The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-03
.DEFIES The LAW.
President of Mormon Church
Boldly Declares
That He Is a Violator of the
States Statutes.
is READY TO ANSWER.
Willing to Take Consequences
Of Living in PoIygamy.
Considers First Duty Is Owe
to His Families.
Declares Plural Marriages Have
Ceased In the Church.
is READY TO ANSWER.

Washington. March $50 great has
become the interest in the investiga- \
tion Of the protests against Reed
Snoot of Utah retaining his seat in the
United States senate. that it was nec-
essary TO decide to post a policeman at
the door Of the room Of the committee
on privileges and elections. where the
hearings are progressing. All persons
except those directly interested were
kept out of the room. though outside
the door it was impossible almost to
maintain passageway through the
corridor of the capitol
Just before the hearing was begun to-
day Mr.. Smoot received telegram
from Provo. Utah, stating that his sis
ter, Mrs. George s. Taylor. ia dead as
the result of an operation. He had
no previous knowledge of her illness
and exhibited plainly the effect Of the
sudden shock.
When the committee was called to
order seven senators were present.
Chairman Burrows gave the ruling on
the questions asked of President Jo-
seph Z. Smith relating to the polygam-
GUS cohabftation of George B. Teas
dale, a Mormon apostle. Objections to
such questioning had been made by the
defendant. The committee ruled that
riageS of any member of the twelve
apostles, of which Mr.. Smoot is one, is
competent, so far as it relates to such
polygamous cohabitation since Sep
tember 26, 1890. the date of President
Woodruff's manifesto withdrawing the
order of the church commanding plural
marriages. Senator Beveridge stated
that there had been a nisunderstand-
ing as to whether Mr.. Smoot was be-
ing tried on the charges Of poIygamy
and with having taken an oath incom-
pat1ble with his oath as United States
| senator. Now. he said, it is apparent
that these charges are not pending in
this investigation.
Senator Dubois dissented from the
statement that there had been such a
misunderstanding and said the real
charge is that Mr.. Smoot is a member
of a Mormon hierarchy which SUBJ
scribes to vows in conflict with the
| laws of the country and was bound to
/ support such vows
For the first time in fifty years.
said Mr.. Dubois, "the relations of this
organization toward the United States
are to be tried"
Senator Pettus made a protest
against the debate between members
of the committee and Chairman Bur-
rows directed Me. Tayler to proceed.
Questions were then directed to ascer-
tanning Mr.. Smiths knowledge of the
polygamous marriages of Abraham H
Cannon and whether Mr.. Smith had
performed the service uniting Mr.. Can
non and Lillian Hamlin.
Mr.. Smith said he had seen newspa-
per reports saying that he had done so,
but he denied the truth of the state
mentS.
Then Mr.. Tayler asked a number of
questions which brought out state
ment from Mr.. Smith regarding his
own position under the laws covering
polygamy. He acknowledged that he
had violated them continuously since
the manifesto of 1890 and is ready now
1Vua faS raadV face
laws of the land.
Mr.. Tayler asked: "Is Capitalization
with a plural wife contrary to the
rules of the church?''
| Mr.. Smith asked and received per-
mission to make a statement and then
answer the question in his way He
spoke with great feeling ana distinct
ness, just the reverse of his attitude on
the stand at yesterdays hearing, say
ing:
at the time of the manifesto I want to
say that after the hearing before the
master of chancery I understood that
we should abstain from relations with
our plural families and that rule was
observed up to the time the enabling
act went into effect admitting Utah
prohibition was that plural marriages
Should cease. Nothing was said about
cohabitation with our wives.
with the wives you had married ed
previous to the manifesto you mean?
interrupted Me. Hoar.
'That is what 1 meant" said Mr..
Smith.
''I understood that plural marriages
were to cease and ever since that mani
festo until the present time there never
has been a plural marriage in the
church performed in accordance with
its teachings or with the conniyance of
the church, and he added with greater
enphasis: ssI know whereof speak
Then in answer to the question
whether pclygamous cohabitation was
regarded by the church as contrary to
the law he answered:
''It was"
! Continuing he said: "This was the
case and is the case now. But I was
placed in this position" said MrSmith-
/ Il had a farni1y-a plural family, if you
! please married my first wife more
than SO years ago and my last wife
more than 20 years ago. BY these
preferred to take my own chances with
! the law and suffer any consequences
the law might visit upon me rather
than abandon these children and their
| mothers. I have continued to co-habi-
| tate with them since the manifesto OF
1890 and they have borne me children
| since that date. I was fully aware or
| what was doing. l knew was
amenab1e to the law but as I say pre-
ferred to face that situation rather
! than to desert them. I have not cohab-
tied with these wives openly or haun-
! ted the fact, but I have acknowledged
these wives and children as my family.
| The peopIe of Utah have regarded the
situation as an existing fact. These
| people as a rule are broad minded and
liberal in their views and have con-