The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-20
HIS INsoLENT DEFIANCE.


Much has been said by the Dcscrct
News in praise Of what it called the
uushrinkiug bravery of President Jo-
scph +, Smith when he gave his tcstt.
mony 10 the Senate Committee on Priv.
ilegcs and Elections in the Smoot in.
vestigation. And even now one may
occasionally hear a member Of the
Mormon church express himself in a
similar vein. But neither the News nor
the worshiping saint recognizes what
arc really the facts in the case.
In order to make ourselves clear in
this matter We shall introduce this at.
tcntion TO Joseph f. with an excerpt
from his testimony, rs il is TO he found
no page 33l Of volume ], proceedings in
the Smoot case. Senator Bailey was
questioning the president of the Nor.
mon church with view to getting An
explanation of his admitted conduct in
defiance OF the law. Mr.. Bailey, so far
as this particular part Of the testimony
is concerned, was desirous of knowing
how Mr. Smith reconcjlcd his profcs-
sion OF loyalty To the country with his
personal attitude and practice This is
Joseph f. : courageous explanation:
I want to say. too. that 1t is the law
Of my Statc--it is not the law OF Con-
grcss-undcr which I am living and by
which J am punishable II Is the law
OF my state. and the courts OF my stat"
have competent jurisdiction TO deal with
me in my omcnscs against the law. and
the Congress OF the United States has
no business with my private conduct any
moro than u has with the private con-
duct OF any citizen OF Utah or any other
state. lt is the law OF my state 10
which / am amsndblc, and II the officers
OF the law have not done their duty
toward me I cannot blame them. ] think
they have some respect for me.
To one who is thoroughly advised
concerning the past and present situa-
ton. that is not only extremely cheeky,
but it is positively cowardly. The in.
science of Mr.. Smith at that particular
moment oozes out of every word, and
his cowardicc so fills the spaces as TO
render his uttcrance concretion of
treason that would not be permitted in
any other man in the whole country.
Joseph f. Smith was one of the most
industrious of the polygamous lawbreak-
crs in the Territory OF Utah, lie
damned Government officials. and dc.
clarcd that the Territory would be bet
ter of without the interference of the
United States. He was, too, one of the
chief expouents Of Statehood And in
addition he made solemn pledge, to
gain sovereignty, that has been ruth.
essly broken by himself and host of
others for whom he spoke. from the day
that pledge was made up to the present
time. Therefore IL is easy 10 see why
he was "brave and courageous" in con
Tossing his uuclean unfaith and his bit
ter treason He purposcly he'd in order
TO get Statehood for no other reason
than that when Statehood was once
gained he could say TO the GovernmentI
of the United States, ''the Congress Of
the United States has no business with
my private conduct
II is a known fact that nj the time
OF what the Mormon ecclesiastS call
the "raid ''-meaning the period dur
ing which the Federal Government put
its foot upon lygamy-Joseph L.
Sluilb WIS IHc blSS'5L CoNdIu III th'
whole polygnmous mess. For seven
wears he stayed away from the Terri
tory. or kept on the underground. y
In the meantime there were other men
like Lorenzo Snow. for instauce-who
went to the penitentiary for what they
pretended was their religion S sake. But
Joseph f. Smith divided his time he
tween running and cursing In both
occupations the coward nature was
most potcntly exhibited.
And what do you think was the e1-
cusc given out TO the Mormon people
| by this most 'fbrave and courageous
man for his undignifed flight? He
actually asked his brethren who were
content so stay and face the music to
tell the innocent tithe-payers, (who
wcro obliged to contribute TO his sup
mort while he ran and curscd) that il
was necessary to ''preservc the seed of
the Smiths 10 the church. In the
houses of The apostles they used to
laugh at Joseph j. at dinner table.
Precious skin, and tender one, Joseph