The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-03

tee took no notice OF Mr.. Worthing-
tons objection. Continuing the inquiry
in relation To divine revelations, Mr..
Tayler asked in regard to the mani
festo of President Woodruff in 1890.
commanding a suspension of the re-
quirement that pSlygamy be practiced
in the church. and also the prayer for
amnesty in 1891. The questions were
numerous and were 10 ascertain wheth-
er the members of the church cOnsid-
cred these declarations affected the
continuance Of cohabitation of those
previously married.
Mr.. Smith said it was regarded that
they did affect such persons.
. Mr.. Tayler asked: DO you so re-
gard ito"
The command did not change my
view on the question of plural mar
riages.' he answered.
Believes in Polygamy.
Being pressed further on the same
subject for his personal belief, Mr.
Smith said; 4 believe plural mar
riages to b. right
Mr.. Tayler then asked, if it is true
that the revelation declaring plural
marriages remains in the books of au-
thority as a part of the teachings OF
the church.
AIr. Smith said that it was true He
also said that the subsequent manifesto
declaring the principle not in operation
WAS fully understood
Mr.. Burrows directed a number of
questions 10 Mr.. Smith bearing upon
the consistency of Mr.. Smiths answers
relating to his belief in and acceptance
Of the divine revelations. He said:
4 understand you believe in the rev.
citation or Joseph Smith, jr., in regard
to polygamy and still think it Is
righr?''
Yes
And the manifesto Of President
Woodruff declaring a suspension of the
polygamy principle was a revelation.
was it not?"
Yes"
How can that be?" pressed Mr.. Bur-
rows. zone declares in favor of polyg-
amy and the other stops it?''
L adhere to both in my belief said
Mr.. Smith. Il believe polygamy was
right, or l should never have married
more than one wife,
As understand it," Mr.. Hoar inter-
rupted. 1.-The last revelation does not
prohibit polygamy, but merely sus-
Ponds the former principle commanding
IT. 1t may still be believed that the
practice is innocent and proper, but
as the divine command to continue it
Is stopped, the members of the church
submit TO the civil law on the cues
ton of plural marriages?'
THAT is right" subscribed Mr.. Smith.
Mr.. Tayler asked a number Of ques-
tons relating to Abraham H. Cannon
and others of the Mormon faith in or
der 10 bring out the witness knowledge
Of the question whether or not they
We're polygamists and whether they
had married since the manifesto OF
1890.
Mr.. Smith said he was acquainted
with Lillian II. Hamlin. who was
Known as the wife of Mr.. Cannon, but
that he had never seen her before 1896.
Van Colt Protested.
Mr.. Van Colt, on behalf of Senator
Smoo-- made a protest against going
into the conduct of persons not inter
ested in the case and asking questions
which could have no bearing on il be-
fore the committee He referred to
questions which had been asked by
Mr.. Hoar concerning Mr.. Smiths be-
lief and questions by Mr.. Burrows in
relation TO the Inconsistency of his be-
lief.
Z Mr.. Van Colt declared that the state
laws protect a person in his belief no
matter what the tendency of the belief. !
latiOn of law. and that. therefore. the
line of questioning was not reaching
any end. He read from Mr.. Tayler's1
statement that Mir. SmOOt was not I
charged with any offense cOgnizabIe by I
law.
Mr.. Tayler said he was pursuing the
line of inquiry set out in the protest /
against Mr.. Smoot to the effect that
the president of the Mormon church !
l. -
were practicing pOlygamy. He referred
to Mr. Smith as the daily associate
and superior, in the church. of Mr.. !
Smoot. and said that Mr. Smith is the
husband of five wives and believes still
IN the principles OF pOlygamy.
What They Expect to Prove.
do you expect TO prove in that con-
nectiOn that the president and the
twelve apostles form a propaganda of
DOlygamy?" asked Mr. Beveridge.
we do" said Mr.. TayIer.
Then 1 think the course taken is
pertinent" said Mr.. Beverage.
Mr.. Worthington. in reply to Mr.
Tayler, said that th= charge that Sen
atOr Smoot had taken an oath as apes
tie which would be in conflict with his
oath 10 support the constitution OF the
nited States by reason of the fact that
the apostolic hierarchy was composed
Of men violating tho laws Of pOlySamy.
said:
THAT oath was taken in 1890 and all
the evidence introduced thus far goes
to show that since that time the men,
bers of the hierarchy have not been
pledged To pOlygamy.
The witness had been asked in re-
gard to the polygamous marriages of
a certain Mr. Teasdale. an apostle in
the church. We have not made objec-
tons before the testimony was taking
an irreYelant turn because we realized
that the practice of a court of justice
cannot obtain 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. If you are
trying 10 prove merely that some men,
bers of the church have violated the
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