The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-20
SMOOT DEFENDS THE
CHURCH AND HIMSELF
Continued from PAGE I.

I
This manifesto. adopted i'm 1890. dis
! continuing plural marriages. has beer
presented and discussed in church, con-
ferences repeatedly, sent out into the
church book. The Articles of Faith
and in many other publications issued
/ By the church, such as text books for
! the various quOrums. manuals for the
/ Mutual Improvement associations
| Sunday schools, primaries. conference
proceedings. etc. and in that way has
/ been much more widely circulated than
the original revelation on marriage.
| Consequently Its text. tenor and DUR
pose in prohibiting marriages vioIative
| or law are known to every member of
/ the church in every part of the world.
( But the practice which had prevailed
( in the period previous to 1890 left a
heritage for the succeeding period that
was grave problem. There were in
1881 about 2.451 male members of the
Mormon church who had polygamous
families. That these were placed in a
position o. difficulty was recognized by
all who were familiar with the condi-
tions. The present conditions in ref
erence TO polygamous combinations
have grown out of past conditions and
| both must be considered together to
fully understand the liberation exer-
cised by most people of Utah, Mormon
anu hbN-MofmOn allke.
The status Of the men who had en-
tered into the plural marriage relation
before the issuance of the manifesto
had been fixed before that time There
was no power in the church or i'm the
Ia" to change that existing fact. What
had been done had beer irrevOcab big
done The only question was as to the
future What should be the attitude
of the peorie toward the future Tela-
tons of those WHO mad entered into the
pOlygamOus status before the manifes-
10" This problem was a serious one
PoIygamy Prosecutions Closed.
At that time all the machinery of
tie courts in the territory was in the
hands IF nom Mormon officials. who
had been vigorous in the prosecution
OF polysaIaoCs relationships. These
recognized the veXed nature of the sit
uatiOn and extended the olive branch,
as ii Were. As relief i'm the dilemma
came an exercise of forbearance on the
part If the prosecuting officers. The
three United States assistant district
attorneys Tor that period were r. =.
CritchlOw. Frank f. stephens and Will
liam NJ. McCarty. Judge McCarty was
Inclined tC continue prosecutions IN
some cases, but the United States dis !
trict attorney refused to allow his ac-
T.
CTitchlOw wrote the principal protest ]
in this case. and was one of its sign |
ers. All these and other government |
prosecuting officers testified before the |
committee TO the cessation of prcSecu-
tons against then existing polygamou5
relations. and of the general sentiment |
among the nou-Mormon people that /
that was the best and quickest way
to get RID of the whole question-to lett
h., old inc 1nf
There was a general acquiescence by /
the people in this solution. and it is /
working out a complete and final solu-
lion.
AT the time the manifesto was
adopted there we're 2.451 polyeamous
households in the church Careful sta
.istics have been taken and preserved |
and viii be found in the testimony.
which show that this number has grad
lally decreased until there was at the
lime the testimony closed not to ex-
,eed 500 such households In existence. /
Church Statistics.
There are twenty-six general an
horities Of the Mormon church, includ-
hS the first presidency, patriarchs.
apostles, first council OF seventy and
presiding bishops. In 1880 this list of
'Hlclals vas composed of twenty-three
'olygamists and there monogamists.
The hrst presidency and council of
tpostleS, prior to my selection as an
apostle IN 1900 was composed of ten !
,olygamists and FIVE nonsgamlsts In
goo. these same quorums comprised
I've p0lygamists and ten nlonogamists.
u the fourteen general authorities
'hoSen since 1880. only two were polyg-
lmists. the other twelve monogannists.
"Of the seven apostles chosen since
April, 1890. when I was named. only
ne was polygamist. the other six be-
ng mon0gamists- The only polyga-
mist chosen as apostle since 1887 is
'ow 20 years of age. and entered into
hat relationship before the manifesto.
II the time of his selection as an apos-
lie his youngest child was % years of
ge- He has been member of the
hurch for over half a century per
OTming faithful and distinguished
hurch service during most of this long
eriod. 1t was on account Of this long
nd faithful service that I voted for
i'm to be an apostle. Nothing would
ave induced me 10 have voted for him
{ he had been guilty of taking a plural
fife since the manifesto
"Of the ninety-six members OF the
Residences of the stakes (eeclesias-
iCal subdivisionsl in 1880. fcrty-seven,
T about one-half. were polygamists.
" 16y prominent church officials in 1,
Se7. the increase in number being be-
ause of creation of new stakes only
ixteen. or less than 10 per cent. were
I,
New Cases Of PoIyeamy. t.
But. Mr. President. il is claimed I,
hat there have been new cases of po-
vganous marriages since the mani
ssto and this presents altogether diff
trent question. have no hesitation {
I declaring to the senate and to the
.mericaH people that. in my opinion,
ny man who has married polyga-
lOus wife since the manifesto should :
e prosecuted and. if convicted. should I
uffer the penalty of the law; and I I
ere not who the man might be. or I
hat position he might hold I'm the I
hurch. he should receive the punish
lent pronounced by the Law against
is crime. Il
THE testimony taken before the !
ommittee tends TO show that there I
ave been some polygamous marriages
Inca the manifesto | believe sincere