The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-13
SMOOT WAS ELECTED TO
SENATE BECAUSE He Is
AN APOSTLE OF MORNONS

Heber j. Grant and. certain members Of
the Legislature in interviews published in
April. 1896, in the Salt Lake Herald, then
edited by b. III. Roberts; the Salt Lake
Tribune and the interviews of Grant and
Cannon In the Deseret News. He also SAID
he had received a letter from Joseph Mum
son, a member from Cache valley, giving
information as to occurrences between Mum
son and Bishop Stevens, in which Stevens
said II had been decided by the church au-
thorities that inasmuch as the Legislature
was inexperienced ii was best to have a
committee Of the priesthood to pass on
legislation as to whether il was proper.
Judge ogden Hiles. of Salt Lake, assistant
United states attorney in Utah from 1880
TO 1889. in prefacing his testimony said he
had drawn more indictments and prosecuted
more cases of unlawful conduct under the
Edmonds-Tucker act than any other official
In Utah For the first two years the peo-
pie, he said, refused TO obey the laws deS-
pite the fact that opportunity was given Of
tenders to escape punishment If they would
promise not to violate the laws in regard
TO polygamOus practices.
The people, said the witness, said they
must obey the law of God rather than the
law of man. They seemed TO think II an act
of apostacy to go counter to the church
rules even in obeying the laws of the land.
The cases were pressed hard, and then the
people began to promise TO obey the law,
for they were poor. could not pay the hnes
and consequently ii became generally re-
ported that the practice of polygamous CO.
habitation was breaking up"
INTERESTING DETAILS.
The witness covered much of the ground
gone over in the testimony of Mr.. Critch-
low. but in regard to the occasion OF
prosecutions until after the manifesto of
1890 he added many interesting details. He
said there was a disposition not to prose-
cute cases when the law generally was
obeyed. but after the manifesto it was seen
the Mormons had returned to their old
practice. He said this was evident from
the new crops Of children from polyga-
nous families, which continued to spring
up.
In the cross-examination Mr.. Vancott
brought out a great deal of testimony re-
garding church influence for the election
of Reed Smoot for the Senate, and Judge
Hiles stated positively: Mr.. Smoot could
not have been elected to the United States
Senate If his candidacy had not been APP
proved by the Mormon Church"
do you mean that If Mr.. Smoot had been
a lay member of the church that he would
not have been elected or that II he had
been an apostle and had not the indorse-
ment of his quorum he would not have been
elected?"
Mr.. Smoot could not have been elected
without being an apostle and without the
consent of the church."
when it was announced first that he
was a candidate he was not an apostle, re-
marked Mr.. Vancott.
"Oh, well, his candidacy was not taken
seriously then, but when his candidacy was
announced after it was known that he was
to be an apostle IL was certain that he
would be elected"
NO GREAT STANDING IN PARTY.
'win you tell us why you say he could
not nave been elected when his candidacy
was first announced? Was it because he
had no standing in the party?" asked Sen
ator Hopkins.
HE had no standing that would entltIe
him to such a promotion and he was not
seriously thought Of" answered the Wit
ness.
what you mean TO say, / take it then,
is that a Mormon may not get the consent
of the church to come to the Senate unless
he is an apostle?" Mr.. Vancott asked.
'Oh, no, l don't mean that; out Mr..
Smoot could not have done so.'
What is the basis for that
His relations in Utah were not SUCH as
would entitle him to the place"
"Can you name one Mormon, a Republic
an, who would nave received the support
of the people or who is more entitled to the
place than Mr.. Smooth
Yes Governor Wells"
Yes; go ahead
Il don't know of many Mormons who
are Republicans; they are Mormons.
What do you mean by that?" asked Sen
"Do you mean that they put their Nor
monism ahead of Republicanism?
THAT is what / mean
Were there any other Republicans men
tened for the senatorship before the selec-
ton of Smoot as an apoStle!
Yes: Governor Wells was mentioned.
and Governor Thomas and others"
In answer to other questions, Judge Hlles
said he believed Mr.. Smoot always mad
taken al active part In politics, ana mao
been allied with the Republicans, but that
he never heard of Shoots having made an
address in any campaign.
Mr.. Vancott asked the witness how he &C
counted. in view of the testimony he had
given, for the Mormon sending non-Mor-
mons 10 the Senate. How about Joseph
l.. Rawlins % he asked.
Joseph L. I,awlins is a Mormon.
What RaNlins a Mormon!
HE was BON into the church, of Nor
mon parentag6.'
but surely you do not mean to say
that because a man is born OF Mormon par
entage he is always a Mormon"
pretty close to IT.
Mr.. Vancott mentioned the fact that For
mer Senator Rawlins stood against the
church in regard to its principles and
worked against IL.
Judge HiIes corrected the statement by
saving. certain principles, and then said
that with the qualification he had made he
regarded Rawlins as a Mormon: Continu-
ing. he said he had heard President Joseph
F. Smith say that ne held FranR :. Gamnqn
Cannon "a good Mormon. nevertheless he
was a Mormon. Judge Hiles said that both
Cannon and Rawlins stood out against IN
clared that Mr.. Rawlins once believed in
the good faith of the Mormon Church, but
that he did not now beleNe In II.
RAWLINS WAS A MORMON.
Mr.. Vancott attempted to take Judge
Hiles to task for his statement that Rawlins
was a Mormon and asked if, as a matter
of fact. his entire testimony was not just
as reliable as his statement in regard to
Rawlins. The witness stood his ground in
regard to Rawlins and said that he knew
what he was talking about and that with
the qualifications he had made, Rawlins
was a Mormon. He added with emphasis
that there was no qualifications in regard
to the remainder of his testimony.
The witness said his basis for believing
that polygamy was more fragrant since
Utah was admitted as a State was that
more polygamous children were born and
that polygamists drove through the streets
more openly than before. He could cite
only one instance of the latter kind, how
ever.
Senator hopkins asked a number of ques-
tons TO find out if Judge Hiles knew
whether there had been any p%olygamOus
marriages since the manifesto and he said
he did not. Witness said he believed" that
such marriages had taken place. One case
he had i'm mind was that of a personal
friend and he thought the plural wife had
been taken since the manifesto on account
of the youth of the woman. Counsel for the
defense pressed for the names of the per-
sons but the committee decided hat the wit
ness need not disclose them.
Mr.. Tayler said they had a great deal
of evidence TO offer that plural marriages
had taken place since the manifesto.
Chairman Burrows adjourned the session
to-day subject 10 call. 1t is said there will
- ,,v,har Of uifDaSGaG horn Within q