The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-05
Would Have to Dis0b3y the Law if Il Commanded
 Him to Do So
ALL HIS PREDECESSORS
 HAVE BEEN POLYGAMISTS
Witness Shows Intense Feeling Against Those Who Fried Into His Pri- sate Life and Acted
 as Spies.

Washington. March 4.-Interest in the Investigation before the senate committee on privileges and elections of the lrotests against Senator Shoot of Utah, was una bated today although most of the time was devoted to introduction of documents subscribed to as the law of the Mormon church. In that connection President Jo- seph F. Smith who again was on the stand, testified that if the principle of plu- ral marriage should be attacked, it would be defended by the church.
 Intense feeling was exhibited by Pres ident Smith against individuals who he said had spied on the domestic and mari- tai relations of the high officials of the Mormon church, and for that reason he had favored the passage of the Evans bill to prevent prosecution for polygamous CO., habitation, unless complaints were enter ed by husband or wife against the other. This bill was passed but vetoed by the governor of Utah.
 It was brought out that all of MT. Smiths predecessors as presidents of the Mormon church had been polygamists, and that the man chosen to succeed him has more than one wife.
 Mir Smith was asked which he would obey, the law of the land or revelations from God, if the two were in conflict. He said he might obey the revelation, though it was not compulsory He added:
 T should not like to be put in position where I would have to desert my children Ii could not do that"
 He was called to the stand by Senator Hoar at the opening of today's proceedings. Senator Hoar desired infor- nation on the subject of the rights of women in the church and whether they hold any priestly authority.
 MT Smith said the women are regarded BIS the equals of men in all matters of vot- Ing, but that in holding priestly author Ity'' women are not regarded on the same plane. He explained that the women have a charitable association known as The Woman's Relief society," in which they have authority to perform certain pre- scribed duties. This authority Is limited to the relieving of distress, but women are not ordained high priests, apostles or elders.
 Asked About Cowley.
 MT Tavlor asked about M. F. Cowley. me of the apostles and Cowleys talks on doctrine and in answer to questions by Senator Dubois, MT. Smith said MT. cow lev was elected as apostle In lS9i
 Reading from the Desert News of June 23. 19O3 regarding speech by MT. smith at the Weber state reunion MT. Iaylof asked Mr Smith if he was correctly re- ported in saving that the doctrine of plural marriages was a revelation by God to Joseph Smith, IT,, and to reject that would be equivalent to rejection Of God himself MT. Smith said he believed he was correctly reported, and when list of names of those present, including Srnit Ga the list was correct.
 Would Not Have Published 1t.
 He decided he would not have had the article published if he had been consulted. Pressed for a reason he said he was un- der injunction not to teach the rightful- ness of po1ygamy and that he had re- trained from doing so in public.
 Senator Hoar called attention to the fact that the speech was teaching poly gamy in private to the important and influential gathering at the reunion.
 MT. Smith said his statement was mere ly to set right a matter of history in regard to the president who inaugurated the system of plural marriages. Some persons held that Brigham Young was the first" he said, "and I knew it was Joseph Smith and I brought forward my aunt, Bethsheba ". Smith who received the endowment from Joseph Smith at Nauvoo. She was the last living witness, and took that occasion to refute false statement. It was matter of history and not a. teaching"
 Avoided Teaching PoIygamy.
 MT. Smith said he had avoided teaching polygamy, but that the manifesto had not in any manner changed his convictions on the question of plural marriages
 Senator Hoar asked him why he avoided practicing what he had held to be di- Ina it was because of more recent manifesto stopping the practice. Senator Hoar pro- tested that according to the witness own statement the practice had not been stop ped and Senator Foraker interposed ab- ruptly that the witnes had gone over that matter fifty times. and he could see no purpose for the continued questioning along that line. Senator Hoar resented the Interruption, and said Senator Fora ker's statement suggested that he had asked one question fifty times and had received fifty answers. He objected to the interference, and when Senator Fora ker arose to answer, he too, stood up The two senators faced each other in what threatened to be a serious clash Senator Foraker said the senator from Massachusetts could say what he pleased of course. but have not said he asked fifty questions"
 More Threatening Words. sT accept the disclaimer from the sena- tor of Ohio" responded Senator Hoar, but the aggressive manner fin which it was said failed to relieve the situation. After more threatened words Senator Beveridge who occupied a position directly between the two, requested permission to ask question He said he wanted to address MT. Shoot and immediately substituted the name Smith, In the laugh which was provoked both senators sat down and the hearing continued.
 Senator Beveridge desired to know whether the church considered that the laws were being obeyed when polygam- ous cohabitation had continued since the manifesto of 1890, and Chairman Burrows made the question more personal. He said:
 Were Obeying Laws.
 ..You have said today that you were obeying the laws in not teaching polyga-