Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-20
REED SMOOT ON MORMONISM
Senator from Utah Speaks in Defense Of
his Course.
CHURCH NOT HOSTILE TO GOVERNMENT
Speaker Declares that Mormon Clti-
gems Have Proven Their DevO-
ton to United states on
Many BattIeAeIds.
CHURCH NOT HOSTILE TO GOVERNMENT


feature Of the session. He was supported
by Senator Dillingham; of Vermont in an
analytical speech of the evidence which had
been submitted in the case.
The senate spent several hours in further
consideration of the forestry provisions in
the agricultural appropriation bill with
the result that several amendments were
agreed to which restrict the operations of
the bureau in several respects. The sec
ton of the bill had not been completed
when a recess was taken for the evening
session. At the night session several bills
not of general Importance were passed.
Mr.. Shoots Address.
Senator smoot addressed the senate on
the general subject of Mormonism. He
condemned polygamy in the strongest terms
and declared emphatically that he had
| taken no oath inconsistent with that he
| had taken as senator. Mr., Smoot spoke
in part as follows:
Mr.. President: In what I shall say to
/ the senate, do not intend to analyze the
voluminous testimony taken before the
committee or to make an argument thereon.
/ The greater part of this testimony has
been before the senate for more than two
years, and all of it for nearly one year.
/ 1t has been fully argued by the dlsth-
guished senators who have already spoken
| covering more than lbs pages of the record.
is before you, and 1 do not feel that l
]
/ ing in any extended discussion.
| The senate is entitled to know my per-
sonal attitude upon the subject of polyg-
| amy any upon the subject of loyalty to
this government Upon these two matters
shall express myself briefly, but with en-
First, / desire to state, as I have re-
peatedly heretofore stated, to the senate
and to the country, that I am not and
never had but one wife and she is my
present wife,
opinion that the doctrine of polygamy was
obligatory upon the members of the Nor
mon church, when, in truth and fact, no
such obligatory doctrine has ever existed
! The revelation concerning polygamy, as
! originally made and always interpreted,
is permissive and not mandatory. As q
matter of fact only a small percentage OF
the adherents of that faith have ever been
polygamists. The vast majority OF the
| adult members. from its foundation to the
present, have been monogamists.
when Manifesto Issued.
The Mormon people, however, regarded
this doctrine, although permissible IN
and when the law was passed denouncing
its practice, the execution of the law was
| resisted on the ground that 1t was uncon-
their religious liberty. Appeals were taken
10 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
polygamy which was ratified by the general
. | NpAANlcACo VI the Htoplef" anu NhSA CURNAh
the practice of polygamy for the future
was abandoned.
This manifesto. adopted in 1890. dlscon-
tlnulng plural marriages, has been pre-
sented and discussed in church conferences
repeatedly, sent out in the church book,
The Articles of Faith" and in many
other publications issued by the church.
Consequently, its text, tenor and purpose
In prohibiting marriages violative of law
In every part of the world.
But the practice which had prevailed In
| the period previous to 1880 left heritage
for the succeeding period that was grave
problem. There were in 1880 about 2 4ol
male members of the Mormon church who
had polygamous families. That these were
placed in a position of difficulty was rec
ognized by all who were familiar with con-
ditions. The present conditions with ref
erence to polygamous cohabitation have
grown out of past conditions, and both
must be considered together to fully under
stand the liberation exercised by most OF
Mormon alike.
into the plural marriage relation before
the issuance of the manifesto had been
3ed before 1 the that Snrts time Or the sS TO
change that existing fact. What had been
done had been irrevocably done. The only
should be the attitude OF the people toward
the future relations of those who had en-
Ths PT0Sem Tas
GUS one.
One PoIyEamist Recently Elected.
or the seven apostles chosen since April,
1900, when l was named, only one was a
polygamists, the other six being monogram
lists. The only polygamist chosen an
and entered into that relationship before
the manifesto. At the time of his selec-
ton his youngest child was 22 years OF
age. He has been a member OF the church
for over half a century performing faith
/ full and distinguished service during most
th opF long fsaS service that voted for
him to be an apostle Nothing could have
| induced me TO vote for him II he had been
guilty OF taking a plural wife since the
OF the ninety-six members Of Presi-
denotes OF stakes (ecclesia stical subdlvi-
sions) in 1890 forty-seven, or about one
half. were polygamists. OF l6o such prom
inent church officials In l$S-the increase
! in number being because or the creation OF
new "staKes''-only sixteen, or less than
10 per cent, were polygamists.
! But. Mr.. President, 1t is claimed that
there have been new cases of polygamous
| marriages since the manifesto, and this
presents altogether different question
have no hesitation in declaring to the SEN
ate and 10 the American people that, In
my opinion, any man who has married a
Should be prosecuted and. If convicted
should suffer the penalties of the law.
The testimony taken before the com
mittee tends to show that there have beer
some pOlygamOus marriages since the
manifesto. 1 believe sincerely, Mr.. Presi-
dent, that such cases have been rare. They
have not received the sanction or encOur-
agement of the church, But submit
that II would be a remarkable thing IT, IN
the course of sixteen years. there should
r not have been occasional instances OF new
polygamy.
In Defiance of Church.
II any OF these cases are actually cases
OF attempted assumption of polygamOus re
ations, such attempt is not only without
the sanction and approval of the Mormon
church, but is in the face of and in defanc,
OF its most solemn protest and admonition
The Mormon church has stopped plura
marriages and no polygamous relation as
suTned subsequent TO 1880 is with the per
mission, sanction, or approval OF tn,
church; that is final and fixed. Every such
, violation Of the law has the expires:
condemnation OF the church. The mani
festo OF 1890 was submitted to and approved
2 BY the conference of the church. II canno
. be reappealed, modified or suspended. excep
5 by the same power that enacted II.
3 / Reference has been made TO an allege,
s I reasonable obligation, which 1t Is sough
o to claim is a part Of the Mormon endOw
ment ceremonies. The senate will under
; stand that these ceremonies are of a sacred
character 70 those participating I'm them
/, and are therefore not divulged They Wer,
4 instituted in the Mormon church by JOSEPH
Smith some time prior 70 his death and ar,
. yet given as part OF the temple ceremonies
being OF a religious spiritual character
they are for the living and the dead;