Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-02-21
SENATORS SMOOT
AND DILLINGHAM;.
Made Speeches in Defense Of For.
mer's Position AS Senator
Tuesday.
POLYGAMY IS DECREASING
Sen. Dillingham; Believes 1t VIII soon
Censc-Defcnd- Smoots Character
As Mnn and OMcinl-SmoOt
Says He Has No Higher
Duty Than As senator.

Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Reed
Shoots address to the Senate to-day in
defense of his position as senator, was
the feature of the session. He was
supported by Senator Dillingham; of
Vermont in Il speech analytical of the
evidence which had been submitted in
the case.
The Senate spent several hours IN
further consideration Of the forestry
provisions In tho agricultural appro-
priation bill with the result that sew
eral amendments were agreed to which
restrict the operations Of the bureau In
several respects The section Of the
bill had not been completed when re
cess was taken for the evening session.
At the night session several bills which
were not OF general Importance were
passed
SENATOR DILLINGHAM; SPEECH.
Senator W. p. Dillingham; of Vermont.
member of the committee on privileges
and elections, spoke Off two hours in the
Senate to-day in speech in which he nr-
sucd for the retention of Senator Smoot
Of Utah in that body, Senator Dillingham;
was given very close attention and it Is
Sdlu iO-nlBHt tnal senator SnlOOi IL very
likely to remain. Part OF Senator Dilling-
hams splendid argument follows:
The system of polygamy Is abhorrent in
every sense and ought to be wiped out of
existence and I think il will he. There
are some things which are not understood
by the people ut large and they have
think, been mislead by testimony which
has no bearing upon the precise case W.
have in issue.
The so-called revelation. the con
struction placed upon it by church and
evidence of Individuals all go ia
establish the fact that it was not man
datory upon peopie but was simply
permissivc. It was, even in the old
days before the W""drUf manifesto of
1890, which forbade future plural mar
| riagcs, accepted by only about five per
cent. OF Mormon people but this small
| proportion were mostly poo,le in
priesthood and influential in character
| From the beginning there was a strong
protest among younger Mormons and
particularly children of polyEamous
| marriages. against the continuance, of
the system, Tho fight against the Ed
munds law as being Unconstitutional
was made by the leaders of church
who were themselves polygamists.
| WANTED POLYGAMISTS PROSE-
GIFTED.
The evidence all shows that Reed Smoo,
himself son of a plural wife, from his
earliest manhood was opposed to the
system and the judge. before whom MANY
of the prosecutions were conducted, testi.
fed before the committee Of the Senate rs
long ago as 1892, that Smoot and Other
young men came to him in secret an(
urged such vigorous prosecution Of tn,
polygamist as would result in ending tn.
system. When the Edmunds act hat
been declared constitutional the leader.
surrendered. The president Of the church
| through whom only, according to thcil
doctrine. revelations arc made to tn,
church. professed a revelation suspenlns
revela ton. commanding the people t,
obey all the governmental authorities ant
issued what Is known as the Woodruff
manifesto which was submitted to all tn,
people and by them accepted and which
became the law of the church of tina
subject Fisral marriages had ceased b,
authority of the church after 1857 anc
most witnesses who have appeared be
| fore us testify that from 1887 to 1896 whs,
Utah was admitted as a State, there ha,
ever by authority or knowledge OF thu