Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1904-03-05
PRESIDENT SMITH
AGAIN ON STAND
Trial Of Senator Smoot Is
Creating Great Interest.
CHURCH HAS oBEYED THE LAWS.

Senators Hoar and Foraker Have a
Heated Argument In Committee
Room-Witness Says the Norman
Church Does Not Teach Polyuamy..
Washington, March president
Joseph f. Smith, of the Mormon
church, was called to the stand by
Senator Hoar at the opening of to-
days proceedings before the senate
committee on privileges and elections
in the Investigations of protests
against Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah.
Senator Hoar desired information
on the subject of rights of women in
the church and whether they hold
any priestly authority. Mr.. Smith
said the women are regarded as the
equals of men in all matters of voting,
but that in holding "priestly authori-
ty," women are not regarded on the
same plane. He explained that the
women have charitable association
known as THE Woman's Relief So
to perform certain prescribed duties
This authority is limited to the re-
lieving of distress, but women are not
ordained high priests, apostles or ell
ders.
Reading from The Desers News Of
June 23, 1903, regarding a speech by
Mr.. Smith at the Weber state reunion,
Mr. Taylor asked Mr.. Smith if he was
correctly reported in saying that the
doctrine of plural marriages was q
revelation by God to Joseph Smith,
Jr., and to reject that would be equiv
alent to rejection of God himself
Mr.. Smith said he believed he, was
correctly quoted, and when list of
names of those present, including Sen
ator Smoot was read, Mr.. Smith said
the list was correst. He declared that
he would not have had the article
published If he had been consulted
Pressed for reason he said he was
under injunction not to teach the
rightfulness of polygamy and that he
had refrained from so doing in public
Senator Hoar called attention to the
fact that the speech was teaching po-
lygamy in private to the important
and influential gathering at the re-
union.
Mr.. Smith said his statement was
merely to set right matter of his
tory in regard to the president who
inaugurated the system of plural mar
riageS. Some persons held that Brig
ham Young was the first, he said, and
i knew it was Joseph Smith, and
brought forward my aunt, Bethesda
w. Smith, who had received the en-
dowment from Joseph Smith at Nau-
VOC. She was last living witness
and l took that occasion to refute
a false statement. It was a matter
of history and not teaching"
Mr. Smith said he had avoided teach.
ing 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 evaded practicing what he had
held to be a Divine command, and
the witness answered it was because
of the recent manifesto stopping the
practice. Senator Hoar persisted
that, according to the witnesses own
statements, the practice had not been
stopped, and Senator Foraker inter
posed abruptly that the witness had
gone over that matter SO times, and
he could not see the purpose in con.
tinued questioning along that line.
Senator Hoar resented the interrup.
ton and said Senator Foraker's state
ment suggested that he had asked one
so answers. He objected to the in.
ference, and when Senator Foraker
orose to answer, he. too, stood up
The two senators faced each other
clash Senator Foraker said the SEN
ator from Massachusetts could say
what he pleased, of course, but have
not said he asked so questions"
Senator Beveridge desired to know
whether the church considered that
the laws were being observed when
pofygamous co-habitation had contin.
ued since the manifesto of 1890 and
Chairman Burrows made the QueS-
ton more personal. He said:
"You have said today that YOU were
obeying the laws in not teaching po.
lygamy since the manifesto. Do you
think you were obeying the law In
having eleven children from different
mothers since that timer"
Il obey the law SO far as teaching is
concerned. have not said that
have obeyed the laws in my practice
AS l have said before, preferred TO
take my chances with the law rather
than to abandon by plural family. Po-
lygamy has not been taught in the
church by any OF the officials. The
church has obeyed the laws, even if
have not" said Mr.. Smith.
Aged Georgian Dead.
Dallas, Ca, March. Harrington
Wheeler died of old age at his resi-.
dence here Thursday. Mr.. Wheeler
was the oldest inhabitant in Paulding
county, being in his ninety-first year.