The San Francisco call., 1905-01-21
SENATOR SMOOT A WITNESS
BEFORE BOARD OF INQUIRY
Says He Now Opposes Prac-
tice Of Polygany and IS
Free to Act IN Politics.
IS GIVEN A. LONG EXAMINATION

| and was told by President Smith that
as a member of the church he ought to
know that an official or a member of
| the church could not be excommuni-
Gated or disfellowshiped without an
| investigation and hearing.
| II realized this continued the Sena-
| tor, but was told that an investiga-
| ton would be made and / have no
| doubt that a very rigid inquiry is now
| in progress. Without this promise /
would not have voted to sustain them.
! Up to the time of the testimony before
this committee had no knowledge that
either of the apostles had violated the
law in that regard, nor had / heard
/ anything of the kind against any other
apostle except from the testimony
given in this ROOM.
UNFIT FOR FEDERAL OFFICE.
The Senator said that he did not be-
lieve that any one who violated the
law by contracting a plural marriage
should hold a Federal position.
ITO the best of my knowledge" he
added, there is not a Federal office in
Utah filled by polygamist. l know
that one postmaster was removed on
that ground and there have been other
| cases of that kind
Have you anything to do with re-
| ligion classes in Utah?' asked Worth
; ington.
| mo; have not. 1 have not the least
doubt that religion classes have been
held in the schools after school hours,
as was stated here" replied Smoot. II
would like to add that I have always
thought it would be best for religion
! classes not to be held in school
| houses"
Worthington had put into the records
recent order of the church prohibit
ing the use of school-houses for relig
| ion classes. Senator Smoot said he was
glad this order had been issued. TAX
ing up the charges in the protest,
Worthington asked: Have you in any
way since you became an apostle pro-
mulgated or advised the practice of
polygamy?"
Il have not"
ENTERS GENERAL DENIAL.
1T is charged that the president of
the Mormon church and a majority of
the twelve apostles now practice polyg-
amy, and some have taken plural
wives since 1890. Have you any knowl-
edge on that subject, except that pro-
duced here?"
Il have not
ut is said these things have been
done with the knowledge and consent
of Reed Smoot."
THAT is not true"
'It is said that plural marriage cere-
monies have been performed by apos-
tles.'>
Not to my knowledge
"It is charged that many Bishops
and other high officials of the church
have taken plural wives since the man
ifesto."
II have not heard of it except those
mentioned in the testimony"
RosS-EXAMINATIO BEGINS. !,
Tayler then took the witness for
cross-examination and asked him
about the Cannon and Hamlin alleged
marriage. Smoot said that when Lii
ian Hamlin went to Provo 1t was un-
derstood that she had been married to
Cannon before the manifesto. Pressed
for his views, since hearing the testi-
mony given before the Senate commit
tee Senator Smoot said he believed
now that the marriage took place about
1896.
Have you been a Mormon all your
life2" asked Tayler.
Yes, sir, but not a very active one"
Concerning the prosecutions for
polygamous co-habitation before the
manifesto, Senator Smoot said he was
aware Of the sufferings of the families
of polygamists. He said that his
father was arrested, tried and acquit-
ted. He said the manifesto made the
impression on him that 1t was going to
stop polygamy forever. He did not un-
derstand that it disparaged the doc
trine of polygamy, but%that 1t did dis
parage the practice. He said he be-
lieved the revelation in regard to po-
lygamy was received by Joseph Smith,
but he did not believe in the practice
of polygamy against the laws of the
land and since the last decision Of the
Supreme Court he had openly opposed
the practice
FAITH IN HIS PARENTS.
OF his faith in his parents, Senator
Smoot said impressively: mo man
ever had a better mother in the world
than / had" 1t had been brought out
previously that Senator Shoots moth
er was "a plural wife.
Senator Smoot said he thought that
President Smith would be condemned
If he abandoned his wives, and that
President Smith in an address had in
timated that he intended to continue
to be a husband of all of his wives.
II believe that the men who took
plural wives before the manifesto" he
said, took them with the sanction of
God No law of the land could dis
solve the relations. but it could inter-
fere with the carrying out Of the mar
riage contract"
INFLUENCE OF CHURCH.
Suppose the president Of the church
had refused to grant you leave of alb
sence, what would you have done?"
asked Senator Overman.
Il don't know; / would have con-
suited my friends, and If I had con-
cluded to run would have resigned
from the apostleship."
Would that have put you out of
II. l. 4.