The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-30
MIR. STEAD'S DENIAL.

|
An astonishing feature of the oppo
sltion to polygamy and proselyting Ga:
alleged), for polygamous communities
that has stirred England to its depths
is the attitude of Mr.. William T. Stead
who opposes the crusade and declares
there is nothing upon which to found it
Mr.. Stead is quoted in the dispatche:
as saying:
What is all this anti -MormonIsm row
about? 1t Is all about A lie. 1t is an
outrage on religious liberty. The lie al
the bottom of the raging hurrah Is TO the
effect that the Mormons are ADVERTISING
and prdctlcing polygamy. Not one OF the
anti Mormon crusaders has ever been
able To produce any evidence OF It. at any
time or at any place within the King S
dominions. nor has any Mormon apostle.
| elder or missionary ever appealed public
ly or privately 10 any one OF the King s
| subjects. male or female, 10 enter into
polygamouS relations with anybody here
or In Utah or anywhere else. The whole
| warn is IA monstvous fiction as were
the hes oil Titus Oates.
Mr.. Stead is great leader of English
thought. He has always been credited
with knowing something about any
matter which he discusses. In this
case, however, he talks precisely as a
Mormon missionary might talk on the
question of polygamy, or as hired ad-
vocate would do. So far as the Eng
lish crusade may be an attack on re-
ligious liberty. of course Mr.. Stead is
right In opposing it. But where he
undertakes to say that there is no re-
vlval of polygamy and no new polyga-
nous relations formed in England or
Utah, he is evidently, to use a slang
phrase, "talking through his hat He
simply docs not know what he is talk
ing about, so far as Utah is concerned.
The question as to England may safely
be left to the English authorities. The
Tribune has not undertaken to show
but We have shown beyond the slightest
question very extensive revival of
polygamy in Utah and in Mormon com
munitlcs contiguous TO and branching
off from Utah. We have given the
names and circumstances of upwards
Of two hundred and thirty eases, not
one of which has even so much as been
denied We have heard of a vast num-
her of other cases but on investiga-
ton were unable TO satisfy ourselves
that the guilt was proved. We have no
doubt, however, that there have been
many times more eases than we have
printed, because, in view of the dense
secrecy in which all this lechery is now
surrounded, it is extremely difficult to
get the facts. 1t is a low estimate to
say that where we have secured the
facts in one case. there are at least
four cases that we have not found
There may, in fact. be good deal more
than this
Mr.. Stead IS outburst is all the more
conspicuouslv an evidence of his own
rashness and ignorance on this ques
tion. in view of the fact that the Off
ciaIs of the Mormon church themselves
admit a number Of cases of new polyg
amy The practical deposition of
Apostles Cowley and Taylor for their
persistence and insistence on new
polygamy is well known. The cases
of Apostle Abraham Cannon aud George
Teasdalc are well known, The case of
President Taylor Of this county, of
George M. Cannon, of Joseph w Mus
ser, are equally well known. And so
of many others. The long range de-
NAL of Mr. Stead rouses nothing but
sympathy for him as dupe of de-
mails that in fact do not and cannot
wipe out the facts as shown. Mr. Stead
would do we'll to inform himself before
making such denial as he has done
In the nature of the case it is quite
impossible that he should know the
facts, and his pretension to knowl- |
edge of them merely covers him with
that have been brought to light, and
in all this list without the least
attempt at dispute or even of denial. |
An opinionated person is, of course,
cocksure Of all his inaccuracies, and Mr.. |
Stead is probably typical example |
OF that class of disputants who assume
what they do not know, and denouncc
that which is true, merely because of |
their own lack of information If he |
should investigate the facts, he would |
then be ashamed of his rash venture
into treacherous field, on ground un-
known to him.
And this leads us to sav that the re- |
port that the London Times has sent |
an agent to, this country to investigate.
has been noted with lively interest in |
Utah. 1t is hoped that this agent will !
come with open mind, will take the
facts and the views of all sides. and
will maze such report as will be en-
titled TO the confidence of the world