The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-20
POLYGAMY DENIED
BY MORMON SENATOR
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tinuing plural marriages. has been pre-
scented and discussed in church confer
ences repeatedly sent out in the church
book the articles of faith, and in many
other publications issued by the church,
such az text books for the various quo
runs, manuals for the mutual improve
ment associations, Sunday schools, pri-
mares, conferences proceedings, etc, and
in that way has been much more widely
circulated than the original revelation on
marriage. Consequently its text, tenor and
purpose in prohibiting marriages ViolatiVs
of law are known to every member OF
the church in every part of the world.
2451 PoIygamous Families.
but the practice which had prevailed
in the period previous to 1890 left a heri-
tage for the succeeding period that was
a grave problem. There were in 1880
about 2i51 male members of the Mormon
church who had polygamous families.
That these were placed in position OF
difficulty was recognized by all who were
familiar with conditions. The present
conditions in reference to polygamouS
cohabitation have grown out of past con-
ditions and both must be considered to-
gether to fully understand the liberation
exercised by most of the people OF Utah,
Mormon and non-Mormon alike.
tered into the plural marriage relation be-
fore the issuance of the manifesto had
been fixed before that time. There was
no power in the church or in the law
TO change that existing fact. What had
been done had been irrevocably done. The
only question was TO the future. What
should be the attitude of the people to-
ward the future relations of those who
had entered into the polygamous status
before the manifesto; this problem was
IL serious one.
"At that time all the machinery of the
courts in the territory was in the hands
of nom Momon officials who had been
vigorous in the prosecution of polyga-
nous relationships These recognized the
vexed nature of the situation, and eX-
tended the olive branch, as it were. AS
a relief in this dilemma came an exercise
of forbearance on the part of the prose-
cutting offco.s. The general sentiment
among the non-Mormon population was
that the best and quickest way to get
rid of the whole question was to let the
old time relations end in death. There
was a general acquiescence by the people
in this method of solving the problem,
and this method is working on to com
plete and final solution.
Change in Church.
'At the time the manifesto was adopted
there We're 245l polygamous households
in the church Careful statistics have
been taken and preserved and will be
after the testimony which shows that
this number has gradually decreased I'M
til there was at the time the testimony
closed not 500 such households in eNis-
tenee.
"There were twenty-sx general author
ities of the Mormon church. including
the first presidency, patriarch, apostles,
first council of seventies, and presiding
bishopric. In 1890 this list of officials
was composed Of twenty-five polygamistS
and three monogamists
1.-The first presidency and council of
apostles, prior to my selection as an
apostle In 1869, was composed of ten
poygamists and five monogomists. In
1906, these same quorums comprised five
poygamists and ten monogamlsts. or
the fourteen general authorities chosen
since 1890, only two were polygamists,
the other twelve being monogamists.
"Of the seven apostles chosen since
April 1900 when | was named, only one
was a polygamist, the other six being
monogamists. The only polygamist chosen
an apostle since 1897 is now Is years Of
age and entered into that relationship
before the manifesto. lie has been a
member of the church for over half a
century, performing faithful and distin-
guished church services during most OF
this long period, 1t was on account of
this long faithful service that I voted
have induced me to have voted for him
if he had been guilty of taking a plural
wife s'"~- he manifesto.
inety-six members of presi-
stanis' ecclesiastic subdivis-
}. forty-seVen. or about one
lygamists. OF 165 such porm-
officials in 1906-the increase
aing because OF the creation
s-only sixteen, or less than
ere polygamists
$500 lid Be Prosecuted.
s ouJ, Mr.. President, ii is claimed that
there have been new cases of polYgamous
marriages since the manifesto, and this
presents altogether "a different question.
g have no hesitation in declaring to the
Senate, and to the American people. that
in my opinion any man who has married
q poygamous wife since the manifesto
should be prosecuted and if convicted
should suffer the penalties of the law,
and l care not who the man might be,
or what position he might hold in the
church. he should receive the punishment
pronounced by the law against his crime.
1.-THE testimony taken before the COM
mittee tends to show that there have
been some polygamous marriages since
the manifesto. | believe since, Mr. Presi-
dent that such cases have been rare.
They have not received the sanction or
the encouragement of the church.f
For nearly half century the rightful-
ness of polgamy was taught, and its
practice was encouraged in Utah. 1t is
no longer taught, and its practice no
longer encouraged, but | submit that 1t
would be a remarkable thing if in the
course of sixteen years there should not
have been occasional instances o, new
poygamy.
''In respect to the thoroughness of the
search made by the committee for such
violations of the law. witness before the
committee testified that he had been en-
Moved since 1898 in hunting down such