The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-06

on privileges and elections in the case
Of Reed Smoot of Utah. He asked Mr..
Smith if he had any statistics show
ing the proportion of polygamists in
the Mormon population. Mr.. Smith
said his recollection is that when the
Utah commission was created in 1882
and undertook to administer the laws
of the territory, l., 900 polygamists were
excluded from voting
AS the women vote in Utah." he
said, 'and as il requires two women
state, probably the number of males
excluded as polygamists would not be
more than 1000"
Statement Questioned.
Senator Dubois exercised his 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. He wanted eX-
Guided from consideration the number
not in condition TO enter into a state
of polysamy. He said President Smiths
statement of the percentage in poly
gamy included sucking babes and chill
dren, and that he objected. to having
Mr. Smiths statement go before the
country unchallenged.
After a further statement of the
number of polygamists IL Utah Mr..
Smith read from an interview he gave
to a representative of the Associated
Press in 1902, showing the following:
I'm 1890. at the time of the late
President Woodruf's manifesto, there
were 2,45I such families. In October,
1899, it was found that this number
had been reduced. as follows: By
death, $50; by removal beyond the con-
fines of the republic So: by divorce, 50;
leaving at that time, !, 543'
1t is now ascertained that the orig
inal number has been reduced by 1.554.
or 63 per cent, leaving only Se7 still
living, and the great majority Of them
are at an advanced age.
Polygamous Apostles.
Mr. Worthington asked regarding
Mr.. Smiths son, Hyrum Smith, and
was told that he is 80 years old and
has a wife and children but is not
a polygamist. He is one of the twelve
apostles. The first counsellor now is
John r. Winder. He and his fellow
I counsellor and two apostles have been
appointed since Mr.. Smith became
president. He said he could not say
! whether these men are cOha biting with
more than one wife, but that they are
reputed to be the husbands Of more
than one wife"
In regard TO John Henry Smith. a
cousin. Mr.. Smith said that their fami
lies are intimate and Il am strongly
inclined to believe that he is cohabiting
with plural wives
Referring to Senator Baileys ques-
tions yesterday in regard 20 the mani
festO Mr. WorthinSton read from
sermon of President Woodruff deliv
cred year after the manifesto against
plural marriages, in which President
Woodruff declared that he was moved,
and 10000 Latter-day Saints We're
moved by the spirit of God To abandon
the practice of polygamy.
Bailey's Pointed Remark.
Senator Bailey contended that it was
in obedience to the demands of the
law or fear of the consequences of
the law that caused the revelation.
Continuing. he said:
For my part. 1 don't have much
faith in a doctrine that does not get
a revelation commanding the change
of conduct until there is a statute COM
polling it
All that OF course. is a matter OF
opinion" said Senator Foraker.
I don't think it is 2 matter of Opin-
ion. either" said Senator Bailey. 4
myself have been compelled to submit
to certain rules because it was the
law. and vicious law at that Just
( how far l would have submitted If I
had received revelation from God to
do something else l am not prepared
to say. l think the whole thing is more
a matter Of law than Of revelation"
Mr. Smith Explains.
When the laws were passed which
were not in harmony wish the teach
ings of our church. said Mr.. Smith
I'VE held that they were unconstitu-
! ticnal. OF course our own rules COM
manded that we obey the constitution
ard the law but we fought the validity
of the new laws from the lowest to
the highest court. and when it was
settled by the supreme court of the
United states that plural marriages
could no longer be INDUCED in, OF
course We were inclined to obey.
But we had a revelation on our own
statute books in regard to plural mar
riages. and it was necessary to obey
that in order to obtain certain bless
ings that could not be received with
cut Obeying it. Whether we should
practice the law of the church was a
serious question
1--WE hold that the president of the
church is entitled TO receive Tevela-
tons inspired by the Almighty God.
I President Woodruff sought guidance in
the Lord. and the Lord made it mani
fest to him that il was his duty to
SOD pl1Its uldITldBtc- ne pfOCldlintu
that revelation. and it was submitted
20 the entire church and accepted by
the entire church and thus became
binding. and from that day TO this the
law of the land has been kept sO-far
as plural marriages are concerned
Will Take the Risk.
But there is a great difference be-
tween taking a plural wife contrary
to law and in taking care of the wives
taken before 1t was a violation OF the
law I would not desert my wives.
would not abandon my children. l Will
run my risks before the law"
President Smiths voice showed his
emotion. He showed more feeling than
he had at any previous time exhibited
as the leaned forward and said:
But il is TO the laws Of Utah that
I am answerable and it is the laws
OF my state that have the right TO pun
Ish me. The courts of Utah are Of
competent jurisdiction. Congress has no
business to interfere with my private
affairs.
Solely Utah Matter.
IF the courts of my state do not see
fit 10 call me to account for my con-
duct 1 cannot help il. No congress
has the right TO interfere-it has no
right TO pry into my marriage reIa-
lions and call me to account"
Chairman Burrows at this point ques-
a Il 81.