The Indianapolis journal., 1904-01-17
MORMON SHOOTS HEAD
DEMANDED BY PERSONS
WHO OPPOSE POLYGAMY
Crusade Against the Utah Senator
Begun in Earnest at the Ma
tional Capital.
AN ARRAY OF CHARGES
Filed by R. w. Tayler, Who
Drove Mormon Roberts Out
of the House.
SENATE GIVES HEARING
Committee on Elections Will
Probe the Allegations in
Thorough Manner.
SENATE GIVES HEARING
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Jan. ia strenuous ef-
fort is being made 10 deprive Reed Smoot
OF his seat in the United States Senate
Former Representative Robert w. Tayler,
of Ohio. is leading the crusade in behalf of
the Mormon's opponents. He appeared be-
fore the Senate committee on privileges and
elections to-day at public hearing and
made a long statement T. p. Stephenson
also present in behalf Of the National
Reform Association, organization that is
promoting the crusade. A. S. Worthington
and Waldemar Van COtt represented Sen
ator Smoot Mr.. Tayler's statement was of
such a nature that the committee decided
10 receive a written reply from Mr.. Shoots
attorneys. This reply is expected to be
made on Monday. and Senator Burrows VIII
convene the committee at the. earliest time
convenient TO the members From conver-
sation ensuing I'm the executive session it
was made plain that the committee will
prosecute thorough inquiry into the
charges against Mr.. Smoot.
'F'frst-The Mormon priesthood. according
to the doctrine OF the church and the belief
and practice of it's membership, is vested
with and assumes 10 exercise supreme
thOrity in all things temporal and spiritual.
civil and political The head OF the church
claims to receive divine revelations. and
these Reed SmOot. by his covenants and
obliga tions. is bound 20 accept and obey.
''Second-The First Presidency and Twelve
Apostles. of which Reed Smoot is one. is
supreme in exercising the authority of the
church and In the transmission of the au-
thority to their successors. Each of them
Is called prophet. seer and revelator
'Third-As shown by their teaching and
by their own lives. this body of men has
not abandoned belief in polygamy and
polygamOus practices On the contrary (a)
as the ruling authorities Of the church they
promulgate in the most solemn manner the
doctrine OF polygamy, without reservation;
(b) the president of the Mormon Church and
majority of the Twelve Apostles now prac-
tice pOlyGamy. and some of them have taken
polygamous wives since the manifesto of
1880. These things have been done with the
knowledge and cOuntenance of Reed Smoot;
plural marriage cermonies have been per-
formed by apostles since the manifesto of
1870 and many bishops and other high Orf1
Gals OF the church have taken plural wives
since that time. All of the First Presidency
ana the Twelve Apostles encourage. coun-
tenance, conceal and cOnniTe at pOlygamy
and polygamous practices, and honor and
reward by high office and distinguished
preferment those who most persistently and
defantly. violate the law of the land
"FOurth-Though pledged by the compact
of statehood and bound by the law of the
commonwealth, this supreme body, whose
voice is law TO its people and whose MEM
bers were individually directly responsible
for good faith TO the American people, per-
mitted without protest objection their
legislators TO pass a law nullifying the
statute against pOlygamous cohabitation.
For all these things Reed Smoot is respon-
sibe in law and In conscience. TO this body
and 10 the American people"
IN SHOOTS BEHALF.
In reply. Mr.. Worthington said the state
ments made by Mr.. Tayler differ very ma
terially from the charges made in the
formal statements and he asked time in
which 10 make a reply. which was granted
In a long oral statement Mr.. Worthington
denied all the charges made by Mr.. Tayler.
He read large number of court decisions
leading up TO the abandonment of polygamy
and then read from official church procla-
nations including the manifesto of $780,
declaring that polygamy should be abol-
ished He also read the amnesty proclama-
tion OF President Harrison, and declared
that not only by this proclamation. but by
acts OF Congress. the people Of Utah should
be absolved from the charge of polygamy
by complying with the enabling act adj
mitting the State TO the Union
Mr.. Van Cott made a statement in SEN
ator Smoot's behalf. He invited the full
est inquiry into Senator Shoots life I'VE
throw down the bars" he said. "and invite
you to investigate his entire career. If.
ne went on. you find that he has ever been
guilty OF any offense against the law his
counsel will throw up the case and walk
out We also throw down the bars as to
Mr.. Shoots moral character" He denied
that Senator Smoot had ever taken an oath
which was inconsistent with good citizen
ship.
Senator McComas asked whether IL was
true that the apostles take a secret oath
and Mr. Van Cott replied that not being
a Mormon, though resident OF Utah he
could not reply OF his own knowledge 1t
was his understanding. however, that the
Norman apostles took no oath.
Senator Dubois asked how it was with
the elders and Mr.. Van Cott replied that
there might be some obligation taken i'm
connection with the endowment ceremony
That was not. however. one of the charges.
Replying to questions from Senator Nc
Comas as TO the charge that pOlygamy
was practiced by members OF the Mormon
Church within the knowledge Of the apos-
ties. Mr.. Van Cott said that il was not
true. He declared that Senator Smoot did
not know OF such practice and that IL he
did he would give the information TO the
committee.
The public hearing continued about two
hours and at its conclusion the committee
went into executive session.