The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-05

washington, March 5.-Attorney A.
s. Worthington resumed crosS-examl-
nation of President Smith for the de-
tense in the Smoot inquiry. He asked
Mr.. Smith If he had any statistics
showing the proportion of polygamists
among Mormons.
Mr.. Smith said his recollection is
that when the Utah commission was
created in 1882 and undertook to ad-
minister the laws Of the territory. r.
900 polygamists were excluded from
voting LAS the women vote IN
Utah" he said, land as 1t requires two
women to one man to form polygamy
in the state, probably the number Of
males excluded as polygamlsts would
not be more than 4,000."
Senator Dubois exercised a right to
question the witness at this point and
said the population then was about
100000 and Of that number there
were about $4,000 Gentiles. These
were excluded from consideration. He
said President Smiths statement of
the percentage in polygamy included
babes and children, and that he OBJ
jected to having Mr.. Smiths state
Inent go before the country unchal-
lenged. 5..
Number of Polygamists.
After a further statement of the
number Of polygamist families in
Utah, Mr.. Smith read from an inter-
view he gave to a representative OF
the Associated Press in 1892, showing
the following:
TN 1890, at the time Of the late
President MILFORD Woodruff's mani
festo, there were 2,451 such families.
an October, 1899, it was found
that this number had been reduced as
follows:
by death, $50; by removals beyond
the confines of the republic, SO; by
divorce, 95; leaving at that time
1,543."
ut Is now ascertained that the orr.
ginal number has been reduced by
1854 or SO per cent, leaving only BY
still living and that the great majori'
ty Of them are Of advanced age
Senator Dubois asked If any United
States officials now took statistics OF
polygamy, and the witness replied II
"Then," said Senator Dubois, "thes'
figures are only church statistics.
Son Not a Polygamist.
Mr.. worthington asked regarding
Mr.. Smiths son, Hiram smltn, an
was told that he is SO years old ant
has a. wife and children, but IS not
polygamist. He Is one Of the tWelv
apostles.
The first counselor now is John r
winder. He and his fellow coun
sellers and two apostles have been ap
pointed since Mr.. Smith became presi
dent. He said he could not sa
whether these men are cohab1un
with more than one wife, but tina
they are reputed to be the husban
of more than one wife
IN regard to John Henry Smith,
cousin, Mr. Smith said their familie
are intimate, and II am strongly IN
clined to believe he is cohabiting wit
plural wives"
Referring to Senator Bailey's quef
tions Yesterday in regard to the mani
festo, Mr.. Worthington read from
sermon Of President Woodruf denS
cred a year after the manifesto agalns
plural marriages in which Pres1der
and 10000 Latter Day Saints Wef
moved by the spirit of God to abando
the practice Of plural marriages.
Bailey's Contention.
Senator Bailey contended that tn
the law or fear of the consequence I
the law. Continuing he said: "Ft
nv part don't have much faith In
doctrine that does not get a revelatlC
commanding a change of conduct III
til there is statute compelling 1t"
"All that of course, is a matter
opinion" said Senator Foraker.
IT don't think it is a matter of opll
ion, either" said Senator Bailey.
myself have been compelled to sui
nit to certain rules just because 1t W;
the law and vicious law at that. 3u
how far I would have submitted II
had received revelation from God
do something else, am not prepare
TO say. I think the whole thing WI
more matter Of law than of revel
tion."
when the laws were passed. whit
were not in harmony with the teacl
ines Of our church." said Mr.. Sn1t
1--WE held that they were unconst1t
tional OF course our own rul
commanded that we obey the cons1
tuition Of the land, but we fought u
validity of the new laws from the 10y
est to the highest court. and, when
was settled by the supreme court
the United States that plural ma
riages could no longer be INDUCED
of course we were inclined to obey
Revelation Obeyed.
But we had revelation on o
own statute books in regard to plu1