Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-04
PROTECTS CRIMINALS
Startling Accusation Made
Against Reed Smoot.
DIR. WISHARD OF UTAH
COMES TO OPPOSE SEATING OF
MORMON IN SENATE.
Declares Apostles Allegiance to His
Church Units Him to Assume
New Function.
DIR. WISHARD OF UTAH

The Rev. Dr. S. Wishard Of Salt Lake
City, superintendent of the Presbyterian
Home Missions, synod Of Utah, Is in the
city, having come to register protest
against the seating Of Senator-elect Reed
Smoot. DR.. Wishard has spent many years
in the cause Of Christianity, and he Is de-
termined that the Utah apostle shall not
be admitted to membership IN the United
States Senate without that body having
full knowledge of the conditions that exist
in the case.
II am here to get before the committee
on privileges of the Senate the true state
of things in Utah. DR.. Wishard said to an
Evening Star reporter this afternoon. His
old friend, DR.. Radcliffe Of the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church, was an at
tentive listener.
Especially am I anxious that the COM
mittee be informed and enlightened in ref
erence to the fight that has marked the
Mormon Church from its inception to the
present hour. I want the committee TO
know that the Mormon Church claims rue
over the state and has exercised that rule
continuously.
Congress- Initial Action.
'In 1862 Congress passed an act prohibit
ing polygamy, and Lincoln sent Gov. Hard
Harding's message to the territorial legis-
lature he called attention, and mildly. to
this action of Congress against polygamy.
The journal of the legislature made no
note of his presence.
Brigham Young called large meeting
Of citizens and denounced Harding as in
terfering with their religion, and said II
he Harding) didn't attend to his own busl-
ness woe to him. The Poland bill, also
launched from Congress against polygamy,
fell to the ground without any result. No
one obeyed it. The Edmunds law met the
same fate until the Tucker amendment
was added. Then the law was uted
in spite Of the Mormon Church and hun
dreds of the violators went to the peniten-
tiary. On their return home they were
received with loud acclaim, with banners
and songs. as martyrs to their religion.
Made a Flank Movement.
"For a time they continued resistance.
but finally discovered that the United
States was bigger than the Mormon Church
and they would suffer the penalty of the
violation Of the law. They then made 6
flank movement and professed to suspend
polygamy and proceeded with their decep-
ton to the government until they secured
statehood. They placed an article in the
state constitution forever prohibiting
polygamy, signed it with their right hands
where they have been ever since.
"They continue to misrepresent the Amer
lean people. saying to the public that we
ask them to cast off their wives and chill
dren and send them adrift. We have never
made that request We believe that they
ought to divide their property with then
polygamous wives and see that they afe
taken care Of but cease to live in polygam-
Gus relations with them.
Some of the best Mormon citizens have
done that. But the hierarchy doesn't seem
to make any distinction between thrustins
their polygamous families and cohabitins
with their polygamous wives.
Objections to Smoot
GAS to Mr.. Smoot, we object to him, not
because he is a Mormon. We have had
Mormon representatives in Congress to
whom no objection was made. But we OBJ
ject to him because he belongs to HER
archy that claims control of the state and
exercises that control Their inspired
teachers, have put them on record as hav-
ing a superior government to that of the
position.
THAT claim is made In the following
statements Of the apostles Of the church Of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Of whom
Apostle Reed Smoot Is one. and must act in
harmony with the apostolate:
There is a nucleus Of government
formed. since that Of the United States
which is perfect in its nature, having ema-
mated from a being which is perfect
Journal Of Discourses, vol. 8, pp. 72.)
Some may inquire, Is 1t right, Is 1t
lawful for another government to be or
ganized within the United States of a theo-