The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-04

to the law, but as | say, / preferred
to face that situation rather than to
desert them. l have not cohabitad
with these wives openly, or fiaunted
the fact, but 1 have acknowledged these
wives and children as my family. The
people of Utah have regarded the sit
uation as an existing fact. These
people, as a rule, are broad minded
and liberal in their views. and have
condoned the offense- If offense 1t is,
rather than interfere with my situa-
tion as they found it. 1t has been
known what 1 have been doing. l
have not been interferred with nor
disturbed in any way. If / had been.
] was there to answer the charges. |
was willing to face them. and sub
NIT to the penalty whatever 1t might
Ao.
you must draw a distinction between
unlawful cohabitation and plural mar
riages," he continued. The state law
in regard to the latter has been COM
piled with. No marriages have been
performed with the sanction, approval,
consent, knowledge or connivance of
the church or it's officials. But the
other law is the one / have presnm-
ed to disregard and which. as / have
said, l am ready to face rather than
disgrace myself or degrade my family
by turning them off.
Mr.. Tayler resumed his questioning.
you say there is a state law for
bidding polygamous cohabitation, and
you have been continuing to violate 1t
in utter disregard to the conse-
quences?" he asked.
"I think L have" was the answer.
You have caused your plural wives
to bear you new children in violation
of the law you know TO existY"
THAT is correct" said Mr.. Smith.
Not to Bring in Others.
do you consider il an abandonment
of your family not to maintain mar
riage relations?" Mr. Tayloe asked.
Mr. Smith faced Mr.. Tayloe and in
a low but penetrating voice said: i
don't like to be impertinent but /
should like you to ask any woman who
is a wife" at that point Mr.. Foraker
and Mr.. Beveridge objected.
Resuming the inquiry concerning Mr..
SMITHS personal polygamous relat-
ions, Mr.. Taylor asked: How many
children have you since the manifesto
ELEVEN since $780," said MIR. Smith.
Continuing, he said:
each of my five wives has borne
me children"
"since that timer" asked Mr.. Bur-
rows.
since that time" the witness re-
peated in answer.
Senator Overman: Did Senator
Smoot ever advise you to persist in
your polygamous cOhabitation?"
Mr.. Smith: II think not. / have
never, so far as / remember, discussed
my private affairs with him."
Mr.. Smith was asked about the
domestic relations OF the twelve apost-
les. He said Charles Teasdale, John w.
Taylor, Heber J. Grant, John III.
Smith, f. M. Lyman and Apostles
Merrill and Cowley were reputedN
when your deacons are sent out
and make converts in other
lands, do they not present the right
fulness of polygamys religious
virtue?'
The question was put by Senator
Hoar and was answered in the mega
tive.
"They never discuss polygamy" Mr..
Smith said, unless compelled to do
so to meet attacks. They do not ad-
vocate pologamy in any way Indeed
the elders are instructed not to ad
voeate plural marriages at all; 1t is
thing of the past"
smoot swayed by the Church.
After recess Mr.. Tayler began an
inquiry concerning Instructions given
to missionaries as to the teaching Of
polygamy. Mr.. Smith said the book
called Ready References" is used by
missionaries. This book, he said, con-
tains a chapter on polygamy declaring
that practice to be divine. The mar
ginal note on the chapter on polygamy
was given as "Polygamy Right, i'm the
Sight of God" Mr.. Smith added,
however. that the use Of this book is
almost entirely abandoned by the Nor
mon elders doing missionary work.
The standard works OF the church, he
said We're the books taken with them.
Inquiry having been made by several
members Of the committee as to what
Mr.. Tayler expected to prove by cer-
tain questioning. the latter said. II
expect 10 prove that Mr.. Smoot could
not by any possibility put himself up
against his associates In his actions.
mot even in his vote as a United