The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-04-26

declaration OF the Mormon hrSl prcsl-
dency. adopted by the conference, Apri.
), 1907.
AS there is nut one man nj time on
the earth who holds the keys OF the seal
ing power in celestial marriage, when that I
one man declines to exercise the authority
vested In him, there Is no way to obtain
the privileges OF the law that governs
that matter, The revelation is very plain
concerning 1t. as all may see from Doe
trinc and Covenants. section ono hun
drcd thlrty-two.- From DCscr@t News
editorial July Ia, 1899.
The Chairman-May I ask Just a ques-
tion? In any instance whore YOU have
learned that these high officials, or any
one else, have been guilty Of a plural
marriage. or OF performing ceremony OF
that kind. since 1890. have you made IN
quirv into 1t?
Joseph II. Smith--It has not, Mr. Chair
man been my business TO do 1t.
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES my question.
Have YOU inquired?
Joseph f. Smith-No. sir: because IL has
not been my business.-frnm testimony
And at another point, while testify
ing concerning this particular matter OF
new polygamy in the church, Joseph f.
said, "We become habituated 10 hear
ing reports of malicious persons until
we pay no attention to them, EVEN IL
THEY DO TELL THE TRUTH y
We think that it will bc conceded
by President Smith and by the Deseret
News that The Tribune possesses fair
understanding of the rules, regulations
and methods adopted and governing IN
this matter Of 'ccestial marriage, in
Guiding plurality of wives; and upon
that ground we claim the right TO assert
that we have authoritatively set forth
the following facts;
First, that new polygamous marriages
have occurred within the Mormon
church since 1890, contrary 10 the
Woodruff manifesto and in defiance of
the law.
Second, that these marriages could
not have occurred without the approha-
ton, connjvancc or the actual partlci-
patton of tho president of the church;
or, If these marriages have been en-
tered into without the president s nc
tive participation or approval, the
parties thereto are living in adultery,
even under the polygamous law.
Third, that while the rule of the
church imposes upon ward bishops the
duty of investigating transgrcssions IN
this respect, the rule of the church also
makes it impossible for the bishops to
perform this duty, i'll that the proof Of
guilt cannot be available TO those Off
cials except by the consent of the presl-
dent or the offenders themselves.
Fourth, that there IS no intention
upon the part of Mormon church Off
Gals to punish these crimes in their
own courts, whether committed hereto
fore or to be committed hereafter.
Fifth that the entire method Of con
ccament of these. crimes and Of pro-
lection of the criminals IS in direct
reputation of solemn covenants made
by the Mormon officials in order TO pro
cure Statehood for Utah.
Notwithstanding the evaSive dcclara
tion by President Smith that it is not
his business to investigate polygamous
nfractions Of church rule, but that this
duty belongs TO the lesser officials, the
entire responsibility gravitatcs back to
himself. AS the pretended revelation
commanding the practice (aud which
he still permits to he published broad
cast among his peoplc) distinctly
states, the president of the church is
| the only man on earth who holds the
"keys' of power and authority to per
| form or TO authorize the performance of
plural marriages. That being true, it
| l., .1I |, IL
aside from the contracting parties and
the officiating high priest, could possess
| knowledge of the commission of the
| crime. n bishop may suspect, or even
| know 10 n comparative certainty, that
II member of his flock had been guilty
of defiance of the pretended church rule
forbidding polvgamy; but he would be
totally unable to bring about the con
| viction Of the culprit, except through
| the confession of the offender, or the
testimony of the high priest performing
the ceremony Gf not performed by the
president himself), or by means of the
admission Of the president that he had
| delegated this authority TO a given in
dividual, together with consent to the
contracting elder to thus place himself
in position of defiance of state and
| church.
Now, President Smith and his two
counselors have publicly confessed, over
their own signatures, that ''thcre have
been sporadic cases of plural marriage
| since the issuance of the Woodruff
manifesto. The church in conference
has adopted that confession as the Off
cial admission Of the entire body. Yet
not one of these offenders has either
been disciplined by the church or prose
cuted under the law. The same diff
Guilty which confronts the bishop to Sc
cure evidence against the criminals is
enlarged when the courts attempt to
take up the matter of such charges.
Therefnro IL is paSy for ,JoseDh H. to