Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-02-22

question and holds that Smoot is en-
titled to his seat.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 19.-
With the vote to decide whether or not
Senator Reed Smoot of Utah, the Nor
mon apostle, shall keep his seat III the
upper house of Congress only day OF,
the member whose presence is dlstaste-
full to many of his fellows today rose to
speak in his own defense. There was
nothing sensational in what he sad. lie
denounced polygamous living ana de
clared there is nothing in the tenets OF
his church to interfere with his service
to the country.
II has been announced that President
Roosevelt has heartily commended Sen
ator Knox for his speech in defense OF
Mr. SmoOt. This, together with care
full poll of the Senate, indicates that MIR.
Shoots opponents have not strength
enough to unseat him. Not to exceed
seven Republicans will vote against him,
it is said, while seven Democrats Will
vote for him. One other has said he will
not vote, Senator Clarke of Arkansas.
The poll accounts for every Republican
except Senator La Toilette OF Wlscon-
sin, who may vote against Mr.. Smoot.
The vote comes Wednesday. Leading
Republicans estimate twenty-four major
llS III La VI VI IIlC - Tan oCh1lOA'
Has Only One Wife.
In his defense, Mr.. Smoot said in part:
l am not and never have been Il polyga-
mist. l have never had but one wife and
she is my present wife.
There has been more or less prevalent
opinion that the doctrine of polygamy was
obligatory upon the members of the Nor
mon church, whereas, in truth and fact, no
such obligatory doctrine has ever existed.
The. revelation concerning polygamy, as
originally made and as always interpreted,
is permissible and not mandatory. AS
matter of fact, only d small percentage OF
the adherents of that faith have ever been
poygamiStS.
Church Followed Law. +
The Mormon people, however, regarded
this doctrine-althOugh permissible in char
acter-as part of their religious faith and
when the law was passed denouncing its
practice, the execution of the law was re-
sisted on the ground that it was unconsti-
tutional, as being an interference with their
religious liberty. Appeals were taken to
the highest courts of the land, every phase
the law was upheld. Then the church
adopted a manifesto against polygamy,
which was ratified by the general confer
ence of the people, and thereupon the prac
tiCe of polygamy for the future was aban
doned.
But the practice which had prevailed in
the period previous to 1890 left heritage
for the succeeding period that was grave
problem. There were in 1890 about 2451
male members of the Mormon church who
had polygamous families. That these were
placed in position of difficulty was recog-
nized by all who were familiar with condi
lions.
Prosecutors Forbearing.
The status of the men who had entered
into the plural marriage relation before the
issuance of the manifesto had been fixed
before that time. There was power in
the church or in the law to change that
existing fact.
hot iD1p a 10 ms nh Of +hn
courts in the territory in the hands
of non Mormon officials who had been Wig
orous in the prosecution of polygamous
lationships. These recognized the, yeXed
nature of the situation, and extended the
olive branch, as it We're: AS a relief in this
dilemma came an exercise Of forbearance
on the part of the prosecuting officers. The
three assistant United States district at
torneys for that period were E: B. Critch
low, Frank b. stephens and William NJ
Mccarthy. Judge McCarty inclined to
continue prosecutions in some cases, but
the United States district attorney re-
fused to allow his accounts therefor and
he ceased. Mr.. CritchlOw was the writer of
the principal protest i'll this case, and one
of its signers.
Polygamy's Decline Rapid.
At the time the manifesto was adopted
the church. At the time the testimony
closed not to exceed 500 such households
existed.
There are twenty-six general authorities of
the Mormon church, including the first presi-
dency, patriarch, apostles, first council of
seventies, and presiding bishoprc. In 1890
this list of officials was composed of %
polygamiSts and three monogamSts.
The first presidency and council of apos-
ties, prior TO my selection apostle in
1900, was composed OF ten polygamists and
and five monogamists. In 1906 these same
quorums comprised five polygamists and ten
monOgamists. OF the fourteen general
authorities chosen since 1890, only two
were polygamtsts, the other twelve being
mOnogamiStS.
pf +bo Cayan onoCt1oc oboeo, =, :,
1900, when ! was named, only one was a
polygamist, the other six being monogram
lists. The only polygamist chosen an apostle
since 1897 is now 10 years of age and en-
tered into that relationship before the mani
festo. At the time of his selection as an
apostle his youngest child was 22 years of
age. Nothing would have induced me to
have voted for him if he had been guilty of
taking plural wife since the manifesto
1t is claimed that there have been new
cases of polygamous marriages since the
manifesto and this presents altogether n
different question. / have no hesitation in
declaring to the Senate and to the Amerf-
can people that in my opinion any man who
has married Il polygamous wife since the
manifesto should be prosecuted. and if con
Victed, should suffer the penalties of the
law; and l care not who the man might be.
church, he should receive the punishment
pronounced by the law against his crime.
No Treason in Obligations.
Reference has been made to an alleged
reasonable obligation which it is sought
to claim is part of the Mormon endow-
ment ceremonies The Senate will under
stand that these ceremonies are of a sacred
character to those participating in them,
and are therefore not divulged.
There does not exist in the endowment
ceremonies of the Mormon church the re-
hottest suggestion of hostility or of antag-
onism to the United States or to any other
nation They are of purely religious
nature, wholly between the person taking
them and his God, and. as with the ritual
of various fraterna organizations, regarded
as sacred and secret. If any effect has
been welded. it has been for the most de-
voted loyalty to our own nation.
Loyalty Is Proven.
The application in this respect, as to the
loyalty of the Mormon people, can be
brought home readily. We will pass by
the incident of the Mormon eXileS from
Nauyoo furnishing battalion for the
United States army for the War with Mex
leo: the action of the Utah pioneers in rails