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Show STEPHENS WAS FRAilTlfSS Talked Plain to Smoot Attorney. told Three Notable Cases of Church Interference in Politics. Held Strong Views as to Unlawful Acts of President Smith and Others. By A. F. Philips. Special to Tho Tribune. WASHINGTON, Jan. 24. "I notified you that I came hero to tell tho truth and If you put me on tho stand you must tako your chances." Thus Hpoke Frank B. Stephens of Salt Lako. who occupied tho witness stand nearly all of today, to counsel for tho Apostle Senator ln reply to an lntorroga-tory. lntorroga-tory. "Thero have boon cases where tho church Interfered In politics," said Mr. Stephens, and ln responso to Inquiries ho cited three cases. "Whon Rawlins was 9lcctcd Senator," said Mr. Stephens, "thcro was a general feeling that Mobos Thatcher would have been elected had the church not Interfered. Inter-fered. In 1S00 tho Influonco of tho church was urged to swing tho State Into tho Republican column and In tho election President Snow favored tho Republican electors. "President Snow did render somo assistance as-sistance ln tho election of Senator Kearns. These aro threo notable Instances, but I cannot recall any other ones." Mr Stephens was a frank witness. He was like Judge McCarty Ho had nothing to conceal Ho gavo facts and figures to tho commlttco wlthput regard as to who thoy hit Ho was piled with questions by sovoral members of the commlttco. Senator Sen-ator Depew asked several pointed ones. Dopew "Prom Missouri." Tho Now York Senator tybb anxious to know about tho validity of tho rovolatlon alleged to have coma dlrectfrom God to tho head 'of tho churdh aqd ono of his quorlcs waa whether an apostlo would need human aid In securing a revelation. This was caused by a statement that strong prossure had come from within tho church regarding tho manifesto of 1SD0. beforo President Woodruff received it from God. Mr. Stephens showed a disposition to regard re-gard lightly the claim that such revola-tlons revola-tlons camo from the Deity. Instoad ho Intimated his view that tho pooplo usually decided what thoy wanted ln tho way of a rovolatlon and that then tho revelation was announced promptly aa having como to tho head of tho church. Summarizing this view, tho witness declared de-clared that usually It waa tho Idea of "Vox Ponull, Vox Del," that the voice of the people Is thoroby the volco of God. It was brought out In Mr. Stephens's testimony that tho Salt Lako theater belonged be-longed to tho church. Regarding tho matter mat-ter of politics, Mr. Stephens said tho Mormons Mor-mons stood by tho great political parties, but should a matter come up In which tho church was directly lntorestod, thero would In all probability be a now alignment. align-ment. Ho said that whon the question of tariff was up tho church leaders who woro Interested In sugar factories urged tho people to stand by protection. Ho was of tho opinion that 25 nor cent of Mormons might be swung ln this way. As to tho action of Joseph Smith and other living ln unlawful cohabitation, Mr. Stephens .was strong In condemning It. He declared that public opinion was unanimous against new plural marriages, but as to polygamy and unlawful cohabitation cohabi-tation of those who married prior to tho manifesto, thore was a disposition to tolerate it. This condition he deprecated, but said thoro was no general sentiment among tho Gentiles to institute prosecutions. Smith Case Flagrant, The case of President Smith ho designated desig-nated as a llngnint one, but ho could not say why Smith was not prosecuted. Ho was of the opinion, when questioned by Senator HopklnH, that Utah people would object to any churchman, that Is, ecclesiastical eccle-siastical officer, coming to Congroso. Ho said a Stato law was passed ln ISM legitimatizing children born of polygamous polyga-mous paronts slnco the manifesto. "Whllo opposing unlawful cohabitation, he was of opinion that tho children of Duch Illegal act should bo legitimatized. Unlawful cohabitation, ho declared, could enly be stopped by tho rigid enforcement of tho law against It. There was, he said, no gonoral sentiment ln favor of prosecuting prose-cuting "cohabs," and ho doubted if nonti-ment nonti-ment was strong enough to cnuso prone, cutlon of President Smith. Thoro would bo no end to It except by death. Mr. Stophcns mado no effort to conceal conditions condi-tions existing ln Utah and theso conditions ho deprecated, but as to stopping II and how, that wan a problem. Prof. Talmago wns recalled to furnlBh a list of all officers of tho church. Ho also testified that tho speech of Apostle Hober J. Grant at tho Stato University, when tho apoBtlo gavo $50 to tho fund for each wife and said "Ho regretted that ho did not havo a third." waa regarded by all who heard It. as University officials, as a Jest, yot ho admitted ho had made an Inquiry In-quiry Into tho matter, because ho said It waa printed ln "an Inflammatory newspaper." news-paper." David Eccles of Ogden denlod that ho had married Margaret Geddes or any other oth-er woman slnco tho manifesto. Ho nd-mltted nd-mltted that ho contributed to tho support of Mrs. Geddes, Ho raid that ho had ono wlfo ln Oregon and ono ln Ogden. Smoot was not present at tho hearing today, Ills counsel announced that thoy had only one moro witness to oxamlno. Whether that ono Is Postmastor Thomas or Senator-elect Sutherland was not disclosed. dis-closed. All witnesses In thr- Smnot caso savo ono wcro excused tonight. Nearly all will start for home tomorrow. Glen Miller left tonight for Now York nnd Boston. Ho expects to roach Salt Lake about February 10. Sonator-elect Sutherland made his appearance ap-pearance on tho fioor of tho Sonato this afternoon. He camo ln during tho tlmo of tho preliminary proceedings In tho Swayno Impeachmnnt, Georgo Y. Wallaoo, president of tho Rooky Mountain Bell Telephone company, Ib hero on buslnees connoctod with, tho Intorlor doportmeut, i i 7 |