The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-04
RIGHTS OF WOMEN
Females Have No Voice in Nor
mon Church Affairs.
President Smith Again on
Stand in SmOOt Case.
EXPLAINS A SPEECH
In Which He Is Alleged to Have
Taught POlygamy.
Senators Hoar and Foraker In
duIge in Sharp Words.

washington. AdICn f-I 1SSlOCllN
Joseph F. Smith, of the Mormon church
was called to the stand by Senator
Hoar at the opening of today's pro-
ceedings before the senate committee
on privileges and elections in the in
vestigation of protests against Senator
Reed Smoot of Utah. Senator Hoar
desired information on the subject of
the rights of women in the church and
whether they hold any priestly authori-
ty Mr.. Smith said the women are re-
garded as the equals of the men in all
matters of voting, but that in holding
'priestly authority women are not
regarded on the same plane. He ex-
planned that the women have charita-
BILE association known as the wom-
ans relief society in which they have
authority to perform certain prescribed
duties. This authority is confined to
the relieving of distress, but women
are not ordained high priests, apostles
or elders.
MI. Tyler asked about NJ. F. Cowley,
one of the apostles and Cowley'S talks
on doctrine, and in answer to questions
by Senator Dubois, Mr.. Smith said Mr..
Cowley was elected as an apostle in
1887. Reading from the Deseret News
of June Is, 1908, regarding a speech by
Mr. Smith at the Weber state reunion,
Mr. Tayler asked Mr.. Smith if he was
correctly reported in sying that the
doctrine of plural marriages was a
revelation by God to Joseph Smith, Jr.,
and to reject that would be equivalent
to a rejection of God himself. Mr..
Smith said he believed he was correct
ly reported and when a list Of names
Of those present, including Senator
Smoot was read, Mr.. Smith said the
list was correct. He declared that he
would not have had the article pub
lished if he had been consulted. Press
ed for a reason he said that 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 pOlyg-
amy in private to the important and
influential gathering at the reunion.
Mr.. Smith said his statement was
merely to set right a matter of history
in regard to the president who inaugu-
rated 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, Betheshba w. Smith,
VINO had received the endowment from
Joseph Smith at Nauvoo. She was the
last living witness and 1 took that oc-
casion to refute a false statement. It is
a matter of history and not teach
ing"
Mr. Smith said he had avoided teach
ing polygamy but that the manifesto
had not in any manner changed his
convictions on the questions of plural
marriages.
Senator Hoar asked him why he
avoided practicing what he had held to
be a divine command and the witness
answered it was because of the more
recent manifesto stopping the practice.
Senator Hoar persisted that according
to the witness own statements the
practice had not been stopped and Sena-
tor Foraker interposed abruptly that
the witness had gone over that matter
fifty times and he could see no purpose
of the continued questioning along that
line. Senator Hoar resented the inter-
ruption and said Senator Foraker's s
statement suggested that he had asked
one question fifty times and had re-
ceived fifty answers He objected to
the inference and when Senator Foraker
arose to answer he, too, stood up. The
two senators faced each other in what
threatened to be a serious clash Sena-
tor Foraker said the senator from Mas
sachusetts could say what he pleased
of course, but I have not said he asked
fifty questions"
4 accept the disclaimer from the
senator from Ohio" responded Hoar.
but the aggressive manner in which it
was said failed to relieve the situation
After more heated words Senator BeV-
eridge, who occupied a position direct
ly between the two, requested permis-
sion to ask question. He said he
Immediately substituted the name
Smith In the laugh that was pro
voked both senators sat down. and the
hearing continued
Senator Beveridge wanted to know
whether the church considered that
the laws were being obeyed when
poIygamous cohabitation had con
tnued since the manifesto of 1890 and
Chairman Burrows made the question
more personal. He said:
t'YOn have said fo1avr .--....
obeying the laws in not teaching
polygamy since the manifesto. Do Won
think you were obeying the law in hav-
ing eleven children from different
mothers since that time ?"
Il obey the law so far as teaching is
concerned. l have not said that l have
obeyed the law in my practice. As I
have said before. I preferred to take
my chances with the law rather than
to abandon my plural family Po-
lygamy has not been taught in the
church by any of the officials The
church has obeyed the laws even if l
have not" said Mr.. Smith.
Reference had been made nanv
times to the revelation cornmandino
plural marriages. and Senator Foraker
said that although the ground NAV
have been covered before. he Womb
like to have it go on the record in ap
swer to this question: when. where
and how was the injunction in favor
of polygamy received by the church %
What [ want to know is whether
the practice is arbitrary or merely per
missive."
Mr. Smith explained that the revaIa-
ton was made to Joseph Smith ir. at
Nauvoo in 1S43, but was not publicly
proclaimed on account of the disturb
ance against Smith. The doctrine. he
said, had been taught by Joseph smith
to Brigham Young and his associates
and preserved by Young. 1t was taken
to the salt Lake valley in 1s47. ana in
1852 was proclaimed by Young as a
revelation. Does that answer your
question: asked Mr. Smith.
TT answers as to when and where.