The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-05
Joseph Smith, of the
Mormon Church,
Still on the Stand in the Snoot
Investigation.
LAW AND REVELATION.
Appear to Be in Constant Con-
flict at Salt Lake.
Some Obey One and Some Obey
the Other.

Washington, March 5.-Calling Presi-
dent Joseph f. Smith of the Mormon
church to the stand today, Attorney A.
S. Worthington resumed ross-examina
ton for the defense in the investigation
before the senate committee on privi
leges and elections in the case of Reed
Smoot of Utah. He asked Mr.. Smith if
he had any statistics showing the pro-
portion of polygamists in the Mormon
population. Mr.. Smith said his recol-
lection is that when the Utah commits
sion was created and undertook to adj
minister the laws of the territory $4,000
polygarniStS were excluded from voting.
LAS the women vote in Utah." he
said, land as it requires two women to
one man to form polygamy in the state,
probably the number of males excluded
as polygamiStS would not be more than
1000"
Senator Dubois exercised a right to
question the witness at this point and
said the population then was about 220,-
900 and of that number there were about
$4,000 Gentiles. He wanted excluded
from consideration the number not in
condition to enter a state of polygamy.
He said President Smiths statement of
the percentage in polygamy included
objected to having Mr.. Smiths state
ment go before the country unchal-
lenged.
After a further statement of the
number of polygamist families in Utah,
Mr.. Smith read from an interview he
gave to a representative of the Asso-
ciated Press in 1902, showing the fol-
lowing:
I'm 1890, at the time of the late Pres
ident Woodruff's manifesto, there were
2.451 such families. In October. 1899,
it was found that his number had been
reduced as follows: By death. $50; by
removals beyond the confines of the re-
public, SO; by divorce. 50; leaving at
that time 1,543'
ut is now ascertained that the orig
inal number has been reduced by l.
554, or 63 per cent, leaving only 1877 still
living. and that the great majority of
them are of advanced age"
Mr.. Worthington asked regarding
Mr.. Smiths son, Hiram Smith, and was
told that he is 80 years old and has a
wife and children. but is not a polyg-
amist. He is one of the twelve apos-
ties. The first counsellor now is John
r. Winder. He and his fellow COUNSEL
lor and the two apostles have been APP
pointed since Mr.. Smith became pres
ident. He said he could not say whether
these men are cohabiting with more
than one wife. but that they are re-
puted to be the husbands of more than
one WIFE
In regard to John Henry Smith,
cousin, Mr.. Smith said that their fam
lies are intimate and 81 am strongly
inclined to believe that he is cohabit
ing with plural wives"
Referring to Senator Bailey's ques-
tions yesterday in regard to the mani
festo, Mr.. Worthington read from
sermon of President Woodruff, deliv-
cred a year after the manifesto against
plural marriages, in which Presi cent
Woodruff declared that he was moved
and 10000 Latter Day Saints We're
moved by the spirit of God to abandon
the practice of plural marriage.
Senator Bailey commended that it was in
obedience to the demands of the law or
fear of the consequences of law that pro-
cured the revelations. Continuing, he
said:
For my part I don't have much faith
in q doctrine that does not get a revela-
ton commanding the change of conduct
until there is a statute compelling TAI
that, of course, is a matter of opinion"
said Senator Foraker.
L don't think it is a matter of opinion,
either" sand Senator Bailey. Il myself
have been compelled to submit to certain
law at that. Just how far l would have
submitted if I had received revelation
from God to do something else, 1 am not
prepared to say. 1 think the whole thing
was more a matter of law than of rev.
elation.'
when the laws were passed. which
were not in harmony with the teachings
of our church. said Mr.. Smith, I'VE held
that they were unconstitutional. Of
obey the constitution of the land, but we
fought the validity of the new laws from
the lowest to the highest court. When it
was settled by the supreme court plural
marriage could no longer be INDUCED
in, of course we were inclined to obey"