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Show THE "HONESTY" OF IT. "VTe reprint on this pago nu article printed by the Deseret 2'ews, the official of-ficial church organ, on Saturday evening, even-ing, from tho London Opinion of May 20th. The title of the article is, "The Honesty of Mormonism;" but as that aritcle is devoted almost exclusively to the laudation of polygamy, and tho identification t of Mormonism with polygamy, its reproduction is both timely and appropriate, especially in view of the assault made by this same church organ upon Cardinal Gibbons for identifying Mormonism and polygamy. polyg-amy. For tho purpose of assailing Cardinal Gibbons, the Xews undertakes to "refute" the identification made by Cardinal Gibbons, but for the purpose pur-pose of lauding polygamy, and getting the support of an English writer for it, it reproduces with commondatory words that Englishman's high appreciation of polygamy, and its identification with Morrnouism. For, that English writer bogins his essay with the distinct identification iden-tification of Mormonism with polygamy, polyg-amy, in these words: "Amidst this outburst against Mormonism, it is well to admit its honesty. Whatever else this legalizing and systematizing of plural marriages may bo called, it was at least fair and abovo board." That is, Mormonism is "this legalizing and systematizing of plural marriages." And the church organ copies this approvingly! ap-provingly! Tho idealized conditions under which a man might go into polygamy, as expressed by that English writer, aro something so far from the actual conditions con-ditions here, that one wonders to sec it publicly presented in this community, commu-nity, where the actual conditions are so well known.' There was no question ques-tion of prosperity involved in plural ninrriage, as is well known, aud as is proved by the fact that largo numbers of the unlawful cohabiters who wero sent to the Utah penitentiary' "in the days of the persecution," that is to say, in tho days when the Edmunds law was being enforced, took the pauper oath as being unable to paj' the $o00 fino which tho law fixed and the court imposed. The English writer grumbles a good deal at the disturbance of the idealized ideal-ized conditions which ho imagines pro-vailed pro-vailed iu polygamy, but which ideali zations were very far" fr'6m tho truth. Polygamy never worked well, as is proved "by the addresses or tho Mormon Mor-mon leaders in early days; it was always al-ways a mcnaco and affliction to those engaged in it, while, as Cardinal Gib hows says, it was utterly destructive of tho laws of inheritance. The contrast con-trast drawn by this English writer between monogamy and polygamy, so very largely to the benefit of polyg amy, is something that civilized men of moral and Christian sentiments must marvel at. The person who wrote it is evidently a theorist, without one atom of practical judgment or legal attainments attain-ments in his mind. ' The article is a thorough laudation and argument for pob'gamy and yet the author attempts to disclaim its Teal purpose by using the words "without for a moment advocating polygamy," when he is advocating polygamy, and setting forth its advantages all through his article. When he says "the house of the drawn blinds and the lady of hidden pleasures are unknown in this polygamous- society," he states so.mo-thing so.mo-thing that was never the fact; and when he proceeds further to draw such an exemplary ex-emplary picture of peace, quiot, and content in Salt Lake City in the early days, ho draws a bow as long as Robin Hood's, for Salt Lake City was at all times in the early days a rough frontier fron-tier settlement, and there were frequent fre-quent indulgences in the "rough house" bo frequently known in frontier fron-tier settlements generally. And the-old Danite gangs here, with Porter Rockwell, Rock-well, Bill Hickman, Al. Huntington, Lot. Huntington, and others of that ilk on the Mormon side of the house, were fully able to hold up their end in any kind of an argument, not to mention tho gang of police thugs, which wore at limes the most dangerous menace to law-abiding citizens that there was. Tho outrages committed upon Mr. and Mrs. Stcnhouse, and later upon TJ. S. officials here twonty-fivo to thirty years ago, form a complete answer to any such foolish pictures of peace and quiel as this English author draws. That author closes his article with a further identificat ion ,of Mormonism with pol3'gamy by saying that, though the Mormons abandonod polygamy in obedience to tho requirements of whai ho calls "the Federal Parliament," this "doesn't discredit the worthiness of the system, its honesty and straightforwardness.." straight-forwardness.." And still, he is not for a moment advocating polygamy! Of the honesty and straightforwardness of polygamy, let those who remember the shocking, depraved perjuries which were so common in the interest of the defendants in tho prosecution of unlawful cohabitation cases here, call to mind the awful nature of that testimony, testi-mony, and then try to reconcile it with the claim of this English writer, as to its "honesty and straightforwardness." The article all through is the irresponsible irrespons-ible idealization of a foolish advocate who does not in the least know what he is talkingjiboul. The effrontery of the Deseret Xews in presenting it to the people of this community, is somethiuc that ma' be reckoned, in a way, heroic callousness, but. it is not sense or judgment. |