OCR Text |
Show . ' '1 : ' . , ' 'l 1 ' '. '. 1-1 ' '. ' ' . ". . UIiffSJDNl!i:SENAIIlK;lDNIEKSi:3 i:i 'OFi VEST1ATI0N,1ENIS MlEMBiim REGARDING ENB0WMEN1-M0UG5 Ci.IMS ' . . - ' " , . - . - - - - . J I . On Direct Examination He Tells His Story Calmly; Crowds Throng Committee-Room Committee-Room During Testimony; any more than any other cltlsen would have 6one.". . Disclaims' Conspiracy.' '. Senator Smoot said be attended most of the meetings of- the apostles. - In reply re-ply to Mr. Worthlngton he sld that the meeting "were held in a private room In the Temple and Mr. "Worthlngton "Worthlng-ton then asked: ; ' "In reference to the charge here that the apostles bad entered into a conspiracy con-spiracy tt further polygamy, what can 'you say?". ' . ' - "Such a thing was never referred to at any of the meetings." Polygamy Hot Mentioned. . -. Senator 6moot said the apostles frequently fre-quently were called in to advise the president, of the church, but that he had the power to do as he pleased after af-ter the advice was given. He was asked if anything ever had come up at any of these meetings that might be regarded as furthering polygamy, and he replied more emphatically than before, be-fore, "Polygamy . wa never mentioned." Continuing, he denied that there was a particle of foundation for the story of a conspiracy. Asked again v concerning the testimony testi-mony of President Smith that be had five wives and was llvingywith them la violation of. the' law, Senator Smoot said that untU that time be bad no more knowledge than any other man. . Hot Present in ApriL K Senator' Smoot said he was not present pres-ent at the conference in April, 1904. that sustained, the presidency and the apostles of the Church, but he did attend at-tend the semi-annual conference in October Oc-tober lart year'. . , . The Senator spoke of va meeting of the apostles and the first prest before the October conference i i .said. lhat-AtvC; ' .taw of President Smith-ttAputla4 Cowley and Taylor bad been sustained at the April conference. In view of the testimony testi-mony before the Senate committee that both of these apostles had taken plural wives since the manifesto. The Senator said he objected to having hav-ing the men sustained at the October conference, and was. told by President Presi-dent Smith that aa a member of the church he ought to know that on official offi-cial or member of the church could not be excommunicated or diaf ellow-shipped ellow-shipped without an investigation and hearing. "I realised- this." continued the Senator, Sena-tor, "but .was told that an Investigation would be made and I have no doubt that a very rigid inquiry is now In progress. Without this promise I would not have voted to sustain them. Up to the time of the testimony before this committee I had no knowledge' that either of the apostles had violated the law In that regard, nor had I heard anything of the kind against any other apostle except from the testimony given giv-en In this room." , Concerning Penrose. Concerning a meeting held immediately immedi-ately before the October conferences-Senator conferences-Senator Smoot said that he had not been informed that the name of Charles W. Penrose was to be presented by President Smith to fill the position of apostle made vacant by the death of Abram O. Woodruff. WASHINGTON,: '"Jan. 20.-Senator Reed Smoot was put on the stand. In his own defense today In the Investigation, Investiga-tion, of protests against the Senator's retaining his seat in the Senate. . s A minority of the Committee on Prlv-tfcges Prlv-tfcges and Elections has been attending the hearings, but when It was announced an-nounced that Senator Smoot would testify tes-tify the absentees were sent for. . " No previous announcement had been made, but the Senator bad not long .been under examination before the doors of the committee were filled and pasasgeways were kept open with difficulty. dif-ficulty. - , . ; I . ffo Avoid Any Delay. , . A. S. Worthlngton of counsel for the defense was closeted with the Senator throughout the morning. He was late in arriving at the Capitol, but stated that the .expected witnesses having failed to appear he had decided to ex- . amine the Senator at once In order not to lose a day. ' Mr. Worthlngton conducted the direct di-rect examination.. .-. ' Senator at His Ease. Senator Smoot was at his ease, although al-though every eye In the room was dl-" dl-" rected to him. The first questions were as to r the Senator's nativity. He . said he was born in Salt Lake City In 1862. His father fa-ther and mother are both dead. His mother was a plural wife. Concerning his own family, he said ' be was married September 17, 1884. and has but one wife. They have six children. chil-dren. He said that at the time of his marriage be did not take endowments. - but that in 1880 he had gone through the endowment house at the request of bis father, for the benefit of the tatter's tat-ter's health. He said he told bis father at that time that he did not care much " about taking the ceremony. -, Took 2Jo Oaths. -K Senator Smoot said he had been en- - gaged In the mercantile business most . of his life. The only office In the church that he has held other than that of . apostle was counselor to the president of the Utah stake of Zlon and he declared de-clared that he bad taken no oaths of any