The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-11
MoRMoNIsM UNDER x-RAYs.
Sup To" Somebody to Prosecute the
Prophet Upon His Return.
New York Herald.)

tNeW Ork Herald.)
in the proceedings against Reed Smoot
before tne senate committee a search
light Is being turned upon lie Mormon
church.
The testimony elected during the last
two DAYS from its president Joseph T. +.
Smith. Is startling. but the prosecution
asserts that much more Sensational rev
elations are 20 come. Il seems indeed
that the Latter-day Saints are 10 be
sut Jectcd not only 10 u searcnlighL but 40
an N-ray. cxam.na ton.
President Smith It must be admitted.
shows up very curiously. lie believes in
the divine revelation as made by an
angel I'm black to his Uncle the famous
seer and founder Of the polygamous in
stitutiOn. But he also believes I'm the di-
vine origin Of the manifesto suspendiug
the pOlygamOus principle issued by Pres
dent Woodruff the head of the Mormon
church. IN 1S90-at q time. BY the way.
when Utah was agitating for admission
60 statehood.
he does not always obey the reveia-
tons from Gcd-"one can obey or disohcy
with impunity. Yes, sir, hats the kind
or God believe IT." il revelation
However, he "pcrha ps" would obey the
revelation rather than the law Unlike
brigham u. Roberts when proceedings
were under way 20 exclude him from the
house Of representative Mr.. Smith does
not pretend to think that since tho adj
mission Of Utah as state the law simply
marriages and hat previous cnactments
against plural cohabitaticn are void.
Not az al. Mr.. Smith frankly admits
that there Is state law against polyg-
amous ccnabltation. says that the church
recognizes that such coma bitatlOu is con-
irarE To law. and boldly aVows that ne
has persistently violated the law by con-
lnuinB TO live with five wives whom he
had previously married. ana that since
The manifesto of 1890 these have borne
him eleven children. II knew I was
amenable 20 the law" he tells the COM
'nittccr but preferred 10 face that sit
latiOn rather than desert them. The
live families live in as many separate
houses. but apparently Mr.. Smith con-
siders that il would not De- sufficient TO
merely maintain them. "The people Of
tab. be says. ARE broad minded and
have condoued the offenSe, 81 offense t.
he. rather than interfere with my situu-
tion as they found ia suggestive side
iiEht OF the state Of public sentiment ont
there. However broad minded the Utah
PEOPLE may be. il would seem after this
candid avowal of law breaking that ID
must be "Hp to- somebody TO prosecute
the prophet upon his return.
This Is the head of the Mormon churcl.
the man of whom Bingham VI. Roberts
~ october. 1902. wrote To the Herald.
bis authority, which extends over the
CnuTcn IN every part OF the world. is IN
questioned. and his administration is ac-
Septed as able. dignified and honorable
u VIII be remembered that after his eN-
ciusion from the house. Mr.. Roberts. hay
ing three wives. was convicted by a jury
in 4 tan OF violating the state law which
makes IL q misdemeanor to cohabit with
more than one woman Mr. Shoots on
ponents assert that they viii show that a
i.uHper or the twelve apostles are now
llNing IN open polygamy. and that. despite.
Mr. Smiths assertion To the contrary.
many plural marriages hdVe been ceIe-
DRAFTED since 1890 Mr. Smith admitted
mat ne hadn't much doubt that certain
az the apostles are poiygamists and that
Chcrs arc 'reputed' TO be such In short
u IS going to be made clear bv this ina
Ntstl2au on mat the condition imposed
1pr admission 10 statehood. that p0iyy-
amous practices should b. abandoned has
not been fulfilled. and the country is face
1" iac" with very serious moral aud
pOuIcal problem.
70 viii be observed that most % tho.
l-Sii inOhy elected thus far has little d.
rect bearing upon Mr.. Smoot. and that
lne lnVesugation assumes much broad
or sweep. These significant facts how
ever have been brought ont during Mr.
Hmitn 3 eNamingtiul-that Mr. Smoo. has
pceh On close social relations with hin,
aS Weil as administrative relations. the
acruScd senator being one of s'the twelve
apostles that neither Smoot nor any
other apostle ever made anv ohiactIon
- lhe polNgamOus life of the witness iI,
l'.dI'u or the law; and that Smoot had
40 Set the consent Of Smith and Of his
5SS0ciatc APOSTLES before he could %
nnlore the legislature 20 be chosen as
1ittd states senator. II Is to these
I@ints-the alleged interference Of the
-H9rmon church In politics and whether
q MoTmon senator or representative * \
1ree agent-that the committees atten-
ZION VIII he most keenly directed.
rs the constitution makes each house
81 congress Judge OF the qualifications az
1tS own members. the power of cxntilsior
1S uuquestioucd. BUT whether Mr. Snooor
Sndl stay or 90 is of comparati veIv Uttfe
importance in comparison with the
broader and more vital questions brouo-pt
up hv this investigation.