The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-05

OF NAMES OF AnoSe present. lncluQlllE
Senator SmOot, was read, Mr.. Smith
said the list was correct. He declared
that he would not have had the article
published If he had been consulted.
Pressed for a reason he said that he
was under injunction not TO teach the
rightfulness of polygamy and that he
had refrained from SO doing in pub
&c.
Senator Hoar's Comment.
Senator Hoar called attention 10 the
fact that the speech was teaching
pOlygamy in private to the important
and influential gathering at the re-
union.
Mr.. Smith said his statement was
merely TO set right a matter of history
in regard to the president who inaug-
urated the system of plural marriages.
Some persons held that Brigham
Young was the first" he said, land I
knew il was Joseph Smith. and
brought forward my aunt. Bathsheba
w Smith, who had received the en-
dOwment from Joseph Smith at Maui
VOC. She was the last living witness
and 1 took that occasion TO refute a
false statement. It was a matter of
history and not of teaching"
Mr. Smith said he had avoided teach
ing polygamy but that the manifesto
had not in any manner changed his
convictions on the question Of plural
marriages.
Sharp Colloquy.
Senator Hoar asked him why he
avoided pracucing what he had held
to be a divine command and the wit
ness answered il was because of the
more recent manifesto stopping the
practice. Senator Hoar persisted that
according 10 the witness own state
ments the practice had not been
-H ID L.,
posed abruptly that the witness had
gone over that matter fifty times and
he could see no purpose OF the con-
tinued questioning along that line
Senator Hoar resented the interruption
and said Senator Foraker's statement
suggested that he had asked one ques-
ton fifty times and had received fifty
answers. He objected TO the inference
and when Senator Foraker arose TO
answer. he too stood UP. The two
senator's faced each other in what
threatened TO be a serious clash. Sen
ator Foraker said the senator from
Massachusetts could say what he
pleased, Of course, but have not said
he asked fifty questions"
Beverage Butts In.
Il accept the diclaimer from the SEN
ator from Ohio" responded Mr. Hoar,
but the aggressive manner in which il
was said failed TO relieve the situa-
ton. After more heated words Sen
atOr Beveridge, who occupied a posi-
ton directly between the two. re-
quested permission to ask a question.
He said he wanted to address Mr..
Smoot," and Immediately substituted
the name smith In the laugh that
was provoked both senators sat down
and the hearing continued.
Senator Beverage desired to know
whether the church considered that the
laws were being obeyed when polyga-
nous cohabitation had continued since
the manifesto Of 1890, and Chairman
Burrows made the question more per-
sOnal. He said: You have said today
that you were Obeying the laws in not
teaching polygamy since the manifesto
was promulgated. Do you think YOU
were Obeying the law in having eleven
children from different mothers since
that timer
Practice and Preaching.
Il obey the law so far as teaching
is concerned. i have not said that |
have Obeyed the law in my practice.
As l have said before I preferred to
take my chances with the law rather
than to abandon my plural families.
Polyeamy has not been taught in the
church by any of the officials. The
church has obeyed the laws even if
have not" said Mr.. Smith
References had been made many
times TO the revelation commanding
plural marriages and Senator Foraker
said that although the ground NAV
have been covered before, he would
like 10 have il go on the record i'm
to this question: when.
where and how was the Injunction i'm
favor Of polygamy received by the
church? What / want to know is
whether the practice is arbitrary or
merely permissive2"
Matter of History.
Mr.. Smith explained that the revela-
ton was made to Joseph Smith. lr-. at
NauvoO in 1S43. but was not publicly
proclaimed on account Of the disturb
ance against Smith. The doctrine. he
said, had been taught by Joseph Smith
TO Brigham Young and his associates
and preserved by Young. 1t was taken
to the Salt Lake valley in 1S47. and I'm
1852 was proclaimed by Young and ac-
cepted as n revelation.
Does that answer your question -,
asked Mr.. Smith.
1T answers az to when and where
but not how" said Senator Foraker
What I want to know is. whether the
members of the church were compelled
to practice the pOlygamOus marriage
and If that is true. why it is only that
or per cent OF the Mormons have
practiced what has been declared to be
Divine commando"
Consent of First Wife.
Mr.. Smith called for a copy of the
BOOK OF Doctrine and Covenants, and
read part Of the revelation. which, he
said, had been accepted in the nature
ot permission to take plural wives and
vas not mandatory upon the members
of the church. Other passag es from
ne same revelation were read. particu-
arly the portions which prescribe the
manner of taking more than one wife.
It was set forth that if one wanted 10
spouse second virgin he could do so
by obtaining the consent Of the first.
0ut that If the consent of the first was
he was at liberty TO proceed