The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-23
HELPING TO 1.-THE TRUTH. -

The public of England, and of the
heads of the Mormon church that the
missionaries in England would do their
utmost towards revealing the facts con
cerned with their mission and to re-
assuring the people of England that
there is nothing wrong connected with
their work 1t was doubtless IN pur-
suancc of this pledge. and by way OF
carrying il out that Elder i. b, Ham
mond OF southeastern Utah gave to the
Eastern Evening News, published at
Norwich, England, an interview on the
Mormon situation, the work of the ms
sionaries, and the purposes kept in view
by the proselytcrs. We find his in
tervicw reproduced in the Grand Valley
Times, printed at Moab, Grand county,
and take from il the following:
Very we'll Mr.. Hammond, you say
you court the fullest inquiry. Then how
many wives have you?
Mr.. Hammond. the Mormon president
in charge OF tho Norwich District, took
the question al! IN good part, he is
probably used To IT, lie Is suhslan-
tial. pleasant hammered man OF the
yeoman type, l found him at modest
lodgings III Valentine street, diScstlnS
a midday dinner, and spreading himself
out in an easy char with an air OF
frankness and unreserve, He told mo III
effect that he wished TO be as glass TO
my bluutest inquiries. He had looseEed
his abdominal fastenlngs; a symbol per-
haps that he really did mean TO unbo-
som himself.
he laughed a cheerful laugh. but a
little sad wit99I Il have no 5dG Wle oSd1o1 wmaL
years ago. leaving me with eight chill
dreu." on the face Of things this was
grizzled man of something between fifty
and sixty and carries an air of COM
fort and large domesticity.
i don't mean wives mat you nave
you any spiritual wives-women who
have been scaled 10 you-and, II so,
how many2"
Il have no wives of any kind"
Nor have you come 10 Norwich to
Certainly not" It was a relief 10 get
a categorical assurance In these terms,
for Mr. Hammonds surroundings were
suggestive of a wholesome NonConform-
ist home. an impression deepened by The
circumstances that In a place OF honor
on the walls hung large Size portrait
OF the Rev. G.. S. Barrett, D. u.
"A fine man that" said he, following
the glance of nay eve; Il heard him
preach his farewell sermon. Now all this
talk about plural wives" he went on
with touches of sheer Amcricanism which
It would fail me TO reproduce lis mere
SANDER"
III that is so you. are The most SLAM
dered people on the Garth"
we are
"Do you know that only yesterday one
Of rhe London papers published pictures
of the dive houses in which your presi-
dent keeps his wivcs2'
1--WE know all about the campaign OF
lies going on I'm the London papers. AS
fa1 q
the United states has granted powers
under which persons who have con-
tracted polyeamous marriages prior to
1890 arc entitled to take care Of their
wives rather than turn them adrft and
make bas tards Of their children. These
wives. therefore, would be old women.
But the truth remains that there arc
no plural marriages now"
1t appears that Elder Hammond made
favorable impression upon the reporter
who interviewed him, but it does not
appear that his answer TO the question
about the wives Of the President of the
church would tend very much to help
fulness in answering the point Of a.
candid inquiry into the facts From
the answer which he gave. Elder Ham
mond evidently intended the interview
er to understand that the President s
wives were old ladies bearing no chill
dren The fact of the birth of twelve
children TO President Smith by these
women since 1890 would not be i'm
agined for moment from Elder Ham
mond's interview. How far such An
swers az this would tend to e)ucidaJe
the question let the public Judge.
But when Elder Hammond speaks OF
the United States granting powers un
der which persons who have contracted
polygamous marriages prior to 1890 are
entitled to take care OF their wives
and so on, the Elder becomes little
se-hardened. There is not only no
such grant of power. but the record is
all the other way. lt is quite impos.