dearer than life itself, tells them |
20 live in amity and peace with their |
wives. and they follow the mandate of /!
he church to the letter. |
There is another aspect to the matter. |
am not advocating the adoption. of |
,olygamy all over the country. and as !
of myself personally I am perfectly sat |
SIZED to be one wife of one husband. But |
statistics tell us there are more women |
han men in this country In Massa- |
.husetts alone there are $4,000 more !
women than men. Now. purely upon a |
basis, there are not enough |
men to go around. What does this |
mean? 1t means that many thousands |
II women, the less favored by chance !
,r nature, must pursue lonely path to |
he grave and eternity. Would not these
women be better of as one of a bevy of /
wives of a God-fearing. honest, honor
lble mani