The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-17
ALL WEAR GARMENTS
AS UNDERCLOTHING
Endowment 0aths Are Too In
delicate TO Repeat
MRS. ELLIOTT TEsTlFItS
Chairman of Idaho Democratic Com.
mlttee Says No Power Can Stem
the Growing Tide of
Mormonism.
MRS. ELLIOTT TEsTlfltS

Washington December 16-The first
witness in the Senator Smoot inquiry to-
day was Mrs. Annie Elliott of Price,
Utah. She Is an elderly lady who went
from Denmark TO Utah in 1872, and left
the Mormon church in 1896. She was asked
concerning the obligations taken in the
temple and was requested to repeat as
much of the ceremonies as she could re-
member.
In voice shaken with emotion Mrs.
Elliott said that the obligations were SO
indelicate she could not bear to repeat
them. Chairman Burrows told her to take
her own time and not to be embarrassed.
By slow degrees Mrs. Elliott repeated the
oaths of vengeance and the various pen
alties ascribed by the witness.
At the request of Mr.. Taylor, Mrs. Ell
lott described the garments worn by
Mormons who have taken the endow-
ments. Senator overman asked If every
Mormon in good standing is compelled to
wear the garments. and the witness said
that all such Mormons wear the gar
ments as underelothng. Locking at Sem
ator Smoot, Senator 0verman asked the
witness If she were sure every Mormon
In good standing in the committee room
had the garments on.
Yes, sir. they have" The reply pro-
voked laughter and the witness repeated;
4 know they all have them on"
Senator Foraker asked the witness II
she had ever heard of the endowment
house penalties being enforced against
anyone. She said she had not. Mr.. Taylor
asked If she were likely to suffer by rea-
son of giving testimony here Mrs. Elliott
said she expected that her business would
suffer.
Power of Mormons Is Growing.
Charles H. Jackson of Boise City
Iado, chairman of the democratic state
committee, testified al length concern
ing the growing power of the Mormon
church and It's interference in state af-
fairs, which he said was made the para
mount issue by democrats and independ-
ents in the last campaign in Idaho. He
said that apostles Of the church from
Utah go into Idaho and direct the peo-
pie how to vote. These church officials
said Mr.. Jackson, tell their people the,
have received revelations, that they
should vote a certain ticket and alst
that the Mormon church desires 1t. Ths
/ witness described In detail the fight be
ing made by the Mormon church for tbs
removal from the state constitution oi
| Idaho of the test oath against poygamy
| He told of the visit of Apostle Johr
Smith for the purpose Of directing leg
islation and said the influence OF tn,
church accompanied the passage OF th'
| sugar bounty bill. 1t is estimated tina
| the bounty In 1903 amounted to $4,000 anc
In 1904 to $4,000. There are four re
nneries in the state and President JOSEPH
I c.
of three of them The fourth factory
was constructed recently and is controlled
| by Gentiles.
Speaking of the Influence of the churcl
on political affairs of the state, Mr.. Jack
son said: 1T is impossible for any MAJ
or any party to stand against the Mormon
| church In Idaho"
Describes Political Conditions.
In describing the political conditions o
the state, Mr.. Jackson said six of th
1 twenty-one counties are known as solidl,
| Mormon and that in all of the southern
counties, the Mormons are In control AM
| In that way he said the church practi
cally is in charge of the legislature. po
litical conventions and all gatherings a
which the delegates are elected by tn
people.
"The delegates elected by these COUNTIES
are not always Mormon in religion blu
they are always Mormon in political ac
/ tion," said Mr.. Jackson. The witness
gave in narrative form the history of th
protests against Mormon interference
which had been made by the democrat
in the last campaign. Mr.. jackson sail
the Mormons declared that not a vot
would be given the democrats, ''and,
said the witness, they made good"
Because of the agreement of the sen
ate to vote on the Philippine bill toda.
no afternoon session of the committe
was held The hearing was adjourne
| until tomorrow.