The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-02-20
REED SMOOT OF UTAH SPEAKS
IN HIS OWN DEFENSE ON
FLOOR OF SENATE.
DECLARES LOYALTY TO HIS COUNTRY
HAS TAKEN NO OATH CONFLICT.
ING WITH DUTY AS CIT
IZEN OR SENATOR.

Washington, Feb. 20.-Speaking in
his own defense before the senate
Senator Reed Smoot of Utah con-
Eemned polygamy in the strongest
terms, declaring polygamy does not
now exist in Utah and insisting that
he had never taken an oath as apostle
in the church which would in any way
prevent him from discharging the du-
ties of senator and citizen with the
utmost fidelity. He himself had never
had but one wife and would not think
of giving his official or personal sane
ton to any other arrangement in the
case of other members Of the Mormon
church.
In support of his contention that
polygamy was a dead letter among
the Mormons Mr.. Smoot took up in
great detail the early campaign
against the practice by the govern
ment and the tacit agreement on the
part of the church to abandon it. The
Mormons, he said, at first defended
their rights in this respect as a part
of their religion. Finally, wishing to
obey the law of the land, they agreed
to stop the practice and in 1890 a
manifesto was issued disseminating
plural marriages. Not only are there
no more plural marriages, insisted
MI. Smoot, but MOrmOns in charge of
the Utah courts have vigorously prose-
cuted any members of their church
guilty thereof, though forbearance on
the part of the prosecuting officers re-
suited in leaving as they were the po-
lygamous relationships consummated
prior to the 1890 manifesto. Since
that time, however, the church has
steadfastly refused to recognize any
form other than monogamy and fam
lilies where there is more than one
wife are altogether of the old dispen-
sation.
Younger Apostles Monogamists.
AS an instance of how obsolete po-
lygamy is becoming in his church Mr.
Smoot said that of the seven apostles
While admitting the possibility of
some polygamous marriages being
made since the manifesto Mr.. Smoot
declared the cases to have been rare
and without the church's sanction. In
only one, instance, he declared, has
there been direct proof of such plural
marriage and this occurred in Nor.
IN VI: -
defiance Of the solemn commands of
the church.
Referring to the alleged reasonable
features of the Mormon endowment
ceremony Mr.. Smoot declared that
rite to be entirely religious in char
acter and calculated to breed love Of
country rather than disloyalty. Be-
ing sacred the rite is not divulged to
outsiders, but at the same time there
is nothing therein preventing Nor
mon from being loyal to the United
States.
AS an instance of how the Mormons
love their country Mr.. Smoot told Of
the large numbers of soldiers fur
nished by Utah in the Civil and Span
ish wars. The commander of the
Utah Light infantry, he said, was a
Mormon and had taken part in the
endowment ceremony, yet where was
more loyal soldier than he?
I'm closing" he said, "let me say
under my obligation as a senator that
I have never taken any oath or obli-
cation, religious or otherwise, which
conflicts in the slightest degree with
my duty as senator or a citizen. I
owe no allegiance to any church or
other organization which in any way
interferes with my supreme allegiance,
in civil affairs, to my country-an al
legiance which freely, fully and
gladly gave''