The First 100 Years: A History of The Salt Lake Tribune 1871-1971 by O.N. Malmquist

11 End of Church Sanctioned Polygamy THE "MANIFESTO," issued by President Wilford Woodruff of the Mormon Church September 24,1890, was undoubtedly the most important news event relating to the "irrepressible conflict" between Mormons and non-Mormons in the lifetime of The Tribune. But the big story came to the newspaper totally unexpected and unanticipated through a sort of "back door."

On the morning of September 25, The Tribune published on its front page a 27-line dispatch sent from the Chicago office of the Associated Press. Over the dispatch were these headlines: "Why The Devious Way?" "The Mormon President's Artfully Promulgated 'Manifesto';" "He Does Not Encourage Polygamy: And His 'Advice' to the People, by Way of Chicago, Is to Obey the Law - Will It Be Read at the Tabernacle?"

The dispatch, carrying a Salt Lake dateline, follows: President Woodruff of the Mormon Church today issued a manifesto in which, referring to the statement in the report of the Utah Commission that plural marriages have been solemnized during the past year, and that the leaders of the Church have encouraged the continuance of polygamy, he enters a sweeping denial that such things have occurred.

President Woodruff further says that inasmuch as the law forbidding polygamy has been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort he hereby declares his intention to submit to those laws and 138