The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-01-18
An Unreliable Author.

the authorship of Senator Reed Smoot, Mormon
apostle in which he took the ground that poygamy
was thing of the past and that polygamou:
marriages had been contracted with the consent Of
the church since the issuance of the manifesto Of
1890
The Scimitar has already shown by an abundance
of sworn testimony that Mr.. Smoot dealt in COM
mon Mormon falsehood when he uttered that state
ment perusal of the article entire, reproduced
in the columns of the Salt Lake Tribune will con-
vince one that Mr. Smoot made that the strong point
in his argument and that he did not hesitate to
indulge in assertions that easily be shown to be
untrue. Pursuing the subject he said:
In the recent investigation by the United States
Senate in what is known the Reed Smoot case,
il was proved conclusively that since the manifesto
of 1890 there had not been celebrated in Utah-or
elsewhere throughout the United States for that
matter-a solitary .polygamous marriage by or with
the consent, conn1vance, countenance, Sanctlon OF
approval of the Mormon church.
This statement is so entirely contrary to the proof
developed by the investigation that is constrained
to believe that to be good Mormon one must also
be good liar.
The Scimtar does not intend at this time to re-
produce the numerous extracts from the testimony
that it has already printed giving many instances OF
polygamous marriages since $780, with the knowledge
of the church, one of which performed at sea
by President Smith The readers of this paper are
familiar with the facts they have been presented,
taken from the official volumes of testimony in the
Smoot case.
The following incident from real life, written by
former member of the Mormon church, man en-
rey familiar with the circumstances related by him
does not sustain Apostle Smoot in his contention
James Thompson, of Brigham City, Utah, was
the husband Of three wives. With these three
wives he was dwelling in defiance OF law when the
manifesto of the Mormon church was issued pledg-
ing to the Nation Mormon obedience to law With
these three wives he continued to live III defiance OF
law after that manifesto and that pledge He re-
ceived the amnesty of the Government, based upon
his solemn promise to observe the law; he received
his civil rights and exercised them; and he con-
tinued to violate the condition upon winch the am
About ten years after the pledge and the amnesty
after ten years of this notorious and offensive way
of living-enjoyng the generosity OF the Govern
ment while violating all its conditions : ames
THOMPSON was sent upon foreign mission by the
Mormon church From that mission he returned re-
Gently bringing with him woman whom he in IN
stalled in his home or homes IN Brigham City one
became his fourth wife"
This was a case of new polygamy and attracted
some attention. The church and the face neighborS
had condoned his polygamous living with his three
wives The church condoned countenanced, advised
and officiated in his new polygamous marriage. But
the neighbors gossped So James Thompson was
called to go to Mexico to operate there IN conJunc-
tion with his fellow believers of the church, in that
place of refuge provided by the church. When James
Thompson went to Mexico he took his fourth, being
at that time his latest and of course his youngest
wife" He deserted the three older wives, leaving
them in want and loneliness in Brigham City, Utah.
James Thompson is in the full confidence OF the
leaders of the Mormon church, he occupies his sta
ton and his priesthood and his church authority in
Mexico.
And yet the Mormon church Denies and Apostle
Smoot in the Senate denied, any responsibility for
polygamy.
Mr. Smoot further asserted in his magazine arti-