The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-13
CHURCH AT BACK
OF REED SMOOT
UNLESS AS AN APOSTLE
HE COULD NOT HAVE RUN FOR THE
U. S. SENATE.

Being an Apostle and Having the
Before the Committee Declared
That SmOOt Could Not Have Been
Defeated-HiIes Told of the Prose-
cutiOn of MOrmons for POIygamOus
COhabitatiOn.
Washington, March 12.-That Reed
Smoot could not have been elected to
the United States Senate without first
having been chosen as an apostle of
the Mormon Church. and that after
he was so chosen he could not have
been defeated, was asserted to-day by
Judge ogden Hiles, formerly Assistant
United States attorney and later a
judge of the District Court in Utah,
who was a witness in the Smoot case
before the Committee on Privileges and
Elections. He told an interesting story
of the prosecutions of Mormons for
polygamous cohabitation and the man
ner in which they had been met by the
defendants.
Mr.. Critchlow was first heard. He
was questioned in regard to the SEN
timent for or against Reed Smoot for
senator, and said that so far as he was
concerned he had no objection to Smoot
personally, but opposed him On the
ground that he wag a general author
ity of the church.
Church's Reserve Force.
To ascertain the difference between
the influence exercised by the Mormon
Church over lay members and general
authorities was the object of the in
quiry by Senators Hopkins and Nc
Comas, and the answers of the wit
ness indicated that the machinery of
the church was so adjusted that either
might be compelled to obey the be-
hests Of the church, and that the
wishes of the Nigh authorities might
be enforced by the reserve force" in
politics, which the church is said to
maintain.
In the examination concerning the
Thatcher episode it was brought out
that Thatcher was in the same status
in 1895 as to polygamy as was Brig
ham II. Roberts when he was elected
to Congress, and that Mr.. Cannon
made his campaign for the Senate
against the wishes of the church, just
as did Thatcher. 1t also was brought
out that in 1895 Mr.. Roberts. refused
to sign the church rule in regard to
politics, the same as Thatcher had re-
fused to subscribe to church dictates.
This was in Roberts first campaign,
but Mr.. Critchlow could not say
whether Mr.. Roberts recanted before
or after the election. =
did he recant at all?" asked Sena-
tor Overman.
"Oh, yes, there is no question about
that"
The witness was asked to explain
the change of mind and said:
'WrestIed" with smoOt.
''It is understood, in fact, it has been
published IN the official church paper,
that authorities of the church labored
and prayed with Mr.. Roberts for six
weeks, and then announced that he
had received vision of his dead an
cestors being lost to perdition, because
he was out of harmony with his church
and could not go into the temple and
be baptized, and thus save their souls
as we'll"
After that. the witness said, Mr..
Roberts subscribed to the church rule
and was not dsfellowshipped.
Instances were asked I'm which the
church interfered In business matters
In the last five years, and Mr.. Critch-
low mentioned the location of a union
depot in Salt Lake, the incident at
Brigham City, in which the church is
said to have opposed a certain amuse-
ment hall, \ case before the high coun-
ell of the church. In which the parties
were Jensen VS.. Dietrich Land and
Live Stock Company, and certain wat
er litigation between Salt Lake and
the West Jordan canal
The witness asked concerning a state
ment In former testimony that a Nor
mon committee dictated legislation in
the first session Of the Legislature, He
was asked for a list Of the commit
tee, and he gave the following 9.
w. Penroae. w. w. Rite, James sharp,
william X. King, William 3. Rich-
ards and James ~. Tanner.
DFeaIrins Up cohabftatiOn.
Judge ogden Hiies. IN prefaclng his
testimony. said he had drawn more
continued on Sixth PAGE.