The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-21

D IlbuiteQ my tdnhludcN Tor 1NG Aniied
( states senate in 1892. OF course 4 knew
/ of the rule which required me to ask
{ the presidency of the church L L could
ran
Here Mr. Worthington interrupted and
asked him TO explain this rule Senator
/ Smoot replied that ii referred only to
( officials of the church and amounted sim
ply to a leave of absence from the church
( duties. He said he went to The first
presidency while II was sitting Ia one
OF IT'S regular meetings and formally made
+ Application for a leave. He told the first
presidency that if elected he WOIld Tc-
quirc leave of absence so as not To in
teTfere with his duties as a senator.
That consent was given me some time
earhy IN May and ] announced my can
ator and l Immediately began to or
ganize my forces for a campaign"
DO you mean to organize Republican
forces or your church friends?' asked
Mr.. Worthington.
rho Republicans, most assuredIy," was
Was the Mormon church \ factor
in politics in your candidacy for The SEN
ateE'' asked Mr.. Wort hington.
Presbyterian or the Methodist churches
No man or woman can say that ever
asked them to vote the Republican ticket
because j was an apostle Whatever
did to promote my candidacy was based
upon Republican arguments alone
No Effect to Influence.
Did anyone ever attempt to Influence
you or to dictate to you in your poll
tics?"
Not in any way. would not permit
rs the leave Of absence received by You
church endorsement of your candi-
Not at all. and the people do not 50
IF the president of the church should
ask you TO vote according to his wishes.
what would be your attitude?'
Il would vote as l believed was for the
best interests Of the country
What would he uOSifiC77 ~ the
president Of the church Should attempt
to influence your vote as a SENATOR
Il would not submit TO it Cor a min
What v-es the state Of your IenowI-
edge regarding the polygamOus relations
Of President Joseph F. Smith up to the
time he testified before this ccmmis-
L know that he had more than one
| wife. but knew nothing of the manner
of his living"
Witnesses have testified here that the
statement OF President Smith took the
people by surprise What was your feel
ing in regard TO that2'
Il was surprised at the number Of chill
dren born in his families since the mani
! festo. but not surprised at all as to the
number OF wives"
What was the state of your knowledge
apostles -
The senator explained that he had not
/ intimate acquaintance with the families
/ Of the other apostles at the time he be-
came an apostle in 1900. When asked
Q Il
whether he had made any protest against
| those reputed to be living in pOlygamOus
/ relations he said the government Of the
/ United States had accepted the existing
Coudit ions: that there had been no prose
| cutions and that the attitude Of the peo-
/ pie was that Of liberation. He declared
7 that the people felt that the best and in
/ fact the only way TO settle the conditions
was to let the poIygamists Gle off.
Mr.. Worthington asked # that senti-
ment Of liberation extended TO plural
! marriages, which has occurred since tho
manifesto.
''Oh. not az all replied the senator
earnestly. Il don't believe that there Il a
good citizen in Utah who would ccndcne
| new plural marriages"
What action did YOU take to put a
l stop to the polygamous relations of TIE
| other a9ostles?' asked sir Wording
None at all. 7 never thought Of it any
more than any other citizen would have
| Senator Smoot said he attended most OF
/ the meetings Of the apostles. In reply tC
! MI WorthingtOn he said that the meet
/ ings were held in a private room in the
l temple and Mr.. WOrthington then asked
In reference to the charge here that
the apostles had entered into a conspiracy
10 further polyEamy, what can you say?
Such a thing was never referred to al
7 any of the meetings
Senator SmOot said the apostles fire.
! quently were called in TO advise the pres
{ ident of the church. but that he had the
power 20 do as he pleased after the advice
was given. He was asked if anything
ever had come mp at Jny Of these meet
: lngS that might he regarded as furthering
( polyRamy and he replied more emphat-
ically than before, "Poiygamy was never
Continuing. he denied that there was a
particle OF foundation for the story of q
Asked again concerning the testimony
| or President Smith that ne had five wives
and was living with them in violation Of
the law. Senator Smoot said that until
I that time he had no more knowledge than
Senator smoot said he was not present
I at the conference in April 1891 that suS-
tanned the presidency and the apostles OF
the church. but ne did attend the semi
annual conference in October last year.
Objected to Two Apostles.
The senator spoke at meeting of the
apostles and the first presidency before
the October conference and ne said thar
at that meeting he inquired Of President
Smith If Apostles COWiey and TAYLOR had
been sustained al the April conferences in
yIews Of the testimony before the senate
committee that both of these apostles had
"a ken plural wives since the manifesto
The senator said ne objected to having
the men sustained at the October confer
en"c. and was told by President smith
that rs "A member of the church nc ought
- know that an offtcial or member OF
the cnurtn Couiu not ne cAcoln am hlc;1tcu
or disfeliowshirped without an investiga-
ton and hearing. 81 realized this con-
tinvpd the senator. hut Was told that an
Investigation would be made. and 7 have
no doubt that very rigid inquiry Is now
IN progress. without this promise
.
ID 10 the time Of the testimony before
/ this commit.ee 7 had no knowledge that
either of the apostles had Violated the law
in that regard, nor had 1 heard anything
Of the kind against any other apostle OK
ccpt from the testimony given in this
room.
Accepted MI Penrose.
Concerning ID meeting held imnoediateIy
I before the October conference. Senator
/ Smoot said that he had not been in
formed that the name Of Charles W.
Penrose was to be presented by President
Smith to fiji the position OF apostle made
vacant b. the death Of Abraham ..
( Woodruff.
The senator was asked If he objected to
the election OF Mr.. Penrose.
Il did not object to Mr.. Penrose. Al
that time I thought he had only one wife
but do not want 10 hide behind that.
the senator continued hastily. for / take
the position that when a man has mar
ried before the manifesto he can accept
a purely church position. He has not
violated a law of the church. and ior a
purely ecclesiastical position | hol0 that
he is eligible. But ] don't think that a
man in that status should hold govern
meIlt positiop. either elective or appoint
! i've, Neither' % feel that there is a man
ecOptinued on Page %