New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-06
SMITH DEFIES CONGRESS.
MS "PRWATE AFFAIRS. .
f10Ig Utah Courts Can Hold Him
10 account, He SAYS.

go nv .he persistent efforts OF some members
- me committee 10 obtain from him every detail
~ his remission in obeying the law turned on
~oneress and charged that body with interfering
,,bort authority in his private domestic affairs
80 slsurping the powers of the Utah courts which
.lone he said. possessed the right TO hold him
account for HE conduct
Willie the witness had been taken in hand by the
s.sepce for purposes OF crOss-cxamination. the
e-rhers OF the committee in realty consumed the
rrsater portion Of the time. and facts were brought
-, along the line followed by the prosecution in
r. three arSt DAYS OF the hearing. Some OF the
testimony proved highly sensational. The hearing
~ he continued at 1880 a Monday.
c,ung President Joseph F. Smith Of the Mormon
CHURCH 10 the stand. A. s. worthngton resumed
,be cross-examination for the defence in the in
,sstieation before the Senate Committee on Privi-
,op,s and Elections in the of Reed Smoot Of
,-tsh He asked Mr.. Smith II he had any statistics
sboving the proportion OF polygamists in the Nor
mon population.
Mr.. smith sand his recollection was that when
N. Utah Commission was created in 1852. and un-
ssriook TO administer the laws OF the Territory
rvslve thousand po;ygamists were excluded from
vo,ng LAS il requires two women to one man to
fo-r polygany in the State he said probably
,hs number OF males excluded polygamists
rorld not be more than four thousand"
STATISTICS OF PoLYGAMY.
Senator Dubois exercised a right TO question the
witness at this point and said the population then
about 5000 Gentiles He wanted excluded from
consideration the number in condition 10 enter
a state Of polygamy. He said President Smiths
statement Of the percentage in polygamy included
sucking babes and children. and that he objected
10 having Mr. Smiths statement so before the
country unchallenged.
AS further statement OF the number OF polyga-
mist families Utah. Mr. Smith read from In
tor4iew he gave 10 a representative OF The AS
ISOLATED Press in 1902. follows:
wOOdrufr's manifesto. there were 2.s5l such fam
nies.
had been red'ced follows: BY death. go; by re
rnovals beyond the confines Of the republic, s.; by
Il is now ascertained that the original number
6S f st living 0 AND that o. the Great f motx o
them are Of advanced age.
Mr. worthington asked regarding Mr. Smiths
son. Hiram Smith. and told that he is thirty
two years old and has a wife and children, but is
not a polygamist He is one OF the twelve apostles
He and his fellow high counsellor and two apostles
have been appointed since Mr. Smith became pres
ident He said he could not say whether these
men are cohabiting with more than wife but
that they are reputed 10 be the husband Of more
than wife"
ANOTHER SMITH HAS MANY WIVES.
In regard 70 John Henry Smith. a cousin AR
Smith said their families intimate. and i am
strongly inclined to believe he is cohabiting with
plural wives"
Referring 70 Senator Baey's questions yesterday
IN regard 70 the manifesto. Mr. worthington read
from a sermon OF President woodruff delivered a
YEAR after the manifesto against plural marriages
in which President Woodruff declared that he was
moved and ten thousand Latter Day Saints were
moved, by the spirit OF God 10 abandon the prac-
senator Bailey commended that st was in obedience
10 the demands OF the Law or fear OF the conse-
g1ences Of the law that provoked the revelation
For my part don't have much faith in doc
a change OF conduct until there is a statute COM
'Ai that. Of course is a matter Of Opiu,on.' said
y DON'T Know that It is a matter OF opinion
ether. said Senator Bailey I myself have been
a was the law. and vicious law at that. jest how
Tar ] would have submitted II received a reveal
pared 20 say I think the whole thing was more
. matter OF law than Of religion"
harmony with the teachings OF our church We helo
that they were uneonstitutonal- OF couIse, our
ZION Of the land. bot fought the validity OF the
When ii was settled BY the Supreme Court Of the
United States that plural marriages could no
ionger be INDUCED IN, Of course we were Inclined
But we had revelation on our statute books IN
regard 10 plural marriages. and IL was necessary
10 obey that IN order obtain certain blessings that
We should obey the law Of the land continue
70 practise the law OF the church was serious
question.
PRESIDENT HAS REVELATIONS.
mighty God President Woodruff sought guidance
ron the Lord and the Lord made il manifest TO
him that Il was his duty 70 stop plural marrage i
ms,ted to the entire church. and accepted by the
Church, and thus il became binding. and rom mat
DAY this the law Of the land has been kept, 50
Ear as plural marriages are concerned But there
Il great difference between taking plural VIE
contrary 20 Law and IN taxing caie on ulT 49,
taken before Il was violation q the laty- WouiG
not desert my wives. would not abandon my
children I win run nay risks before the law
President Smiths voice shook with emotion lie
showed more feeling than he had at previous
tine exhibited as he leaned forward and said;
But It is 70 the laws OF Utah that am answera-
bic II Is the law OF my State that has the right
% punish me The courts of Utah are Of compe-
tent jurisdiction. Congress has no business 70 m
my State do not see ut 20 call me 10 account LOT
NY conduct ] cannot help IL. Congress mas no
right 10 interfere-it has right 10 pry INTO my
marriage relations and call me TO account
Chairman Burrows at this point questioned the
witness He asked.
You say you would not abandon your wives or
iou children WHY do YOU consider II necessary
lave Issue from your plural wives " h oroe 49, ~
or asfore unlawful cohabitation became q ctiiie-
M smith answered
Because my wives like all other women II
hscessar-y 70 maintain peace, harmony and good
vi between myself and my good wives That Is
ne kernel in the nut That is why have chosen
not TO obey the laws OF my State prohibiting poiys-
anous cohabitation.
CHURCH GAVE Me MY WIVES"
The Church gave me my wives and don't
tink the Church could be consistent In taking
them" said Mr. Smith. in answer 10 a question az
% why he did not agree with the Woodruff mani
festo
The LORD siveth and the Lord taleth away,
quoted Senator Bailey. from the Scriptures. Con-
unuing the Senator said II appeared that polyga-
nous Capitalization Is forbidden by both the law OF
me land and the law OF the Church, as laid down
n the Woodruff manifesto and. addressing the
witness. he asked: Then. a. head OF the Church