The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-27
Character of the Witness
DcsereL News. May 25Lh.

Dcseret News, May 25th,
The London Times commenting on the
letter addressed by President Joseph +,
Smith TO the British public pays consld .
cradle attention 10 his private affairs ana
rather disCrcdits the statements made in
that communication because Of his plural
marriage relations. The character of a
witness is very material when he Invites
us to consider his unsupported state
mentS" saws our London contemporary.
We are not quite sure that We grasp
the logic in this argument The char
aCter OF the witness is certainly 70 he
considered in an estimate oi the Vaiuc
oG his testimony, but arc we to under
stand by that. that a man with pm
rality OF wives is an incompetent Wit
ness and must not be given credcnce
That seems. absurd. There arc thou
sands OF British subjects, in India, i'm
Egypt perhaps. and elsewhere, who oc-
cupy positions Of honor and trust nm :
der the government, and whose ''un-
supported statements" are IS good as
gold anywhere. though they have more
than one wife. The mcrc fact that they
have several families does not prove
that they cannot, or do not. speak the
truth,
II there we're any force in the ar
gument imried I'm the lines quoted
from the Times. il seems TO us that
several portions Of the sacred Scrip
lures must be discredted. notably The
beautiful poetical compositions NJ David.
and the gems OF philosophy given
MS by MS lIluSlllplS son DtidISb VI
their character as husbands and IA
thers. we cnnuot be blamed for re-
fusing to accede readily 30 q PROPOSE
tion that involves such manfesty abb
surd conclusions.
The truth is that tho very facts re-
lated by the Times prove The honesty,
sincerity aud truthfuness Of President
Joseph T. Smith as witness. Presi-
dent Smith. with ~ frankness that won
for him the freely expressed admiration
OF members OF tho Senate investigating
committee, told that body, and the en-
tire world OF his family relations. the
position in which he had been placed
through a sincere desire 10 obey what
he sincerely considered a divine law; and
his future intentions. When he had I'm
iShed that testimony which was extended
over a neriod Of several DAYS. there was
not ono who had heard him who was not
thoroughly convinced OF the truthiulness
and integrity Of his character \ man
who bows Ia the majesty OF truth at a
time when priva 10 fury and public sem
tlment are adding fuel TO the fiery fur
mace cannot be charged with contempt
for that deity.
We do not know whether the personal
affairs Of President Joseph F. Smith are
of any interest to the readers Of the
Times, or the British public generally.
vate life. 1t is before the world as an
open book
AZ the time the Manifesto was issued
he. as many lothcrs of the older members
II was perfectly well understood hero by
leading nom -Mormons as we'll as Nor
mons that the existing relations should
not be disturbed. as long as new plural
MARRIAGES were not entered into. This
fact was admitted by tho arch sEitator
against the Mormous. Senator Dubois Of
Idaho. before the senate investigating
committee when he said:
''Wc had no authority OF law. bat we
took il upon ourselves TO assure them
that those older mon who were living in
the polygamouS relation, who had grow
ing families which they had reared and
were rearing before the Manifesto was
Issued and al a time when they thought
they had a right under the constitution
to enter into polygamous relation-that
those older men and women and their
children should not ne disturbed: that the
polygamous man should be allowed to
support his numerous wives and their
children" proceedings before the COM
mittee on privileges and elections. vol
". page 522)
Judge Hiram r. Booth testified TO the
Same effect. In answer 10 the question
why, if the people of Utah are opposed
10 polygamy. those who are living in
plural relations arc not interfered with
He said:
well. my explanation OF that is thal