The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-14
FINE
ITALIAN HAND
Mormon Hierarchy Influenced
Statehood Bill, Says Depew.
PoLYGAMY STILL EXISTS
NEW YORK SENATOR CoETIN-
UES ATTACK ON MEASURE.
~ AsHINGToN. Feh. 1a-An -

w ASHINGTON, Feb. 13.-A1 irn-
w mense crowd was attracted ta
the senate today to hear the in
vocation Of General William Booth.
founder and commander-in-chief OF the
Salvation Army Among the occupants
Of the galleries were Booth Tucker and
large number OF Saivationists.
When the statehood bill came nm
Aenator Depew resumed his remarks.
He attacked the Mormon church be-
| cause, he said, he believed its members
sun chung TO the practice OF pOlygamy.
Mr. RaWhns replied. saying that if the
AiorInons were not interfered with they
would work out their own destiny.
In referring TO the anti-polygamv
provision Of the statehood bill. Senator
Depew said ''the Italian hand of the
mormon apostle has been at work in
The preparation of the measure and the
concentrated influence Of the Mormon
hierarchy can be seen in the deter
mined effort to prevent any amendment
which viii completely exclude polyg-
amy"
It is not disputed. he said. that the
vote Of the Mormon church is abso-
Iutely controlled by the central HER
archy of that organization. He de-
| clared that the migrat ton of NTornons
10 olnerent states and territories was
not for the purpose Of securing homes,
but through compact TO control Iegis-
lation
He read from an alleged address by
Bishop Lunt Of the Mormon church.
exporting his followers to remain firm
IN observing the tenets OF the church
and thus maintain their power in poll
ties.
"Repudiated,' p Says Rawlins.
Mr. Rawlins informed Mr.. Depew
that the address was fictitious and that
Mr. DepeW had been imposed uDoD-
he never knew of a Bishop Lunt OF
the Mormon church, and said the Nor
mon organization had repudiated the
address.
Any legislation, Mr.. Rawlins de-.
clared, in any state. directed at Nor
monism, is futile unless there is a pub
lie sentiment which will sustain the
same The question was not as to the
inadequacy of the provisions against
polygamy, but as to the exercise of
political power. Persecution is the seed
of the Mormon church, he declared. and
II did not do any good to arraign the
entire people and brand every Nor
mon as slave-a most unjust accu-
sation.
ITO do that" he said, 'syou solidify
/ those who would aid you If bringing
about the very conditions you seek
Inc best possible school. he said. for
the correction of these evils is to eman-
cipate the MoTmOns and leave them
free to work out their own destinies.
Mr.. Stewart declared that pOIygamy
in this country is a thing of the past,
because public sentiment has con-
demned that part Of the creed Of the
Mormon church
Proposes Idaho Clause.
Mr.. Dubois said he did not think
the references of the opponents Of
statehood to pOlygamy were serious
He declared that if the statehood bill
should be allowed to be put on the
pOstOffice appropriation bill. he would
consent to and advocate the inclusion
Of the Idaho constitution relating to
elections as an amendment. and require
Arizona and New Mexico to subscribe
to it before being admitted Under
the test oath of the constitution. he
said. Idaho disfranchised every mem
Der of the Mormon church and for
years they were without a vote
Mr. Depew- said it was we'll under
stood that the people in this country
have religion, so long as that re-
IigiOn in its practice dOeSs not strike
at the foundation of the family and
the morality of the state" There can
be. he said. a sO-called religion which
can be made a cloak for immoral
ity. for crime. for the purpose of break
ing up the family circle, for the degra-
datiOn of WOmanhOOd and for the cor
ruption of childhood
Mr. Depew had not concluded when.
at $40 D. m, the senate adjourned.