The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-20

/ 3
WASHINGTON. D. c., February 19.-l
Senator Reed Shoots long-expectcd. ad-
dress to the Senate to-day in defense OF
| his position as Senator from Utah, was
the feature Of the session. He was sup
ported by Senator Dillingham; of Ver-|
mont, in an analytical speech on the
evidence which had been submitted in
the case. Mr.. smoot condemned poly
ga,ny In the strongest terms, and de-
clared cmphatically that he had taken
no oath inconsistent with that he had
taken as Senator.
Tho Senate is entitled to know my
personal attitude upon the subject IT
rolygamy," said Mr.. Smoot, "and upon
| the subject OF loyalty to. this govern
ment. Upon these two matters shall
express myself briefly. but with entire
candor. yf{
First desire to state, as l have re-
| pcatedly heretofore stated to the Senate
and TO the country, that am not and
never have been polygamist 1 never
have had but one. wife, and she Is my
present wife.
4 There has been a more or less preva-
\ lent opinion that the doctrine Of poly
sgamy was obligatory upon the members
/ Of the Mormon Church, whereas, In
4 truth and fact. no such obligatory doc
| trine has ever existed Tho revelation
\ concerning polygamy. as originally made
| and as always interpreted, Is permissible
fact. only a small percentage Of the ad-
| herents Of that faith have ever been
4 polygamists. The vast majority Of the
adult members of the church from its
foundation to the present time, have
been monogalnists.
Part of Faith.
Tho Mormon people, however, regard
ed this doctrne--although permissible in
character-as part OF their religious faith
and when the law was passed dcnouncing
its practice the execution OF the law
was resisted on the ground that 1t was
unconstitutional as being an interference
| With their religious liberty.
i Appears We're 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 poly
gnmy. which was ratified by the gen
eral conference of the people, and
thereupon the practice OF polygamy
1 for the future was Abandoned.
l There were In 1880 about 2,451 male
members OF the Mormon Church who
| had polygamist families. That these
were placed in a position Of difficulty
was recognized by all who were ia.
miliar with conditions Tho present
conditions In reference to rolygalnous
4 cO- -habitation have grown out OF past
conditions, and both must be consld.
cred together to fully understand the
1 federation exercised by most oe the
Iteople Of Utah, Mormon and non-Mor-
mon alike
Old Relations Will Die.
'.At that time ali tho machinery OF
the courts in the Territory was In the
hands OF non-Mormon officials, who had
| been vigorous in the prosecution of poly
/ gamous relationship. These recognized
/ the vexed nature of tho situation and
] extended tho olive branch, as 1t were.
AS a relief in this dilemma camel AM
exercise of forbearance on the part OF
4 prosecuting l!lice y Tho three assistant
United States district attorneys for that
| period were e. b. Critchlow. Frank B..
Stephens and william M. ArcCarty. Judge
McCarty was inclined to continue pro-
secutlon In some cases but the United
State district attorney refused to allow
his accounts therefor. and he ceased
'Mr. CritchloW was the writer Of the
principal protest in thfs case and one Of
1 Its signers. All of these. and other gov
ernment prosecuting officers. testified be-
fore the committee to the cessation of
prosecution against then existing poly
gamous relations, and OF the general
sentiment among tho on-Mormon popu-
4 !laton. that that,wns tho best and quickest
way to get rid of the whole question,
TO let tho old .timo relations naturally
end In death.
There was n gcnenrl acquiescenco
by the people In this method Of
solving tho problem. And this method
is working out Il complete and final
solution.
Down on Polygany.
But, Mr.. President It is claimed
that there have been now cases Of
i polygamous marriage since the mani
festo and this presents altogether a
a different question. have no hesita-
i tion in declaring to tho Senate and to
!. the American people that in my
opinion. any man who has married a
Y polygamous Wife since the manifesto
should be prosecuted, and, II convicted.
! should suffer the penalties of tho law;
I and 7 caro- not who the man might
be or what position he might hold In
4, the church. lie should receive the pun-
ishment pronounced by tho law
n against his crime.
'"rhe testimony taken before the
i committee tends to show that there
! have been some polygamous mar
. rags since tho manifesto. believe
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