Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-18
STEER CLEAR OF LAWYERS. :"
Said That Was the Policy aud Hence
Legal Counsel Was Not
Employed
ANY ONE CAN GO TO CIVIL COURTS
Evidence Introduced to Show that the
Church Seeks to Have Disputes
Settled AmicabIy
Especial to the "News.'O

Washington, y. c., Jan. ts--Perhaps
the most important witness who has
appeared IN the Smoot inquiry is the
gentleman who occupied the entire
forenoon session of the committee, Mr..
James IT, Talmage of Salt Lake Mr..
Talmage was called to explain IN de-
tail the Organization Of the Church and
the scope OF the powers of the various
divisions Of the Priesthood. His thor
ough familiarity with the history doc
trines and rules Of the Church was
demonstrated before he had been ON
the stand ten minutes. He was never
al loss for an answer TO question or
for reference TO volumes which would
substantatc his testimony. That he
was an attractive witness 20 the gath
cred audience was manifested by tho
close attention given to his every
word. While others preceding him
have gone over much Of the same
ground, no witness has brought out w
consecutive narrative form the history
Of the Church as he did lie threw
light ON church courts and the method
OF procedure before them, and demon
stratei clearly that IN ono Instance
cited. whore the Church took jurisdic-
ton IN the settlement Of a dispute over
title 10 lands IN clear vIolStion OF pre-
cedents and rules governing such mat
| tore. that the ordinance OF the Church
! emphasIzes the fact that DISPUTED IT,.
ties TO property as well as punishmerta
| for violation Of the state law are eN-
| rressly ordered to be referred TO red
eral or state courts. The protostants.
through witnesses produced durins The
hearing have frequently attempted 10
show that while congregations must
Sustain" Priests and presidencies VI
the church In laws promulgated, the
fact really is that the people have real
" little or no voice IN such matters.
That their action is perfunctory
no showed from the history OF the
Church; that as long MS ago 1897 the
people IN conference at Kirkland re-
iected the nominations Of three apos-
ties named by Joseph Smith; and that
in the October conference Of 1913 the
people overruled the presidency In that
they refused 10 depose as counselor sid"
ney Rlgdon, whom President Smith de-
sired to supercede with Elder Lyman.
MIR. Talmage may be on the stand all
day tomorrow, ms the attorney for Sem
ator smoot expects to produce through
him great deal Of testimony which
viii tend to throw an entirely different
light upon the work Of the church
It IL still exceedingly difficult TO get
the committee together No attempt IA
longer made 10 secure a quorum, but
Senator Burrows calls for order just
as soon as the attorneys and witnesses
enter the room, without regard to tho
question Of how many Of his colleagues
may be present one reason for the
slim attendance is the fact that the at
mosphcre OF the room is as had as It
could be- there is no ventilation what
over and in half an hour tho air be-
comes vitiated and very difficult 10
breathe Sun the crowd of ladies pres-
ent this morning reached about the
highest limit yet, nearly 10 being seat
ed inside at one time.