Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-18
PADEN SCORES PoLYGAMY
speech of senator KnOx Denounced
at Anti-MOrmon Macs Meeting
I'm washinstOn.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.--Polygamy was
scored and President Joseph Smith and
the leaders OF the Mormoa church in Utah
were denounced by Rev. DIT. William NJ.
Paden, pastor of the First Presbyterian
church Of Salt Lake City. and president Of
the Ministerial Association of the North
west at an ti-Mormon mass meeting held
at the Metropolitan Memorial Methodist
Episcopal church in this city tonight under
the auspices Of the National League OF
Womans Organizations DR.. Paden de-
voted most Of his speech TO reviewing the
minority report submitted to the senate in
the Smoot case and declared the stand
taken by Senator Knox of Pennsylvania
was nothing more or less than a plea to
the American people TO acquiesce in the
polygamous practices in Utah.
DR.. Paden presented the Gentiles' side of
the Mormon controversy. declaring the
law-abiding citizens OF Utah will take tho
senates action, n Senator Smoot Is al
lowed to retain his seat, as an endorse
ment Of polygamous living. He declared
the federal legislation OF 1852 against
bigamy in the territories had never been
executed. The law was defective. he said.
IN that 1t made no provision against the
crime OF polygsmous living.
mo law against polyRamy Is worth the
paper on which It IL written" continued
the speaker, unless II also deals with
polygamous cohabitAtion. We cannot this
day prove Joseph Smith is a polygamist." ="
DIR. Paden commended the Edmunds-
Tucker acts as the only laws which ever
made polygamous living a crime to be
prosecuted and mot TO be acduiesced in
or tolerated"
Thousands OF cases were prosecuted sue
cessfully in the Utah courts. he declared,
when these laws were being enforced by
the government and they were the direct
cause of bringing the polygamists to their
knees in $780," when the church capiulated
and made unconditional surrender.
The speaker said President Joseph r.
Smith and several OF the Mormon church
have had children born 20 them by their
plural wives since the manifesto prohibit
ing polygamous living was issued.
Through his speech DR.. Paden referred
to Senator smoot as Reed Smoot, apostle,
prophet, seer. revesator of the Mormon
church."
In concluding DR.. Paden said:
This toieration OF polygamous livinl
means the tolerance Of polygamy. the toll
erance Of adultery with religious sanction
Acknowledging as we may that the ma
to do other than aequiesce. that Senator
Smoot acquiesces Is no reason why th'
people Of the nation should acquiesce
Senator Knox calls on us to let polygamou'
living alone and calls our being dissatisfied
no more than religious tolera ton. Senator
Smoot is in harmony with the quorum tC
which he is subject when he acquiesces II
the continuation Of this crime against Goo
and man; but can It be possible that Sen
ator Knox is in harmony with his cbnstit
uency IN Pennsylvania, in harmony will
the moral and religious viii OF the peopl,
of the United States when ne becomes tn
devils advocate before the senate OF th'
United States and makes a plea for tn
religious liberation of polygainuus living Al
he did?"
Rev. DR.. Frank Bristol and Miss Mar
garet Dye Ellis, both of this city, alss
criticised Senator Knox's attitude.