Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-04-08


course with the true and honorable has
instilled through the very heart of Nor
mOnism and must continue to instill
without the aid of external agitation.
incidentally. | am satisfied that Reed
Smoot has never practiced polygamy,
bur on the contrary has always set his
face against it by both practice and
precept.
'"Polygamy is obliterated, he says,
except for the detestation in which its
final remnant lives in the cOnsidera-
ton of Mormons. And the chief polyg
amist of the world today is the head
of the Mormon church. is hOnOred with
a more idoatrous devotion than is
given to any other prince or pOtentate
on earth. The remnant of polygamy
abiding only in the detestation of Nor
mons! When recently two apostles
were dismissed from their quorum for
having been found out in new and
frequent plural marriages. there was Il
wall throughout the Mormon cOmmuni-
~ that these men had been punished
for living their religion. Recently a
prosecution was brought against the
president of the church for living with
his five wives, the youngest of whom
had just given birth to his 43rd child
in his plural marriage relations: and
| throughout Utah and all the surround
| ing country where Mormon influence
dominates, President Smith was re-
garded as a martyr and those who pros
ecuted were held to be prosecutors.
Senator Shelby NJ. Cullom either
does not know the proper meaning of
words or he does not understand the
| faintest aspect of this Utah question.
or he is willfully misleading the people
of this republic.
| Throughout Mormon church circles
the 'detestation' is for those who OPP
pose polygamy and the idolatry is for
those who engage in it. That is the
plainest and the all-permeating propO.
sition of community existence in the
Iintermountain country.
Over his name as a statesman and
a publicist, Senator Shelby NJ Cullom
tells the people of the United States
that Reed Smoot has never practiced
polygamy, but has always set his face
against it
There are ten thousand men in
| Utah better informed on this subject
than Senator Cullom. who knows that
Reed SmOot has never uttered one
word in opposition to polygamy that
has reached public attention in this
state or in any other Mormon commu
nifty. On the contrary. they know that
he is one of the responsible prOmulga
tors of the explicit teaching of polyga
my, as that teaching appears in an al
LEGGED revelation from God issued every
day by the heiTarchical body, of which
Reed SmOOt is a member. They know
that Reed SmOot voted to induct a pc
llygamist into the apostolic quorum
three years ago. They know of the
Brigham Young university. of which
Reed SmOot is the guiding spirit. {
polygamist. They know that wher
that Reed Smoot sustained as presi
dent this pOlygamist was compelled tC
flee Reed SmOot selected another pc
lygamist in his place to act as an eX
Iemplar and preceptOr unto the you'll
of both sexes Many of them have shar
ed the local understanding fami
Ily and neighborhOod understanding
that Reed Smoot went through a seal
ing ceremony TO Emma Daniels. afte
the death of that esteemed young wO
man, for the purpose of establishing t
her in the eternity the relation of hus
band-in accord with the Mormon
church doctrine of the eternity and plu
rality of the marriage covenant; the!
know that such rumors so Originatin;
are rarely if ever false: and they as
sumo that this is true since no Othe
apostle of the church preceding Reet
SmOOt but was sealed TO women liv
: ing and dead: they know that unde
the revelation he is damned if he i
not a pluralist in this or a more praC
teal sense: while they do not charg,
in express words, as the Tribune doe
: not, one earthly wife, they want t,
know. as the Tribune wants to know
, how he has escaped-if he has ESCAPED
: the inviOlable rule which has BEEF
DluullS upDIl every OJHGT apostle
They know that Reed Smoot could no
be an apostle and oppose polygamy
They know that he does not oppose
but sustains pOlygamists as the livin
oracles of God unto mankind.
'Inasmuch as the article of Senate
Cullom is based upon two radical mis
statements of fact, it is not to be doubt
ed that his argument is of the sam
misleading character He appeals {
his record to show that he has Away
been opposed to 'polygamy and hei
archy,' as he groups the two evil
which he admits; and then argues tina
his action in voting TO seat the repr,
sentative of 'polygamy and heirarch!
in the senate has done more to effe,
lively place the ban on hierarchy tina
if he had voted against Reed Smoot
with that kind of misstatement {
fact and with that kind of conclusio
I6r1 from, D1iSCt or -,