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Show RETURN OF JOS. F. SMITH. Aftar N aa T.ara' KxlU, lta Is Ouoa Mora la Halt i.aka tilty. After nine years of exile, Jos. ph F. Smith, one of the twelve apostles und n counselor to tho first presuieucy of the Mormon church, is at home again. He arrived in the city last night. Apostle Smith was indicted tinder the Edtniinds Tucker act for unlawful cohabitation co-habitation ou Feb. 12, 18Bo, since which time his whereabouts have been unknown un-known except to his most intimate and trusted friends. Mr Kniith wai WHn liv a TlMF ra. porter at the Gardo house this afternoon. after-noon. He looked woll, and if hia banishment ban-ishment lias been at all irksomo, or has dealt harshly wilh him, there is nothing noth-ing iu his appearance to indicate it; on the contrary, his lines would seem to have been cast in pleasant places. In fact, he assured the reporter that such was the case, aud the ouly unpleasant fcatu:e of his enforced absence was that he could not be at home where ho felt bis duties colled him. When uked where he was when he first heard of the indictment against him he said: "At that time I was in charge of the church records, and was in Idaho. An attempt had beeu made by the United States oflicials to gain control of them. I'he church believing they had tho best right to the control of the data collected which was a part of their history, sent roe into Idaho with them as custodian, and I was there when tho grand jury brought in its indictment against me. It had been intended for some time that 1 should go on a mission to the Sandwich islands and of cjurse when t Ua indictment indict-ment came that was considered as a most desirable time for me to go. Without any precipitate haste and with uo more attempt at disguise than an ordinary trailer, I started for San Frnnoisco and etiibarked o'u a steamer for the scene of uiy labors for the next two years. I should have staid that long, even had I beau granted amnesty immediately after my arrival there. "My duties in the Islands were the same as thoso of any other missionary of our church, tud my adventures, as you call them, wire not at all extrnor- .1 :.. :..i' - uiiiaijr vi tr'upeiau i uiui.i.iiu. "I stayed there iwo years and th-ju went to Mexico, where I stiil engaged in missionary work and looking look-ing after the general welfare of our people. "From Mexico I made short excursion! excur-sion! into Arizona and Colorado." "What! Colorado " "Why, certattly! There are large organizations of the mormon church In both places, and there was a class of business in connection connec-tion with them that it was thought at headquarters I could transact belter than any one else." "Hut were vou not afraid of being apprehended?" "Why, 1 was identified, for there are any number of mormons outside of this city who know me, aud know ma, too, as Joseph F. Smith. Rut if you mean to ask if I did not fear being betrayed, I can say I never had the least apprehension appre-hension on that score. The truth of the matter is, that I havo even been in Utah since lsf and was never the least bit alarmed for my stfety. A jjood deal of the time I traveled trav-eled incognito, but among tho mormon people 1 never tried to conceal my identity and never had a fear of anyone any-one being indiscreet." "From I tah, Colorado and Arizona I wont back iuto Moxico and from there i to the Northwest territory in Canada, where there are large mormon colo-t colo-t ie!. I have also buen iu Oregon and California a great deal." "Wharo were you when you heard that the pteshleut had pardoned you?" "At that time I was in Calilurna, nnd T started at once for Utah. My first stop was in Cache valley, where I havo been for two weeks. Then I came down to Lavis county and was just on the outskirts of the city where I could be in communication with my friends when the pardon arrived yesterday, j "As there was no longer any reason j j why 1 should conceal myself I started ! for the city any arrived here last night." i "What do you think of tha present i situation in Utah"" j "1 cau fay without any reservation! that I am iu harmony with tho vietvs of all the other members of the mormon mor-mon church. 1 accept with- out any disent i he stand taken by President Woodru:' in his ' manifesto and the endorsement I given it by tho general conference. 1 1 occupy a similar position on the I question nf division on national party lines. When the people's psrty was organized, it was for the purpose pur-pose of giving expression to the opin- . ions of tho majority. hen j that majority was overthrown in Weber and Salt Lak e counties, it wr.s no longer necessary or expedient that the party organization should bo maintained main-tained As far as my personal opinion ; is of weight, I belie e the people's party is dead beyond resurrection and 1 do not think it would be advisable to bring t to life if that were possible. |