The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-12
SMOOT CASE WILL DRAG
ALONG FOR SOME TIME
Testimony of Merrill and TeasdaIe Is Greatly
Desired.
Recess Will Probably Be Taken After the Hearing Today
CritchOw Continues

I directed to ignore. Later. the entire
matter was put IN the records
The committee took a recess until
/ afternoon.
Drafted the Protest.
At the afternoon session Mr.. Critch-
low proceeded with his statement.
Senator Beveridge questioned the
witness in regard 10 the general rep
utation OF Senator SmoOt. particularly
I as 10 whether he is "A pOlyEamist
I Mr.. CritChlow said he had never
{ heard il charged that Mr.. Smoot has
/ more than one wife. The witness was
asked concerning the protest against
MI. SmOOt and ne gave the list. accom-
panied by Il statement as To their BUSH
ness connections. and as q result a
] number Of them viii be called az wit
/ nesses in the case. in answer 20 in
quiriss, Mr.. Critcblow said he had
I drafted the protest against 2ir. SmoOt.
Reference was made 10 the necessity
Of the Aformons 10 secure the consent
/ Of their associates to go into certain
| business projects and the effect Of the
/ proceeding when such a consent was
I withheld Mr.. CritchlOw said that IL
/ was the opinion Of many persons that
| II officers such as apostles should en-
! ter politics there was no chance for
/ laymen and they would not dare to as
Z pre- 10 nlEu pOl4LAedL uolpfN- 4 ne Ne
cessity OF apostles 20 secure consent is
/ equivalent 20 church endorsement
when that consent is given, said the
| witness.
Beveridge For Defense.
''You say they would not dare aspire
/ 10 Office said Senator Beverage.
What would happen If they dido
They would be held to be out OF
. harmony and not disposed TO take
counsel of those higher in the church.
What would be done TO Them
They would be disfellowshipped and
Ostracised from the church.
DO you know Of any who have been
disfellowshipped for independent PO-
litical actiOns?'
The witness said ne did not know
any that ne could mention. but that
many instances could De given where
il was shown the church dominated
Senator Beverage demanded the in.
stances and CritcnlOw proceeded To-
give list OF cases. He started with
the case of Walker Bros. who engaged
in mining operations which did not
conform TO the wishes Of the leaders
o. the church. who are said TO have oh
jected TO The opening OF the mining rc-
sources Of Utah Tor the reason that IL
would bring outsiders into the terri
tory Witness said that transaction
took place forty years ago.
Brigham City Incident.
Give US something modern said
Senator BeVeridse. Nr. Critch!oW then
gave a case at brigham City where
a controversy arose between lenders
of the church and The people. lIormons
and others. over municipal affairs TIE
people Of Brigham City were demand
Ing municipal ownership Tor an electric
light plant, and this was opposed by
the mayor. Who took the case To
Charles Kelly. president OF the stake
According 10 tho story of AIT. CritCh-
low. who announced that his story
came from a man opposed 20 the for
nation Of the Kelly company, Mr. KEEL
" then received "a revelation from the
Lord TO the effect that q company
should be formed TO take the lighting
plant and that he should be the presi-
dent OF the concern. The revelation
was submitted To the general confer
ence at Brigham City and was rejected
Many OF the Mormous who opposed the
transaction were disfelowshippcd.
DO you believe a revelation was
ever received on the question of a light
ing Plaut?" asked Senator Beveridge
The witness said it was not improb-
able that the report thac q revelation
had been received was submitted FOR
the purpose of influencing the scheme
Of the mayor and the president OF the
stake.
What s1noot Could Do.
The witness. when asked concerning
Senator SmooJ's power 70 prevent vio-
latiOns of the laws IL regard TO pOlyg-
amous cohabitation, said:
by one word Smoot could either stop
what is going on or cease TO be an
apostle He had got Up the protest
against Senator Smoot at the sUsges-
ton OF Or. W. NJ. Paden, the first
signer of the protest. witness having
prepared the protest against Brigham
H Roberts and being familiar with the
proceedings.
Mr.. CTitchlOw said he had obtained
most of the signatures TO the protest
Senator Beverage asked If anyone had
signed the protest without reading II.
zone, I believe" was the answer.
Ezra Thompson, mayor. Mr.. Thomp-
son had heard the protest explained and
knew what was in IT,"
7 suppose you said to him. Mr.
Thompson. here is protest against
SmOOt. It's all right; sign IT,. and ne
signed it, said Senator Beveridge.
Apostle and Polygamy.
Mr.. Van Colt attempted to obtain an
admission from Mr.. CritchlOw that he
always had been bitterly opposed 10
lAormonisn, and succeeded after the
WORD bitterly nae Deeu GA4lulIALtt
from the question.
Mr.. CritChlOw was questioned in re-.
gard TO a former statement that Mr.
SmOOt was reputed to be not polyg
amist and asked il he could not saS
positively that Mr.. Smoot is not a pO-
lygamist. He replied that the question
never had been raised until Mr.. Smooth
election to the senate. Then the suEf
gestion was made that President Smitk
would not allow a person TO have this
endorsement of the church for senator
unless that person subscribed to Mr..
Smiths religion. AIr. CritchlOw sait
that he believed Mr.. Smith would nOs
permit a person 10 become an apostle
who was not a polygamist or expected
70 become one. Mr.. Smoot became ar
tapOstle before Mr.. Smith became pres,
ident. and the witness said he did moi
believe Smoot TO be polygamist.
Have Good Wives.
The names Of John Winder. President
Hatch and President Cluf were read 10
show that persons who are not polyS-
anists have attained high positions
during Mr.. Smiths presidency Critch-
low responded that they were eXcep-
tons because Of their greaI popularity
and the fact that IL was we'll known
taeir wives had greater influence over
tSeIn than the church. Each of the men