The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-03
! lMONTGOMERY. ALABAMA THURSDAY, MARCH a 1904

mitted by his client. At the same time l he said, the questions relating to a mans private belief and convictions. are i'm proper and that if he was attorney fo, Mir Smith he would advise him to dc cline to answer. The committee took nt notice of MT. Worthington's objects Mfr. Taylor asked in regard to the mani. festo of President Woodford Woodruff in 1890. commanding a suspension of the requirement. that poiygafuy be practiced in the church. and also the prayer for amnesty In 1891. The questions were num- erous and were to ascertain whether the members of the church considered that these declarations affected the continu- ance of cohabitation of those previously married. Mir. Smith said 1t was regard ed that they did affect such persons. Mfr. Taylor asked: Do you so regard it7'' Still Believes in It.
 ..The command did not change my view on the question of plural marriages" he answered. Being pressed further on the same sub ject for his personal belief. Mr. Smith said;
 T believe plural marriages to be right 2 Mir. Taylor then asked if 1t is true that the revelation declaring plural mar riages remained in the books of author ity as a part of the teachinGs of the church. MT. Smith said that 1t was true. He also said that the subsequent mani festo declaring the principle not in oper- alton was fully understood. Mir Burrows directed number of ques- tions to MT. Smith bearing upon the con sistency of Mir. Smiths answers relating to his belief in and acceptance of the dt- vine revelations. He said: T understand you to cay you believed in the revelation of Joseph Smith, IT., in regard to the polygamy. and still think 1t is right7''
 sYes."
 ruff declaring suspension of the polyy- amy principle was revelation, was 1t not7''
 ''Yes.'
 Belief of Smith. How can that be?'' pressed MT. Bur rows. One declares in favor of polygamy and the other stops it.''
 T adhere to both in my belief." said fir. Smith. T believe polygamy was right or I should never have married more than one wife"
 "As Understand it." MT. Hoar inter- rupted. 'the last revelation does not pro- hibft polygamy. but merely suspends the former principle commanding 1t. It may still be believed that the practice is tn-
 nocent and proper, but as the divine command to continue 1t is stopped, the
 members of the church submit to the civil law on the question of plural mar
 riageg."
 Plural Marriages Since 1890. That is right" subscribed Mir. Smith. .dr. Taylor asked 6 number of ques-
 tions relating to Abraham Q. Cannon and
 others of the Mormon family to bring | | tion whether they were polygamiats and
 whether they had married since the man- ifesto of 1890.
 | Mir. Smith said he was acquainted with
 Lillian H. Hamlin, who was known as the wife of Mir. Cannon, but that he had
 never seen her before 1ss6
 Mr Van Cott. on behalf of Senator 1 Shoot made q protest against GcipG ira0
 the eandnrt of beke0n8 mt tntekeetsd iA
 saa sese ahd asklns aesaslonA whieA apnl6 hEva n0 AAa tiSi sa G b6Eoak xls Icommittee Eza d6elassd tisst tfid BtaFe laws protect D psrB6n in his belief. l Mir. Taylor said he was pursuing the | line of inquiry set out In the protest against Mfr. Smoot to the effect that the President of the Mormon church and the
 majority of the twelve apostles were prac-
 ticing poiygamy. He said Mir. Smith fa
 the husband of five wives and believes
 still in the principles of polygamy.
 Do you expect to prove in that con-
 nection that the president and the twelve apostles form a propaganda of polyg-
 amy7' asked Mir Bevefidee.
 we do." said Mir. Taylor.
 '"Then I think the course taken Is per
 tinont," said Mir. Beveridge. MT. Warrington, in reply to Mir. Tay-
 ler's charge that Senator Shoot had talk
 en an oath. as apostle which would be in
 conflict with his oath to support the con- stitution of the United States by reason
 was composed of men violating the laws of polygamy, said:
 Answer of worthington. ''That oath was taken in 1900 and all the evidence introdtfced thus far goes to show that since that time the members of the heirarchy have not been pledged to polygamy.
 'The witness has been asked in regard to the polygamous marriages of a cer- tain MT. Teasdale. an apostle in the church. We have not made objections before the testimony was taking .an Ir- relevant turn, because we realize that the practice of court of justice cannot ob- tain In a committee hearing But now an attempt is made to bring in testimony in regard to the conduct of this Mr. Teasdale, some fifteen, twenty or thirty years ago. If you are trying to prove merely that some members of the church have violated the laws of the land and judge MT. Shoot from that point of view you might as we'll close the hearing now.''
 The Committee went into executive ses- sion at 4 D. m. to determine the admissi- bllity of the testimony.
 At'the executive session of the commit tee following the, afternoon hearing 1t was decided to meet every day at 10:S0 a. m. and remain in session until 12 noon, meeting again at p. m. and con- tinuing throughout the afternoon. No effort will be made to confine the testie mony to the facts as admissible In a court of justice. It was determined that the hearings shall be full and complete.
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