New-York tribune., 1915-03-21

Deen driven pJ TIC NO'i'c4HPt OI tnc world :,
argue for its sanctity, to live up TO It's d.,,,
rations and 10 raise it in their esteem 10 wL,.
it professcd to bc-thc celestial order a.,
prevailed in the heavensl And il cost ,b.-
much to accept, as a revelation from God =.
manifesto to abandon it, And | believed ,,1
believe, that the Mormon people were sine.,.
in their pledges then.
A TRAGEDY WHICH PERHAPS AyERrs
A GREATER ONE.
The rest OF this personal story is hard :,
tell.
1t was a tragedy that came to me ou, O,
clear skies. was in New York on busu.,,
for the presidency when l received a tel.sr,n
announcing the death Of my brother, Auorl.
Abraham II. Cannon.
We had been companions all our lives. y.
had been the nearest to me Of our family. n.
dearest OF my friends, but realized tina, N,
father would suffer greater sorrow than
and hurried home.
found him and Joseph F. Smith In Ii. q.
fee of the presidency at their desks. Il knos
you feel his loss" said my father hoars.y
but when l think what he would have had ;,
pass through if he had lived I cannot r.r.,
his DEATH" Then he told re-with sweep Of
his hand toward Smith at his desk, and s.s,.
ure and look the most unkind ever saw
him use, "A few weeks ago Abraham took
plural wife. Lillian Hamlin. II became known
He would have had to face prosecution il
court. His death has saved US from CALAMITY
that would have been dreadful for the Church
and for the state" Then, TO my exclamation
of horror that this thing had come back again.
and the ink scarcely dry on the bill that n.
stored the Church property on the pledg. Of
honor that there never would be another case,
my father went on explaining.
II know. l would have prevented II Il
could. l was asked my consent and refused
it. Joseph F. Smith obtained the acquiescencs
of President Woodruff on the plea that !,
wasn't an ordinary case of polygamy but mere.
ly fulilment of the Biblical instruction tha,
a man should take his dead brothers wife
Lillian was betrothed to David, and had been
sealed to him in eternity after his death
understood that President Woodruff told Abrs.
ham he would leave the matter with them
he wished to take the responsibility-and o.
seph F. Smith performed the ceremony
Smith heard every word that was said, and be
not only did not deny his guilt; he accepted
it in silence. He did not deny it later, when TIE
whole community learned of it, nor until Ii.
Smoot investigation in 1904 when false se'
count was given before Senate committee
Washington, accompanied by his denial oi re-
sponsibility. By denial OF responsibility ana
secret whisper within the Church, he PLACED
the disgrace of the betrayal en- my father Ta'
was guiltless of it.
If this case had been the last, it might have
been forgiven, but about the same time 'a'
Apostle Teasdale case became public, ana u'
policy OF treachery was begun which the pres
ent Church leaders, under Joseph +. SnIta
have consistently practised in defiance Of TX
laws of the state and the revelation OF goes
through the agency of political tyranny U"
makes prosecution impossible and immunity
public boast.
Polygamy is generally understood as an 9
slavement OF women. The Mormon Nn""
authorities have discovered that II IS m'''
powerful as an enslaver OF men, tor oh'e
man is bound in a polygamous relation u''"
is no place for him in the civilized wofIo 0''
side of Mormon community. Inyeis!ea In''
a plural marriage by the authority Of 90
destine religious dogma, encouraged
elders and seduced by the prospect OF tn'1
vor. he finds himself at once la"nfeAa'
who must pay the Church hierarchy ".
protection by yielding them every p0""''
right and personal liberty Of action