The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-08

Washington, March 4.-Interest in
the investigation before the Senate
of the protests against Senator Reed
SmOOt Of Utah. was unabated today,
although much Of the time was deyot-
ed to putting in documents subscribed
to as the law Of Mormon church. In
hat connection, President Joseph e.
Smith who again was on the stand.
testified that if the principle of plural
marriage should be attacked. it would
be defended by the church
Intense feeling was exhibited by
President Smith against individuals
whe he said had spied on the domestic
and marital relations of high officials
Of the Mormon church and for that
reason he had favored the passage OF
the Evans bill to prevent prosecutions
for polyganOus cohabitation. unless
complaints were entered by husband
or wife against the other. This bill
was passed, but vetoed by the govern
or OF Utah.
1t was brought out that all of Nj.
Smiths predecessors. as presidents OF
liz G1OI IilOIl CIu1CAs IIu DCCA " so
miSts and the man chosen TO succeed
him has more than One wife. Mr..
Smith was asked which he would obey.
the law OF the land or revelations from
God, If the two were in conflict. he
said he might obey the revelation.
though it was not compulsory.
Reading from the Dessert News OF
June %. 1903. regarding a speech Ivy
Mr.. Smith at the Weber state re
union, Mr.. Tayler asked Mr. Smith II
ne was correctly reported in saying
that the doctrine of plural marriages
was a revelation by God to Joseph
Smith Jr.. and to reject that would be
equivalent to a rejection of God mini
self. Mr.. Smith explained that his
address at that time was intended to
correct the impression hat Brigham
Young had inaugurated the practice OF
plural marriages and to ShOw that the
doctrine originated with Joseph Smith.
1t was a matter Of history and not OF
teaching.
Mr.. smith said he had avoided teach
ing poIygamy, but that the Woodruff
manifesto had not in any mannec
changed his convictions On The Ques-
tiOns of plural marriages.
Senator Hoar asked why he had
avoided ~practicing what had been hello
to be a divine command and the wit
ness answered that it was because Of
the more recent manifesto stopping
the practice.
Senator Beveridge desired to know
whether the church considered that
the laws were being obeyed, when po-
lygamous cobaitation and continued
since the manifesto of 1880 and Chair
man Burrows made the question more
personal. He said: You have SAL
today that you were obeying the laws
in not teaching pOlygamy since the
manifesto. Do you think you were
-obeying the law in having eleven chill
dren from different mothers since that
tinfe2'
L obey the law as far as teaching is
concerned. I have not said that I nave
obeyed the law in my practice Polyg-
amy has not been taught in the
church, by any of the officials. The
church has obeyed the laws even if I
have not said Mr.. Smith.
Senator Foraker asked whether the
practice of polygamy was peCmissiv4
or compulsory.
Mr.. Smith called for a cop OF the
book OF doctrine and and
read a part of the revelation, when
he said. had e accepted In the ma
ture of permission to take plural
wives ard was o mandatory upon the
members of the church.
Senator Overman asked Mr.. Smith If
he knew whether Sny one of the six
poIygamfst apostles had ~disobeyed the
law in regard to pOfygamOus cohaEit2'
ton since the manifesto of 1890
II do not know" said Mr.. Smith. u
only know that they were in the same
status OF polygamy at the time of the
pry into their family affairs. 1 am
happy to say that 1 am not a 'spotter
or an informer. 1 am not a paid
spy"
yet you might know without being
a paid spy persisted senator Over
man.
IT know nothing about it. AS L have
said before L am not a spotter or In
former" answered the witness. 1De
words .'spOtter" and .-informer" were
Missed rather la spoken.
Neither am I a paid spotter or in
former retorted senator Overman.
Yet know hat in my town people
have children. 1 think you might an
swer thai question without using the
words spotter' and informer' in that
manner"
II beg the Senator's PARDON" the
witness responded.
Senator Dubois asked several Ques-
ifoas to determine n correctness of
the statement that not more than three
or fozr per cent of the Mormons were
polyganists and said he believed he
could show a greater per cent. tnan
tha had been convicted of the charge
He asked Mr.. Smith how many OF his
predecessors had been monogamlsts
and Mr.. Smith said he believed that all
Of them had had plural wives.
And I believe you said that your
successor has mor than m wife:
said Senator Dubois.
The witness admitted that was the
case.
SeAatsr A6Comas asked whether as
the head OF the Mormon church Mr..