The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-04-10
SMITHS INGR.ATITUDE-

Withou; feeling any sympathy for
| the polygamous offenses of John w.
| Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley most
men In this community have strong
sense of indignation because of the
cowardly and hypocritical manner In
which they were removed from their
place of power.
No one fact connected with the re-
crudescence of polygamy under Joseph
F Smith is better know than that Tay-
lor and Cowley had his unequivocal
support and authorization up TO the
time, that Smith scented danger for
himself and for Smoot through the ex-
posure Of the law breaking by Taylor
and Cowley,
In the first place no plural marriage
can be effected In the Mormon church
without the distinct authorization of
the chief prophet, seer and rcvelator
who must either perform the ceremony
or give special or general commission
to some other man to officiate therein.
Such is the pronouncement of the pre-
tended revelation; such has been the
practice In the Mormon church, and
such has been the recent assertion of
the Deseret News in denying that any
new polygamy was practiced-that
church organ conricting the president
no ceremony could occur without his
knowledge and authorization,
The manner in which Smith has con-
veyed the blessed privilege 10 aspiring
polygamists and tbe sacred right to
apostles TO solemnize these ceremonies
has been absolute In fact, while show
ing the usual evasion In form. Before
Smith became president he off1ciated in
plural marriage ceremony under au
thoriZation of the chief prophet. After
Smith became president he refused to
solemniZe the ceremonies personally;
and when men applied to him directly
or indirectly he was wont to say; Il
have nothing to do with this matter; but
II you feel called upon, as you say. to
obey this holy principle ! feel that l
have no right to forbid you, but you
must do it al your own risk and you
the ceremony. By the way, have you
seen Apostle - lately2'
Later on when the storm clouds began
TO gather Smith refused to even talk
with people who wanted to enter into
plural marriage, and pretended to wash
his hands of the whole business But
when notorious case occurred. and the
president of a stake visited Smith TO in
quire why apostles were permitted to
marry and give in marriage (polyga-
mous) Smith said; There are some OF
the brethren who have never assented
to the manifesto; they feel that the
Lord has given to them the authority
to maintain this principle In practice,
both for themselves and others, and l
do not see how / can forbid them un-
der the circumstances"
Taylor and Cowley were the elite OF
men whom the prophet trusted They
were known to all the hierarchs and all
the Mormon seekers after entrance into
the polygamous state to be the guar
dians of the gateway. Joseph F. Smith
felt that In these two he had doubly re-
newed his own youth. Being unable to
marry many more women for himself
he had two able subordnates in the full
glory of zeal and inclination who were
out attending to the business A breath
against either one of these men would
have been rank apostacy. And so. for
three years of his reign of unrighte-
BUSINESS Taylor and Cowley were the
pet apostles For him to turn upon
them now and rend them from their
station because they have obeyed his
behest and followed his practices Is like
afather casting his own children to the
wolves to save himself In his flight.