The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-20

ter. This witness gathered and presented
all the rumors limitations and suspicious
he could discover of new polygamous re-
lations in the United States, Canada,
Mexico or elsewhere, and the whole num-
| Der thus suggested, though not proved
| is less than an average of two cases for
| each year since the manifesto, in all these
| communities numbering over 5000 people.
! In most of the cases such persons are
and have been fugitives from Justice
| and the alleged marriages have none of
them been charged to have occurred with
in the jurisdiction of the United States
In but one instance was there direct
proof of the plural marriage, and this, 1t
was testified. occurred in Mexico.
IF any of these cases are actually
cases of attempting assumption of poly
gamous relatives, such attempt is not
only without the sanction and approval
of the Mormon church, but is in the
! face and in defiance of its most solemn
protest and admonition.
Reasonable Obligation.
reference mas been made to an al
legged reasonable obligation which 1t is
sought to claim is a part OF the Nor
mon endowment ceremonies. The Senate
will understand that these ceremonies are
of a sacred character to those participant
ing in them, and are therefore not di-
Vulged. They were instituted in the Nor
mon church by Joseph Smith some time
| prior to his death. and are yet given as
part of the temple ceremonies, being of
a religious, spiritual character. They are
| for the living and the dead-a part of the
Mormon belief being vicarious perform
ance of ordinances and ceremonies.
There does not exist in the endowment
/ ceremonies of the Mormon church the
remotest suggestion of hostility or of an
taginism to the United States or to any
other nation. They are of purely religious
| w 11v
/ ing them and his God.
! "Adverting to the religious and spir-
| itual character of those ceremonies. 1t
| is conceded that such character In cere-
monies often has an influence on the con-
| science and conducts of the persons CON
| cerned. There is not a solitary instance
! where that influence in the endowment
ceremonies has been displayed in an act
I of hostility to the government. The APP
| plication in this respect, as to the 10y
atty of the Mormon people, can be
! brought home readily. We will pass by
i the Incident of the Mormon exles from
/ Nauvoo furnishing a battalion for the
! United States army for the war with
| Mexico, the action of the Utah pioneers
in raising the American flag in the Salt
Lake valley when that was Mexican
| soil; the fidelity of Utah to the union
, during the civil war. and come to the
| period of the Spanish American war and.
! the instruction in the Philippines.
Soldiers of Different Faiths.
"'rhe state of Utah came into the Union
eleven years ago.
Scarce two years had passed when
there appeared on our national horizon
the cloud of war with Spain and side
! by side with every other state In the
! union. Utah furnished her full quota of
| American soldiers, and offered more.
There was no question of religious dis
/ tinction or dispute then. The Utah Light
artillery was composed of men of differ
/ ent religious beliefs, including orthodox
Mormons, who had partaken of their
! church rites known as the endowment
! ceremonies. Mai. Richard w. Young, the
| commanding officer of the Utah Light
! Infantry was one of these Sergeant
| Harry A. Young and others who gave up
| their lives for the flag were among this
| number. And in so far as these endow-
! ment ceremonies may have relation TO this
government an unreserved and undisput-
able accurate Interpretation is given by
| the record of the Mormons mustered
into the Utah Light Artillery which
! served in the war with Spain and during
the subsequent Philippine instruction.
No man has "A right to question that in
depreciation: no true American viii do
it, II is inscribed in letrers or fire by the
history of many a battlefield.
And here in the Senate of their coun-
trVmeu upon the incontrovertlble wit
| nesses borne by the brave survivors and
! the heroic dead of the Utah Light artil-
lery. ! hurl back the charge OF the de-
tanner that there ever was a word or
breath of hostility or disloyalty in the
sacred religious ceremonies, which they
or any other persons participated in as
members of the Mormon church
Myths of Domination.
at is not an infrequent occurrence,
often a
son of prominence, to come out with
! declaration that this, or the other thing
Is 'menacing' the life of the republic:
that we are following the path which
| brought Rome to decay; that our wealth,
our Industrial combinations; our free
speech are crowding the nation to death.
| Notwithstanding all these dire predic
| lions none of which is more absurd
than the myth of Mormon "heirarchar
! domination, the American union is going
to stand. 1t is founded on the popular
will of a liberty loving people. 1t Is
builded on the undying principles of hu-
| man right and human freedom. AS suc<
! II will advance. 1t will grow. No other
/ nation will prevail against it. It has
| the favor of God and the gratitude of Its
own people to perpetuate It along the
centuries to come. as they have main
tanned it in the century that is past
I'm closing. let me say under my obliga-
| ton as a senator what ! have said under
oath before the committee: That | have
! never taken any oath or obligation re-
| lisious or otherwise, which conflicts In
| the slightest degree with my duty as a
| senator or as a citizen. I owe no allegi-
| ance TO any church. or other organization
| which in any way interferes with my
supreme allegiance in civil affairs to my
| countryLan allegiance. which | freely,
| fully and gladly give
|
Card of Thanks.