1900-02-28-New York Tribune-Mormonism Versus Polygamy

Mormonism Versus Polygamy

New York Tribune, 28 February 1900, p. 7, c. 3

Society for Political Study Talks on the subject.

"Mormonism Versus Polygamy" occupied the attention of the Society for Political Study in the hour following the business session yesterday afternoon at Tuxedo Hall, Madison-ave. and Fifty ninth-st. Mrs. Fannie H. Gaffney presided, and for the discussion resigned the chair to Mrs. Kath erine Remington.

The paper of the day was read by Dr. Harriet E. Keatinge. She said: "I intend to argue nothing for or against the subject, but merely to state facts, which I have obtained from families who live in Utah—facts from Gentile friends." Dr. Keat inge gave a short outline of the history of Mor monism and repeated the creed.

"The Mormon Church," she continued, "did not originally include polygamy in its tenets. That is now greatly on the decrease, and what exists is con ducted under great secrecy. The Mormon Church is an immense business corporation under a re ligious guise, and it secures followers by promises of easy times and easy lives to emigrants.

"The more intelligent class is breaking away gradually, owing to the influence of Gentiles and the public school system, but the plural wives look upon their lives as a sacred duty, and the duty of motherhood greater than all. They are not only truthful, but just, conscientious and moral."

The first speaker in the discussion was Miss America Phillips, who considered the most im portant phase the political phase, "as religion has nothing to do with it." She declared that Mormons first tried to establish an empire in California but were repulsed from the Pacific Coast, and so made an oasis in the Great Desert. "They are trying in every way," she said, "to strengthen their foothold, and our Government doesn't pay any attention to them. However, the recent Roberts case was an entering wedge."

Mrs. J. S. Clarkson, of Iowa, who was the next speaker, thought there were two sides to every thing, and was inclined to be lenient with the Mormons, for, she declared, it was the Gentile party that elected Mr. Roberts.

Mrs. Lillie Devereux Blake had a word for suf frage, and said: "Mormonism does not mean polyg amy, for there is nothing in the Mormon book about it." Mrs. Blake added with some asperity: "Utah i£ the only place where a Jew can be a Gen tile. The men will lose patience after a while, for there are not enough wives to go round. There are more than one and one-half man to every woman."

Mrs. J. F. Trow, in her remarks, enlightened many of the women present by the statement that the United States had no right nor power to unseat Roberts, but the Mormons had to keep quiet, as Utah would lose her Statehood.

Mrs. Gaffney spoke a word in favor of the Mor mon women she had met as being "so bright and alert," and gave a deal of information she had re ceived from an agred woman who was a "plural wife." "And, as she was with the Hancock bri gade that went through Ohio," said Mrs. Gaffney, "it was rather hard lines to have to be a sixth wife alter going through all that."

When Mrs. Remington resigned the chair to the president she asserted with fearless candor: "Well, I don't think that my mind is any clearer on the subject of Mormonism than it was before we began."