Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-04

Smoot in Position of
Roberts, Who Lost
Contest.

testified before the senate commit
tee investigating the protests against
Senator Smoot, that he was correctly
reported in a speech at the Weber
state reunion, in which he said the
doctrine of plural marriages was a
revelation by God to Joseph Smith,
Jr.. and that to reject that would be
equivalent TO a rejection Of God him
self
Made at NauvOO.
Smith explained the revelation com
manding plural marriages was made
to Joseph Smith, Jr., at Nauvoo, in
1853, but not publicly proclaimed on
account of the disturbance against
Smith which had made him martyr.
Smith said he did not know whether
any one of the six polygamist apos-
ties had disobeyed the law in regard
to polygamous coha bitation since the
manifesto, declaring the apostles had
never taught polygamy.
Prove Hierarchy.
Washington, March 4.-Attorneys for
the protestants in the Smoot fnvestiga-
tion said they intended to prove that
the defendant is associated with a
hierarchy which practices polygamy
and cOnnives violations of the law.
and that his very vote as n senator
of the United States is subject TO the
wish and command of the Mormon
church. President Joseph +. Smiths
testimony was the feature of tie ses-
cin Of aIc a.
tee and held the committee all day,
his statements being considered sen
sItional, although i'll substance the
same facts had come out in the case
of Roberts. who was refused a seat in
the house last session.
Dubois states the Real Issue.
The committee began the session by
the announcement of a ruling that
testimony bearing upon plural mar
riages of any of the twelve apostles,
of whom SmOOt is one. Is competent
so far as it relates TO suCn pOlyEamy
since Sept. %. 1890. the date of PresI-
dent Woodruff's manifesto. withdraw
ing the order of the church command
ing plural marriages. Senator Dubois
said the real charge against SmOot
was that he is a member of Il Nor
mon Hierarchy which suhScribes to
vows in conflict with the laws of the
country and was bound TO support
such vows. For the first time in
fifty years" said Dubois. the relations
of this organization toward the Unit
ed States are TO be tried
Acted Under the State Law.
After number of questions had
been asked Smith he asked and re-
ceived permission TO make Il statement
and then answer the question in his
way. He spoke with great feeling and
directness, saying: In regard to the
status of polycamy ut the time of the
manifesto. l wish TO say that after the
hearing before the master in chancery
L understood that we should abstain
from relations with our plural families
and that rule was observed up TO the
time the enabling act went into effect
admitting Utah as state. Under that
act the only prohibition was that pIu-
raj marriages should cease. Nothing
was said about living with our wives.
Plural Marriages Have Ceased.
Il understood that plural marriages
were to cease. and ever since the iSSu-
ing OF the manifesto and until the
present time there never has been
plural marriage in the church per
formed in accordance with its teach
ings or with the connivance of the
church." and he added with greater
emphasis: Il know whereof l speak"