The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-02-03
SMOOT INQUIRY
IS CONCLUDED
ATTORNEYS FINISH THEIR AR
GUMENTS BEFORE SENATE
COMMITTEE.
CLOSING REMARKS
OF WORTHlNGTON
Counsel for Defendant Declares Polit-
ical Rule of Church Means Little
Says Evidence Showed Utah Man
Led Pure Life.

Washington, Jan. 30.-The investi-
CATION of protests against Senator
Smoot, of Utah, retaining his seat in
the United States senate was concluded
Saturday by the committee on privi-
leges and elections, and when report
is drafted by the committee the investi-
cation will pass to the whole senate.
One question of great moment, which
will be fought over on the floor Of the
senate, is whetherta two-tLirds vote or
a majority of the aenate is required to
expel a member Mr.. Tayler, counsel
for the protestantl, holds that a major
ity vote win guH Re, in the same man
ner that majoy vote WIN prevent =
1t viii hssasllsd - besere the
COMMITTEES Sfll b abb. 10 report. The
committee aliowkd counsel until Feb
rnary 1 to revise their arguments and
file written briefs Only one session of
the committee was held Saturday. Mr..
Worthington, counsel for Senator
Smoot, concluded his argument and
Judge Tayler closed the case for the
protestants.
Political Rule Discussed.
Mr.. Worthington discussed the polit-
ica1 rule of the church, which he de-
clared meant nothing beyond the fact
that Mormon shall not remain high
officer of the church, or in other words,
he must resign his church position to
run for a political Office if the church
thinks he cannot perform the duties of
both Offices. He took Judge Tayler to
task for his statement that a man who
prayed for the counsel Of his Creator is
untitled to hold seat in the senate.
The decrease in the number Of polyg-
amists was discussed at length, and Mr..
Worthington reviewed great deal OF
testimony on that subject to show that
it is the consensus of opinion, among
Mormons and gentiles, that within
few years the practice would entirely
disappear. He declared that in all the
mass Of testimony offered only one
plural marriage had been proved since
the manifesto, and that case in Mex
leo, where it was not shown that the
man PcilOi hlihS tnC CCl Cuuouy Hdu UCOu
informed that the contracting husband
had another wife.
at appeared" said Mr.. Worthington,
chat Apostle Taylor has taken plural
wives since the manifesto, though no
proof is offered, and will say that Sen
ator Smoot and his counsel went to the
president of the church and told him
Taylor should be produced as a wit
ness"
Believes Smoot Should Retain Seat.
Mr. Worthington closed with the
statement that a great deal has been
said about the matter of the protection
of the home, which was said to be the
real reason for the prosecution of Sen
ator Smoot. IF this is true, contend"
said Mr.. Worthington, chat Mr.. Smoot
should retain his seat, because it has
been shown that he has counseled moth
ing but good, and gentiles who voted for
him did so because they knew he be-
lieved in upholding the laws of the land,
and that he led pure life."
Judge Tayler, in closing the argu-
ments, made no effort to follow any par
ticular line of argument, but he de-
clared that Mr.. Worthington had mis-
Interpreted his remarks on the subject
of revelations. HeSdevoted nearly his
entire time to answering Mr.. Worthing-
ton. No new arguments were advanced.