Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-11

Senator Smoot-He was arrested, and
stood trial. and was acquitted
Mr.. Tayler-Did he leave the country
at any timer
Senator Smoot-Hc did not
Nh Tayler--You knew Of many who
did. did you?
Senator smoot-Weli / knew there
were a great many IN the state who did
from report or course / did not know
many people who had done It.
Mr. layler-Iou were, OF course, IA
millar with the manifesto. Were you
present when that was adopted?
senator Smoot--No. / was not
Mr. Tayler-You knew about IL?
senator Smoot--G knew about It.
MI Tuyler-Was 1t a matter Of deep
interest to you?
Senator Smuot--I approved OF H.
Nh Tayler- Well / assume you ap-
proved Of a. but did II make any spe-
cial Impression on you?
Senator Smoot-It mace the impress
sion on me that It was going to forever
stop poygamOus marriages
Mr., Tayler-And on that account you
very heartily approved OF II?
Senator Smoot-I approved OF o., Mr.
Tayler.
Mr.. Tayler-Did you realize that II
brought the Church to very important
n not the most important epoch In It's
history since II was founded
Senator Smoot-Well, could not say
as 10 that
Mr.. Tayler-G am only getting at
whether you maintained an attitude of
comparative Indifference or whether II
sank deep down I'm your consciousness
as very important thing,
Senator Smoot--I thought It was a
very important period In the history Of
our Church
Mr.. Tayer-You did not understand
that It In any way disparaged the rev.
elatlon Of polygamy2
senator Smoot-No; | did not so un-
derstand IT,
Mr. Tayler-Nor do you understand
that the people now consider II as I'm
any sense disparagIng the doctrine OF
polygamy?
Senator Smoot-The practise Of tit
certainly does.
Mr.. Tayler--I am not speaking about
the agitation in Congress over the
trne,"
Senator Smoot--I believe the major
ity OF the people say that that is the
case.
Mr.. Tayler-You yourself have no
doubt about the divinity Of it's origin?
Senator SmoOt-Thc doctrine Of poly
gamy2
Mr.. Tayler-Yes.
Senator Smoot-I think the Doctrine
and COyenants-the revelation that was
given to Joseph Smith
Mt Tayler-That is. 1t came from
God?
Senator Smoot--That he received it
from the Lord
Mr.. Tayler-And that It was right
eous to practise polygamy until the
manifesto suspended It?
Senator Smoot-Wcll, / could not say
as to that, Mr. Tayler. | had better
give you my view as to that and then
You can see how ! feel As an alb
stract principle, approved by the Bible
and permitted by the Doctrine and
Covenants, ] believe It, but as a prac-
tee against the law Of my country, |
do not
Mr. Tayler-You do not? when did
You reach that conviction?
Senator Smoot--All my life; ever
since ! have been a man.
Mr.. Tayler-All your life That Is to
say-you nave always said that II was
unlawful2
Senator Smoot--I have always said
since the final decision by the supreme
court that 1t was unlawful,
Mr., Tayler-When was that final de-
clson?
Senator Smoot-There was decision
given In 1873 in the Reynolds case.
Mr.. Tayler-Yes.
court,
Mr.. Tayler-Yes. ~.
Senator Smoot--Of course | was but
mere boy then; but | do know from
what ! have heard from the leaders Of
the Church, and from men in general
and members Of the Church, that they
tet That the decision and the law were
against bigamy While the decision
takes I'm the whole question Of polyg-
amy and bigamy they felt that It was
not fairly tried, and they thought they
would have II tested In the supreme
court Of the United States again. |
think the final decision Of that matter.
which was perfectly satisfactory to all
OF the people, was in 1890 That is as
| understand 1t, Mr. Tayler.
Mr.. Tayler--You have read the opin-
ion, have you not?
Senator Smoot--Yes; | have read the
opinion lately, Of course,
Mr., Tayler-And 10 your intelligence,
now, do YOU have any doubt about It's
destroying the principle that one man
may take two wives because his re-
ligon says he may?
Senator Smoot--That is, speaking Of
the
Mr. Tayler--Of the Reynolds case.
Senator moot--Speaking of the
Reynolds case, my opinion would be
that It was a decision that would pre-
vent that
Mr. Tayler--That would prevent
that?
Senator Smoot--Yes
Mr. Tayler-Then there has been. ac-
cordng to your view OF Il, no justih-
able marriage since that time?
Senator Smoot-Nell---
Mr. Taylor-I mean plural marriage
Senator Smoot--l would not want 10
90 that far Mr.. Tayler. Technically
II the people had believed that TO be a
decision of the supreme court against
polygamy and hnal That is true; but
they did not.
Nh Tayler--I see.
Senator Smoot--And II was for that
they were lghting-for religious con-
vction.
Mr. Tayler-Yes; exactly.
Senator Smoot~-And they thought
they were doing right, and they took II
to the supreme court Of the United
states and when Il was finally decided
there they accepted H.
MI iAylei-So that IL was proper
for a man who said that that decision
was wrong, or aid not reach the case
Of Il plural wife, to continue to take
plural wives?
Senator Smoot--Well you must take
into consideration, Mr., Tayler this
fact; that that was IN 1873, and moth
ing was done at all, you know, for four
years or so after that.
Mr. Tayler-Nothing was done?
Senator Smoot--That u.s. in the way
of prosecutions?
Mr. Tayler--What remained to be
done, Senator? The law was there.
Senator SmOot-The law was there,
but | mean the enforcement OF H.
Mr. Tayler--George Reynolds had
been prosecuted
Senator Smoot--Well George Rey-
nolds came and gave himself up.