The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-06
METHODS OF MoyEJH
Church Said to Control Members Politics.
Question Comes Up on PropoGa3 ~ Amend the Measure Now Isud& ing to Admit the Thxea
 Territories~

Washington, Feb. 6.--The discmsUem the Statehood bill in the Senate eo1 turned on the question of polyGAMY< M number of Senators who heretofore Aq taken no part in the debate part1clDo41 in the discussion. z
 MT. McComas had started tho 0o1E@@ yesterday by criticising the pending as being too liberal and whan the emN ject came up today, MT. Galunger o41 verted to his remarks and said thnk - was in favor of an amendment covos1 this question as strong as could be afAMM The influence of the Mormon Church opoE politics occupied a large share Of tno| debate. which Mir. Hale charactertsed ae interesting. valuable and startling. bes cause 1t had disclosed a powerful reEx<I ious organization 'exerting itself ae =. dominant, potential force' over the utnA' and action of its followers. which nhou14 be taken into account in future leglnl9e3 ton.
 The Chruch Controls.
 Mir Dubose Dem.. Idaho) declared thn1 no polygamist could occupy any hiUh political place without the consent of thu First Presidency of the Mormon Church He said that Idaho could control the Mox~ mon people whenever 1t desired.
 MT. Hale replied that the matter was . dark element that cannot be penetrate9 by the light that usually illuminates and enlightens communities generally in tho States.
 Mir. Teller said the Mormon Church ss all-powerful and whenever it spoke through it's First Presidency. the great body of the church responded to the de mand that was made.
 Mir. Rawlins (Utah) declared that tha Mormon Church influence in poiitics in Utah is an important factor.
 Mir. Spooner inquired if 1t was true that the First Presidency could die ats whether or not a Mormon should hold s high political office.
 Mr. Dubois answered the question ny stating that no Mormon would run fcf q high political office without the cont siIt of the First Presidency.
 MT. Rawlins said that when the ap- pointment is given the man goes fcgth with the benediction of the church.
 While the other man," interjected Mir Hale, rests under the frown of the church.
 Utah Conditions Improving.
 MT. Rawlins declared that there was a large element which would soon over throw the church domination in the af- fairs of State because 1t would be ohnox- ious to them. The disposition to do thiss he said, is growing, and that In Utnn conditions were improving. He admitted. replying to Mir. McComas. that q major- ity of the Legislature are members of tho Mormon Church. although. he said. they have not discriminated against non-Mor> mons on religious grounds.
 If there is anything in the spirit ek American institutions" said MT. Ha1sv it is that 1t Is never permissible on the part of the authorities of religious organ izations to exercise control in temporal matters over their followers and to tn- fuence elections"
 This day has not been i'll spent,s he de- clared, Fin bringing out conditions that obtain where the Mormon Church has secured its Judgements
 MT. Quay said he was not just now pre- pared or authorized to accept an amend ment to the bill embodying the Edmunds law and applying 1t to Arizona and New Mexico. The best way to settle that quss- ton. he said. was to fix a day for vote on the bill.
 After some further remarks by MessrsS Patterson, McComas and others. the Son. ate went into executive session and soon after adjourned until tomorrow.