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Show .... .t u- . :x : j i Q eclares It Is Iot His Busi-necs Busi-necs to Investigate Pub-Iislied Pub-Iislied Charts of Polygamy Polyg-amy Against thb Faithful. I SMITH UHCONCERNED AS TO CHARGES. I , ' , ' - ' ' ' " President Smith, in his testimony at "Washington today, -when asked -whether he had taken any steps to run down the stories that the laws had been violated by officers of the church, answered that the public charge did not concern him and that If he took the time to answer all the . charges made against himself and other officials of the church he would not have time to do- other work. thority, Mr. Smith said It did not. "Then in the Interest of the church you would feel inclined to Investigate such charges, would you not?" "Not such vicious charges as have been made against us." -Not Supposable Case. "Well, now, suppose it was- charged that Francis M. Lyman, president of the apostles, had performed & plural marriage ceremony since 1890, would you not Investigate that?" "It is nof a supposable case, and if it was I could not answer,? be said. Chairman, J3urrows insisted-upon knowing from the witness whether he would have Investigated rjch charg-es against any of the apostles and the witness wit-ness answered again: 1 ' "It Is not my business to do it. -. rrhT he sal '.: " which are said to have occurred before I became president, and I know nothing about them." ' Would Not Investigate. "But now that jou are president, what would you do if such charges were made?" asked the chairman. Mr. Smith said he would not investigate investi-gate the case because that w as the duty of lesser officials. Question as to "Sealing." Chairman Burrows asked In regard to the marriage ceremony performed In the church. He spoke of the marriages for time, the marriages for time and eternity, eter-nity, and the marriages for eternity only, and asked If the latter is not called "sealing." "They are all called sealing," was the response. "Is this sealing for eternity ever performed per-formed for living persons?'.' "I believe I have heard of one or two such cases," said the witness. ; WASHINGTON, March 9. The sev-. sev-. enth day of the hearings in the Senator Bmoat case was opened before the Senate Sen-ate Committee on Privileges and Elections Elec-tions by Attorney Tayler for the prose-, prose-, cution recalling President Joseph F. I Smith of the' Mormon church to the I . stand. ". ..''.. :i ': ' Mr. Smith was questioned ns to the interview he gave to a representative of the Associated Press in 1902; giving - statistics in regard to the church, and ,the number of polygamlsts in Utah. j , ' Mr. Smith had said the entire inter- view consisted of statistics and that in - that statement he had Bald nothing for the purpose of supporting the candidacy Y ' of Tteed Smoot for the United States ' Senatorehljx - " ' ' ' . . ' ! Upon l.ca.i ii. U.e interview read. Mr. ' . Smith admitted he had been quoted correctly In regard to Mr. Smoot, and had urged his election. Mr. Smith said he was acquainted with eGnJamin Clnff, Jr., president of the board of faculty of the Biigham Toung academy, and that he is reputed to be a poly gam 1st. He also was asked about Abraham Cannon, and if the general gen-eral charge had not been that he took a plural wife, Lillian Hamlin, since the manifesto of 1890. ' Mr. Smith said that had been a newspaper news-paper charge and he bad paid no attention atten-tion to it. Sensitive to Charges. "The officers of the Mormon church are sensitive in regard to the charge that plural marriages have been performed per-formed since 1890, are they not?" Ms. Tsyly asked. Mir Smith said he thought they were sensitive on the subject. He was asked then whether he had taken any steps to run down the stories that the laws had been violated by officers of-ficers of the church. He answered that the public charge did not concern him and that if he took the time to answef all the charges made against himself and other officials of the church he would not have time to do other work. No Investigation of Teasdale, Reference was made especially to the charges against George Teasdale, an apostle, and Mr. Smith was asked if he did not feel called upon in that case to make some inquiry in justice to the reputation of the church. "It was not my business to do so," he said.. "Do you mean to say that notwithstanding notwith-standing the sensitiveness you profess, you do not take steps to have corrected what you term false charges?" "It is not my business to do so," the witness replied with emphasis.' . Lays It on Bishops' Courts. "The question Is, do you?' said Chalr-. Chalr-. man Burrows. . Mr. Smith then explained that It is . the duty of the bishops' court to pass upon the morals of those who live in their wards or districts. s j that include officials of the cfTarch?" was asked. t - . . "It includes all members." When asked if the rule applies to offl- fJ who are above the bishops in au- |