character when -he became counselor, coun-selor, nor bad he taken, any oath when he became an apostle. Did Hot Bemember. Mr. - Worthlngton asked Mr. Smoot about the endowment ceremony and he replied: "I could net give it If I wanted to." "Why not?" "Because I have no distinct recollection recollec-tion of the ceremony." . Senate in 1902. Of course I knew of the rule which required me to ask the presidency pres-idency of the church If I could run.".,. Consent of Church. Here Mr.. Worthlngton interrupted and asked him to explain this rule. Senator Sen-ator Smoot replied that It referred only to officials of the church and amounted dimply to a leave of absence from the church duties. He said he went to the first presidency while It was sitting' In one of Its regular meetings and formally for-mally made application for a leave. He told the first presidency- that" If elected he would require a leave of absence so as not to Interfere with his duties as a Senator. . "That consent was given me some time early in May and I announced my candidacy May 19, 1902," continued the Senator. . "and I immediately .began to organize my forces for a campaign." ' "Do you mean to organize Bepub-lican Bepub-lican forces or your church friendsf" asked Mr. Worthlngton. " ' , "The Bepublicans most assuredly, n was 'the.reply..' - "Was the Mormon church a factor in politics In your candidacy for the Senate" asked Mr. Worthlngton.' "Not In the least. No more than the Presbyterian or ' . the Methodist churches. No man or woman can say that I ever ' asked them to vote the Republican Re-publican ticket because I was an apostle. apos-tle. Whatever I did to promote my candidacy was based upon Republican arguments alone." Ho Attempt to Influence. "Did any one ever ' attempt to Influence In-fluence you or to dictate to you in your politics?" "Not in any way. Ii would not permit per-mit it" , "Is the leave of absence received by you a church Indorsement of your candidacy?" can-didacy?" : "Not at all, and the people do not so regard it." "If the president of the church should ask you to vote according to his wishes, what would be your attitude?" 1 "I would Tote as I believed was for the best Interests of the country.". "What would be your position If the president of the church should attempt at-tempt to influence your vote as a Senator?" Sen-ator?" . "I would not submit to It for a minute." "What was the state of your knowledge knowl-edge regarding the polygamous reta- tlnn. nf Pruilrifnt Josenh F. Smith nn latlon received by Joseph 8mith, and had been practiced during his life. He also wished It understood that he was not advocating ad-vocating or teaching polygamy, but was Kivtnr a. matter of history." He Made Ho Objection. The Senator was ssked If he objected to the election of Mr. Penrose. "I did not abject to Mr. Penrose. At that time I thought he had only one wife, but I do not want to hide behind that," the Senator continued hastily, "for I take the position that when a man has married before the manifesto he can accept a purely church position. . He has not violated vio-lated a law of the church and for a porely ecclesiastical position I hold that- he is eligible. But I don't think that a man In that status wouM hold a- Government position either elective or appointive. Neither do I feel that there Vs a man In Utah who thinks a polygamlst who continues con-tinues to violate the laws of the land should hold such a place. - To the best of my knowledge there Is not a Federal office In Utah filled by a polygamlst. I know that the postmaster was removed on that ground and there has been other cases of that kind." , -. Has Recommended Hone. "Have you referred to the President the appointment of a polygamlst to a Federal office?" asked M Worthlngton. "No, sir, snd I do not Intend to," replied re-plied the Senator. Further Inquiry was made by Mr. Worthlngton as to the Investigation under way In the cases of Apostles Cowley and Taylor and the witness said: "If It should be found that these apostles apos-tles or any 'other officers of the church have taken plural wives since the manifesto mani-festo or have solemnised plural marriages for others since the manifesto I will not vote to sustain them." In answer- to another question by Mr. Worthlngton. Senator Smoot said that he had never advised or countenanced any man or woman to live In polygamy. At the afternoon session Mr. Worthlngton Worthlng-ton resumed the 'direct examination of Senator 8moof. He called attention to a discourse by President Smith at Ogden, which Mrs. Bathsheba Smith, - one of President Smith's wife, attended. Relative Rela-tive to, President Smith's remarks. Senator Sen-ator Smoot - said the president declared the endowments were promulgated by Joseph Jo-seph Smith, and not by Brlgham Touna:, as had been stated In Utah. . Continuing the Senator said: Explains Smith's Bemarks. ' "As I understand .