Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-21
Has Signally Failed to Establish That
There Have Been POlygamOus Mar.
rlages Since Manifesto.
CALVIN COBB OF IDAHO ON STAND
IestiIlles About CHURCH Influence in
Idaho Politics, but His Evidence
Is Only iearsay,
Especial to the "News.")


In the smoot inquiry Is decidedly on
the wane, There was not a single mem
Der Of the house or senate present this
morning. except a bare quorum OF the
committee, and Representative Howels.
nor did the general public show that
eagerness to hear testimony which was
so apparent during the first days OF the
hearing There were many vacant
chairs In the committeeman and the
falling Off in female attendance was
marked. The reason for this is that all
the evidence now being adduced Is in
line with that already brought out.
Tayler has proved, what no one has de-
MED. that poylgamous relations are still
maintained By a few "Mormons" who
contracted plural marriages prior TO the
Issuance Of the manifesto. but he has
thus far failed to show that single
plural marriage has been contracted IN
the United States since that document
was promulgated
Today he endeavored to prove
through Calvin Cobb Of the Idaho
Statesman that the Church authorities
endeayored to compel W. Il. Borah TO
commit himself in favor Of Reed smoot
as prerequisite to the support OF
members Of the Mormon" Church In
the Idaho legislature when Mr. Borah
was candidate for the senate. Mr..
Cobb was willing TO talk on this subject
but he admitted that he had no per.
sonal knowledge and that his testimony
would be second degree hearsay, evil
dence which the committee very prop
erly ruled to be incompetent Mr. Tay-
Ter seemed to be annoyed over the ac-
ton Of the committee and declared that
hercsay evidence In this instance Is
competent But his plea fell upon deaf
ears 1t IL generally understood that
the hearing so far as Washington Is
concerned win close within a week, Az
ter that the probability is that Chair
man Burrows viii ask the senate for
authority to proceed TO Utah and sit in
salt Lake city and other cities. where
there may be a chance TO CLEAN some
thing Of value In the way Of evidence.
ROBERTS RECALLED,
Washington April 2l-Brigham II.
Roberts was recalled by the defense
today when the senate committee on
privileges and elections resumed It's
investigation of the protests against
Senator Reed Smoot MIR. Van Colt
drew from the witness review OF the
elections of Utah TO show that the
Democratic successes Of the state were
due to the SILVER craze and that the
Mormon Church had not maintained
yacIotlng policy between the two
political parties as had been inferred
from the testimony given by Mr.. Rob-
otts ON yesterday
CALVIN COBB TEsTlFIES.
Calvin cobb, publisher of the Boise
Statesman. was examined In regard to
the poIygamy In Idaho, and the nnu-
cn,c OF "llormona' ON the politics OF
the state. He said there is not stat
ute against poygamous cohabitation
though several unsuccessful efforts had
been made TO enact such a statute. All
of these measures, he said had died
In the legislature which is about one
third "Normou' In regard 10 the
Mormon influence In the state, Mr.,
Cobb said that the chairman Of the
state organizations of both parties goes
to Salt Lake before every campaign
pud both come back and say that
everything has been fixed "all right
He said that after the election one or
the other usually felt that things had
not been "all right Mr. cobb related
the efforts before the legislature to
have called u constitutional convention
20 enact AN amendment TO repeal the
Idaho test against "Mormonism." The
effort was defeated several times and
finally Apostle John Henry Smith visit
ed Boise and soon after the resolution
was adopted,
W, y, BORAHS ATTITUDE,
Counsel for the prosecution exam
ined Mr.. cobb In relation 10 the infu-
ence "MolWuns' are alleged To have
attempted to bring to bear for the re-
tentiou ~ Senator Smoot This was
shown said Mr.. Cobb, by a delegation
Of the Idaho legislature, which called
uron w. H. Bor0h. candidate for the
senate and asking what would be his
attitude as senator II the case Of Sem
ator Smoot should come IN,
Counsel for the defense opposed the
introduction OF this testimony on tho
ground that what MI Borah told Mr..
cobb was incompetent MIR Tayler
explained that he wanted to show that
Borah declined 10 commit himself In
regard TO MIR, Smoot and on that ac-
count was not elected TO the senate.
The committee adjourned at noon
without action having been taken.
Mr. Borah is now one OF the counsel
for Mr.. smoot.