Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-14
SHOOTS ATTORNEY TALKS
WOrthingtOn Says Client is Qualified to
Serve as Senator,
REFERENCE MADE TO DIVINE REVELATION
Lawyer says Members Of other
Churches Pray for Guidance
aud that smoOts Ne
lief ~ similar.

WASHINGTON. April 1S.-Tne final ar
gument in the investigation of protests
against Senator Reed Smoot being per
mitted to retain his seat, was begun today
by A. S. Worthington, counsel for the
Utah senator. For the first time since the
proceedings were begun three years ago
Mr.. smoot attended the session of the
committee. The number of spectators was
much less than during the Utah senator's
arraignment
In opening. Mr. worthington took up
the subject Of Mr. Shoots qualifications
to serve as a senator, and followed this
by citing authorities in support of his
contention that 1t requires a two-thirds
vote of the senate to Gust Mr., Smoot. An
swering Mr. Carlisles argument that Utah
might go so far as to send President
Joseph F. Smith to the senate, Mr.. Worth
ington said that If such should be the
case he should be permitted to serve If
he gave up his plural wife and lived only
with his legal wife In the event that
Smith should fail to live in obedience to
the laws, said Mr.. worthington, then he
should be expelled Mr.. worthington
pointed out that Mr.. Shoots life had
been blameless and that he is law abider
I'm every sense of the word.
Plural Marriages condemned
1t was contended by Mr.. Worthington
that plural marriages are no longer per-
formed with the sanction of the Mormon
church He said that Utah had been
"raked and scraped" and the plural mar
riages brought to light since the manifesto
would not amount to one a year, and that
these offenders are now virtually fugitives
from justice.
Taking up Mr.. Shoots confession that
he believed in divine revelations, Mr..
Worthington compared this belief with
services in other churches, where divine
guidance is sought, and argued that Mr..
Shoots belief is the same as that of fol-
lowers of other creeds.
Senator Knox and some other members
of the committee Intercepted Mr.. Worth
ington concerning the alleged necessity of
| members of the Mormon church of obtain
| ing church consent to become candidates
| for public office. Mr.. Worthngton read
| from the church rule, as laid down in
! the Moses Thatcher case, and construed
this to mean that If high church official
desires to become a candidate for public
| office it is necessary for him to resign his
| church Office or be excused from duties
in connection with the church position If
It conflicts with duties to the public.
Facts Were Known.
| 1t was argued by Mr.. Worthington that
| everything that has been charged against
| the Mormon church in the way of activity
| in politics and business was known when
| Utah was admitted as a state and that
| one of the first senators from Utah was
| Frank j. Cannon, who was a Mormon and
more subject TO criticism than Mr.. Smoot
can be, and yet no protest was made against
| him.
| Witnesses who attempted to testify con-
corning the endowment house ceremony
were characterized as disreputable. He
closed a. 1905 o'clock
Chairman Burrows inquired when coun
sci would be ready with their printed argu
! ments. 1t was disclosed that both Messri
Worthington and Carlisle were going ou
! of the city and that the printed arguments
could not be furnished before the middle
of next week. 1t is said the date for q
vote on the case will be fixed by the com
mttee soon afterward.