The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1904-03-12
SENATOR SMOOT'S CASE.
Startling Testimony Of President Smith
Of The Mormon Church.


Repudiate Them," Is
the Way President
Smith Puts 1t.
The hearings Of the protests against
Reed Smoot of Utah retaining his seat
in the United States Senate have re-
suited in sensational disclosures regard.
ing the laws against polygamy by fol.
lowers of the Mormon Church.
The astonishing testimony of Joseph
F. Smith, the head of the church, be-
fore the Committee ON Elections and
Privileges at Washington last week,
has aroused the entire country. The
admissions of President Smith have
shaken the foundations of the Mormon
Church Government and startled the
Latter Day Saints.
The following extracts from Presi-
dent Smiths testimony show conclu.
sively that the law against polygamous
cohabitation is being constantly violated
in Utah:
/ have five wives.
have continued to cohabit with my
plural wives since the manifesto of 1890,
and they have borne me children since
that date.
was fully aware of what was do
ing. knew / was amenable to the
law. but preferred to face that situa-
ton rather than desert them.
have not cohabited with these wives
openly or flaunted the fact, but I have
acknowledged these wives and children
as my family.
The people of Utah have regarded the
situation as an existing fact. These
people as a rule are broad minded and
liberal in their views, and have con.
doned the offense, if offense it is-rather
than to interfere with my situation as
they found it.
1t has been known what have been
doing. have not been interfered with
nor disturbed in any way. If l had
been l was there to answer the charges.
l was willing to face them and sub
NIT to the penalty, whatever it might
be.
Since 1890 eleven children have been
born to my wives.
Up to the time the Enabling Act
went into effect admitting Utah as a
State polygamous Mormons abstained
from relations with their plural fami-
lies. Under the Enabling Act the oaly
prohibition was that plural marriages
should cease. Nothing was said about
cohabitation with plural wives.
Since the manifesto of 1890 there
never has been plural marriage in the
church performed in accordance with
its teaching or with the connivance of
the church.
All polygamists felt that it was a
duty to continue to provide for and sup
port their plural families after the
manifesto of 1890.
Senator Smoot accompanied Presi-
dent Smith on his visit to ST. Louis on
the occasion of the dedication of the
Worlds Fair.
President Smiths plural wife. Edna
Smith, accompanied them, and all three
were photographed in group.
Each of President Smiths families
has separate home in Salt Lake City.
Senator Smoot has visited President
Smith at the home of the latter's first
wife. which the President of the church
calls his official residence.
Apostles John Taylor, Heber j.
Grant, John Henry Smith and Cowley
were reported to be polygamists.
An Apostle could not. unless he vio-
lated the rules be polygamist without
the knowledge of the church.
Missionaries do not discuss polygamy
unless compelled to do SO to meet at
tacks They do not advocate polygamy
in any way.
The manner of taking more than one
wife is that if one wanted to esponse a
second virgin he could do SO by obtain
| ing the consent of the first wife, but II
the consent of the first wife was with
held he was at liberty to proceed with
out it. Where the first wife refuses tc
consent to share her husband with
another woman, she will be destroyed. y
1t is to the laws of Utah that am
answerable; the laws of my State that
have the right to punish me. The courts
of Utah are of competent jurisdiction
Congress has no right to interfere with
my private affairs.
/ At any rate. it can not be denied tha