The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-03
PRESIDENT SMITH REVEALS SECRETS Says POlygamy Is Practical
 ly Wiped Out ONLY SUPPORT WIVES Mormon Leader Thinks Woman Suf- frage as Tried in Utah Will
 Spread to Eastern
 States
ONLY SUPPORT WIVES

Washington. July 2-(special.) )-"Let me say this, and let my words be taken as gospel truth, for I am willing to make cath to them," declared President Joseph F. Smith of the Mormon church. shortly before leaving for Utah, "since I have been president of the Mormon church l have tried in every way possible to stop the custom of poygamy among my peo- pie, and shall continue to fight the GUS tom as long as I live The people are firmly convinced that the custom must be wiped out, and they have worked to such good ends that it has been wiped out. That is my reply to the people who claim the custom is still winked att Do you think it is better for the men to have only one wife?" the husband of five wives and father of 43 children was asked.
 ''1n these days of the high cost of living there is no doubt that the average man is better off with one wife," he replied smilingly. If a man cannot support one wife decently, it would obviously be im- possible to support more. The women of today all demand that they be dressed and
 
 the man with an average income would be in terrible straits if he had several wives on his hands, all crying for the latest thing in hats and gowns''
 Asked how it could be shown that polygamy now is absolutely forbidden by the Mormon church and converts of the Mormon churches no longer take plural wives President Smith declared the best proof that can be offered is the fact that at least 12 men caught taking plural wives have been communicated from the church.
 "Polygamy among the Mormons Is now absolutely frowned upon and forbidden by the church," he declared. There, of course, may be few members who are living with more than one wife. But if this is so the church does not know of 1t. It is plainly impossible absolutely to wipe out bigamy among any large number of people. But the church wipes 1t out whenever it finds evidences of it.
 The best evidence we seriously and con- scientiously are fighting polygamy is shown by the fact that MT. Taylor for merly an apostle of the church and a member of governing council, has been excommunicated. That disproves the charge that men high in the counsels of the church are secretly allowed to com init bigamy and go unpunished. Taylor was warned that unless he gave up his plural wives he would be put out. and when he persisted in his habits the threat was made good.''
 It has been charged that still live with my plural wives. That Is absolutely un- true, as every one that knows me can testify.
 "I still support my plural wives. because 1t would be manfestly unjust for me to do otherwise.
 Who would have me turn them adrift to suffer and be in need?
 'I support them, but l have not lived with them since the manifesto went into effect My youngest child is 20 years old.
 "rhe number of active Mormons who still have plural wives, whom they mar ried before the manifesto was issued does not reach more than 50. I should say, and is steadily growing smaller. None of these men live with their plural wives They simply support them. When these men die the last evidence of polyg- amy in the Mormon church will lave been wiped out
 How Is woman's suffrage working in Utah?" the president of the Mormons was asked.
 'Oh, 1t seems to be working fine," he answered.
 "The woman seem to like to vote, and it appears to be for the good of the state would not be surprised to see woman's suffrage extend eastward. We were the pioneers, you know, in establishing suf- frage for the opposite sex, just as we were the pioneers in developing the beet sugar industry and in claiming the terri tory of Utah, then belonging to Mexico, as part of the United States. Soon after the Mormons settled at Salt Lake City they planted the Stars and Stripes on a cliff overlooking the city and at. that time 800 Mormon volunteers were engaged in the trouble with Mexico"