The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-20
The Apostle Strongly Condemns
 Polygamy.
Pays Tribute te the Pstrastism sf she Mormon and says Church VIII Ever Uphold Federal
 Government.

Washington. Feb. ls.--senator Shoot made his long expected speech on his own case in the Senate today.
 He spoke for only about half hour, and his address proved to be a straightforward statement which he read from desk in the center of the Senate chambey. There was only fair attendance of senators and the. galieries were half filled.
 The meagerness of the audience was due to the fact that. the Senate met , at the unusually early hour of Il o'clock. -,4
 He condemned polygamy in the strongest terms and declared emphat- tcaify that he had taken no oath in- consistent with that he has taken as senator. MT. Shoot spoke as follows:
 MT. President: In what I shall say fo the Senate, do not intend to ana lyxe the voluminous testimony taken before the committee or to make an argument thereon The greater part of this testimony has been before the Senate for more than two years and all of 1t for nearly one year. It has been fully argued by the distinguished senators who have already spoken upon this question. My own testfmofy, covering more than 125 pages of the
 
 that I should trespass on your time by indulging in any extended discus. sion.
 Indeed. should have been con- tent to submit the case upon the re- cord and speeches made by others. without saying anything myself. ex- ccpt that there are certain matters which can be known only to myself; and think that the Senate is enti- tied to a frank statement from me as to my personal attitude respecting these matters The Senate is entitled to know my personal attitude upon the subject of polygamy and upon the Sub Ject of loyalty to this government. Upon these two matters I shall ex- press myself briefly, but with en- tire candor
 Never Has Been PoIygamist.
 First. I desire to state, as have repeatedly heretofore stated to the and never have been 2 pofygamist. l never had but one wife and she is my present wife.
 There has been a more or less pre- vaient opinion that the doctrine of polygamy was obligatory unto the members of the Mormon church whereas. in truth and fact, no such obligatory doctrine has ever existed. The revelation concerning polyganiy. as originally made and as always in- terpreted is that it is permissible and not mandatory. As a Snatter Of fact, only a small per centage of the ad- herentg of that faith have ever been polygamists. The vast majority of the adult members of the church from It's foundation to the present time have been nlanagamists. .t
 "The Mormon people. however, re- garded this doctrine-aithough permis- sBble in character--as part of their wNIf Toff nd fhn a passed 'denouncipg Its practice. the execution of the law was resisted on the ground that 1t was unc0nstitu- tsonai, as being interference with their religious liberty. Appeals were taken to the highest courts of the land, every phase of the subject was tested in the courts and the law was upheld. Then the church adopted the manifesto against polygamy, which was ratified by the general conference of the people and thereupon the prac- tiee of polygamy for the future was abandoned
 Against PIuraI Marriages.
 4sThis manifesto adopted in 1890, dis continuing plural marriages has been presented and discussed- fin chdxeb conferences repeatedly, sent out in. the church book, The Articles or ton on marriage. Consequently it's text, books for the various auCruns, man uais for the mutual improvement as-. sociations Sunday Schools. primaries conference proceedings, etc, and in that ways has been much more widely circulated than the original reveia- ton on marriage. Consequently its text, tenor and purpose in prohibiting mar riages violative of the 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 heritage for the succeeding period that was a grave problem. There were In 1890 about 2.45i male members of the Mormon Church who had polygamous families. That these were placed in a position Of difficulty was recognized by all who were familiar with conditions The present conditions in reference to polygamous cohabitation have grown out of past conditions and both must be considered together to fully understand the t0IeFatiou exercised by most of the people of Utah, Mormon and non Nor mon alike.
 "The status of the men who bad en- tered into the plural marriage relation before the issuance of the manifesto had been fixed hefore that time. There was no power in the church or ip tue law to change that existing fact. What had been done had been irrev0cabiy dono. The only question was as to the future. what should be the attitude of the people toward the future relations of those who had entered into poiyga-