-his remarks, he wished the people to understand that the endowments were Instituted - by, Joseph Smith, instead of by Brlgham . Tours. And also that polygamy itself was a reve J V ,-'V--; Why Grant Was Called. In reference to sending Apostle Heber J. Grant on a foreign mission fer the purpose of getting him out of the way of the Senate committee. Senator Smoot said that Apostle Grant was called to preside over the European mission for the reason that he had not been satisfied with the mission he held In Japan. Senator Sen-ator Bmoot said the European appointment appoint-ment was voted upon at the October, 1903, conference, and that Grant left in December. The Senator said Grant had announced publicly his Intention to leave for Europe. The duff Case. Relative to the resignation of Benjamin ClufC as president of the Brlgham Toung university on account of the fact that he had taken a plural wife since the manifesto. mani-festo. Senator Smoot said that as a trustee of the university he took part In the Investigation. Trustee Jesse Knight moved that George Brim hall be president of the university In view of the charges, snd the Senator said that President Smith announced at the meeting that a president of the university could not disregard dis-regard the law. Mr. Brlmhall said the Senator was not In a condition of health at that time to take the position, but about a year ago Mr. Cluff was dropped and Mr.' Brlmhall was made president of the faculty. . Brlmhall was selected to succeed Cluff because he was the Idol of the young men, and most people thought It proper to plaoe him at the head of the Institution for the good of the university. Hrver Was a Teacher. ' Senator Smoot said that Florence Reynolds, Rey-nolds, who is reputed to have been taken by Cluff as a plural wife never had been a teacher In the university as had been ststed by other witnesses. The Senator said that he did not know Mr. Brlmhall was a polygamlst at the time of his elevation ele-vation to the presidency of the. university, hut that It would have made no difference with his election for the reason that Mr. Brlmhall has not , violated the spirit of the manifesto. ' Evans Bill Unwise. As to the Evens bill, which was passed by the Legislature and vetoed by the Governor, he thought It was in unwise measure. This bill provided that a person per-son could not be convicted of unlawful cohabitation unless the complaint was made by the 'wife. ' ' ' ' Mr. Worthlngton read what witnesses have alleged to be the ' "oath of ven-4 ven-4 nee" and asked Senator Smoot If there was anything; of that character in the ceremony-' ' ( . "There was not." - "Was there anything of vengeance . ttpon this generation F" ' , "Ho, sir." - i ' . " "Was there anything about avenging aveng-ing the blood of Joseph Smith?" "There was not. And It would hare been very strange if there had been. Joseph Smith was the instigator of the - endowment . ceremony,'' and it would have been rery strange if he had asked his people to avenge his. blood when he was alive." "Was there anything in the cere-', cere-', xnony which would affect your loyalty to your country f" "There was not." , . How He Came to Bun. 1 , "How came you to be a candidate for Senator?" "WetX I bad been rather active In 'politics before the division was made on party lines. I took the leading papers pa-pers of both national parties and at first believed myself gradually drifting to the principles of the Republican party par-ty and Joined that party when the division di-vision -came." The Senator .explained in detail bis interest in political affairs. He said that In l&n bis political . friends In Provo, ' most of them non-Mormons; asked him to either run for Governor or for the United States Senate. Aspired to' Senate in 1900. , -I told them," he said, "that I did not care to run for office until we could get our own county In the right pollti-,ctl pollti-,ctl column and that when that time came I should like to go to the Senate. We organised and carried Utah for the Republican party in 1900. I announced jcy. Candidacy for the United State r---: . v ;..;-.. c to the time be testified before this com-mlssion?" com-mlssion?" "I knew that be had more than one wife, but I knew nothing of the manner man-ner of bis living." When He Was Surprised., "Wltnesses,ave testified her that the statement of President Smith took the people by surprise. What was your feeling In regard to that?" ' "I was surprised at the number of .children born in his families since the manifesto, but was not surprised at all as to the number of his wires." . . "What was the state of your knowledge knowl-edge concerning the family relations of other apostles?". Accepted Conditions. . : The Senator explained that be bad not Intimate acquaintance with the families of the other apostles at the time be became an apostle in 1900. When asked about their general reputations repu-tations and whether he bad made any protest against those reputed to be living liv-ing In polygamous relations be said the Government-of the United States had accepted the existing conditions; that there had been no prosecutions and that the attitude of the people was that of toleration. . He declared that the people felt that the best, ana, in fact, the only way to . settle the conditions' was. to let the polygamlsts die out Mr. Worthlngton asked if that sentiment senti-ment of toleration - extended to plural marriages, which have occurred since the, manifesto. .'Oh, not at all," replied the Senator Sena-tor earnestly. "I don't believe there is a good citizen of Utah who would condone new plural marriages." "What action did you take to put a, stop to the polygamous relations of the other apostles?" asked Mr. Worthlngton. Worthlng-ton. ! . ''None at alL- I never thought of It . .-'' |