Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1904 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Political and General Gossip of the National Capital. Special Correspondence to The Democrat: Dear Smoot of the alkaline harem! Behold the trail out of the wood! I send you this friendly alarum Here's hoping you’ll do as you should Set grass-widows off with a pension; Polygamy ?—lt’s the invention of fools! At any rate, this is the current opinion in Washington. There is considerable excitement at the Capitol. The Mormon drama is on. Reed Smoot, Senator, sits serenely in the centre of the stage. Joseph F. Smith, late Patriarch and Apostle and now First President of the -‘Church es Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” and nephew of that Joseph Smith who found the “Urim and Thumm” —the stone spectacles —on a hillside in Western New York —is the chief defender of the Mormon Senator. It will be remembered that two years ago President Roosevelt wrote to Republican leaders in Utah and asked them not to send Smoot to Washington —a strange and unwarrantable ins terference with the political affairof a state. They sent him, notwithstanding, and here he is on trial for his right to his seat, the contention of the Gentile women and other “reformers” who oppose him being that he was elected by the church and not by the state.

Seventeen witnesses have been brought here from Utah by government subpoena, and fonr who could not be found are being hunted up. Those present receive seven cents a mile for traveling expenses and $3 a day for board — a nice sum, all told. One of the men brought is Critchlow, a lawyer, who, in addition to pay as a witness, has a good retaining fee as an attorney in the case! Smoot’s examination is held in an antique committee room, with a ceiling of groined arches and foliations, walled with books, and documents, and a broad mahogany table running down the middle. At one end of the table sits President Smith, the head of the chnrch and star witness, who was an apostle before rising to his present dignity—gray hair, gray eyes, gray beard, flowing down both sides of his chin, a tall, vigorous and emphatic man with urbane manners and benevolent face. Around him are his lawyers and behind him Senator Smoot with a conspicuous black mustache and dark brown hair brushed back from a square forehead. At the other end of the table sit Senator Burrows, Chairman, and Senators Hoar, Beveridge, Bailey, Dubois, Depew, Proctor, Foraker, and MoComas. The first four asked the witness a good many questions yesterday. But he was chiefly prodded by the proseonting lawyer, Taylor, late Congressman from Ohio, an alert, cadaverous, hatchet-faced man, assisted by ExSenator John G. Carlisle, for the prosecution. Mr. Smith said in answer to questions that the President of tne Mormon church and all high officials are chosen by revelation from God and endowed with the

authority of the holy precedent. Church doctrine, he oould speak from inspired knowledge, but in regard to business affairs he spoke from his best information and was subjeot to error. Bering asked if Mr. Smoot, like himself, receives revelations direct from God, the witness answered affirmatively. He explained that there was much tolerance and latitude allowed; a member might disbelieve and ref radiate a revelation, but if he ived a correct life he need not be considered outside the pale of the church. Very few Mormons had more than one wife. He had often heard prominent Mormons condemn plural marriages. Senator Bailey objected to investigation of the Mormon religion as such, holding that the government had toothing to do with a man’s belief’s. v Utah people affirm that Mr. Smith is the father of forty-two children, and he frankly and unhesitatingly told the committee that he had five wives and had eleven children by them since the publication of the government manifesto forbidding polygamy. When asked why he violated the law, he said that rather than desert his wives and abandon his children he was ready to suffer any punishment that might be inflicted upon him.

Senator Hoar asked him if he had married any women since publication of the manifesto, and he promptly and frankly replied that he had not and earnestly affirmed, bringing his hand vigorously down upon the table, that no married Mormon had taken an additional wife since the publication of that prohibition. This declaration he repeated and reaffirmed, in order, he said, that there should be no further doubt about it. Polygamy has not increased, he declared, since the Woodruff manifesto. But Mormons had refused to be so unmanly as to desert their innocent families merely for the purpose of escaping punishment. . President Smith’s testimony on Thursday and Friday was a veritable sensation, and the women among the auditors (two of them from Utah as witnesse) leaned forward with breathless interest. Though frank and earnest, i t should be added that the witness was not vehement or defiant. His demeanor was that of a courteous gentleman willing to give information on a much misunderstood subject. His dignity was impressive. When called upon to name his wives and number his children and questioned about his divorced wife, he did not refuse, but showed much sensitiveness and gently protested, saying that it was very embarrashig and most trying to have his family privacy and domestic affairs intruded on and it was especially hard to be required to give information concerning the wives apd children of his associates, the officials of the church. “For,” he said, standing upright, and usiDg an emphatic gesture, “if there is anything on earth that I detest and loath it is a spy and an informer.” One of the lawyers said, “A Mormon maxim, I believe, is, “Mind your own business.” The witness nodded assent and said, “Yes, that’s it.” He proceeded to add that the church had nothing to do with the election of Senator Smoot or any civil officer and the most they had done was orally to give him “leave of absence” to come to Washington if he should be elected. They would have extended the same courtesy to any other applicant. It becomes more obvious day by day that it is not Senator Smoot but Mormonism that is on trial, The question seems to be whether a member of the Utah hierarchy can possibly be a member of Congress. But does it not appear to the ordinary American that the admission of Utah territory to the Union had settled that question? Mr. Smith’s Utah wives telegraph their enthusiastic approval of his course and his testimony.