The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-29
AFTER SENATOR SMOOT
Helen GoHld's and Other Wo-
mems Fight on Him.
WOMAN TELLS OF LIFE
DR.. Sarah Elliott Spent Many
Years in Utah.

"If the plural marriage be unlawful
then is the whole plan OF salvation
through the house of Israel a fe.,ure and
the entire fabric of Christianity without
foundation. From the Compendium Of
the Doctrines of the Gospel, printed in
1saS. two years after Utah becen.e u state,
and used by Mormon missionaries for
proselytizing.
1t is strange that the ana >liorism Of
nineteenth century polygamy-the re-
manning twin relic of barbTism '-should
have appeared among the most progress
gve people in the world; szTaHSe that
conception Of marriage which oflginated
In the twilight Of the race, and Which OF
many centuries has survived ODlyasin the
darkness of heathenism, should now -four
ssh in the nooday Of Christian trulh'
strange that an insti6ltion characteristic
of the Far East should be established III
the new West. that poisonous Aslatlc
plapt should strike its roots in American
soil: strange that the people who nave
The highest ideal OF womanhood should be
.he ones to reduce the wife to fract:o1
of a woman
II was theapractice of polygamy more
than anything else which fixed public ut
teution originally on the Mormons ana
: placed them under ban. 1t was polyGa1nF
against which congress legisiated. 1t WIS
nolvgarnv which for many years barred
T7tah out of the Union, until this crime
against wornanhood was outlawed by
the proposed state constitution, and the
most solemn pledges were given that II
should be forever abandoned.
That po!ygamy exists has been at all
times strenuously denied by the authori-
ties of the church Presidents Woodruff,
Snow and Smith have each made personal
assertions through their official organ
the Desert News, to the effect that no
plural or polEgamous marriages nave
taken place since 1889. None could have
taken place. they said. without their per
mission. as they only held the keys
{ Have they kept their word?
The women of the United States, realiz-
ing the meaning and ultimate outcome OF
Apostle Reed Shoots seat in the senate,
Z have banded together in concerted action
to prevent the entering wedge of what
every thinking woman knows Will mean
the further degradation of woman, and
the dissertation of the home. 1t is Of vital
Importance to the women of the United
States that women shall retain their
present exalted position, perhaps the
most evxalted given to women in any
country. and they are determined 10 make
a strong fight to keep the octopus OF
nIormonism from fastening its letters
- IN I-aGfpTn states.
It is the women of the United States
rho must largely settle this question.
.a'hey arc the queens of American homes
fnot the queens. Of the Mormon harem. II
they stand fortnight the right Will come
No man dares TO stand up in America
outside of Utah and Idaho and some sec
tiosls Of SURROUNDING states and advocate
any other system OF life than the high
est ideals of the monoga nous home. VIII
the women OF America stand for any
lower standard?
The New York State Association OF
Republican Women and The Woman
Republican club of New York city were
the pioneers in the woman's movement t6
unseat Apostle Smoot, on the ground
\ that his oath to the Mormon church
: when he became an apostle of the Nor
mon hierarchy. transcends his oath as
senator. The portion of tho alleged oath
considered treasonable is the following;
land l furthermore promise and sweal
that / win hold eter-al ermity toward the
government of the United states, and will
ayense the death of the prophet, Joseph
Smith.
During the summer each member Of the
Wonlan-s Republican club of New York
city. numbering one hundred OF the best
known women in the city. were requested
70 send three letters. one TO Senator Bur
rows. one to Senator Depew. and one t.
Senator Platt protesting against the seat
ing Of Senator SInoot. on the ground o.
his higher allegiance 10 the Mormon
church and his cosnizance of The practice
of poIygamy. Irrespective of whether h
Is living in 'polygamous relations or not.
Mrs James Griswold NentZ prosiden
OF tho New York State Association Of Re
publican Women and president OF TIN
N-oman;s Republican club of New Yorl
city. voices the sentiment OF the womel
sn her organization in these words:
This. government is founded on III
home. and anything that threatens tn
destruction of the home is a menace Il
the United States government. The Nor
mons teach and practice polygamy as TN
fundamental principle OF their faith. a
essential to their future and eternal life
. Reed Smoot rs one Of the twelve apostle
ryof their church. stands for everything
the church teaches: therefore. Reed Smoo
IS not a TT man TO be seated in tn
United States senate. American wome
will forever stand for the monogamou
marriage and the American home
Petitions signed by members OF all tn
Protestant churches in Anderson, Ind
presented by the Wemans Christian TEN
perance union, demanding that Rec
smoot. of Utah. he expelled from III
United States senate on the ground tha
he Is an apostle of the Mormon churcl
and by his allegiance to that chUrc
recognizes 4 government other than tn
United States. and IS therefore ineIeibl
20 a seat IN the senate. 1t was turtle
= urged that Senator SHOOTS case he il
vestigated. on the ground that he is
polygamist. Tho petitions were forward
ed to Senators Fairbanks and Beveridg,
Of Indiana
Or. Sarah J. Elliott. who lived in TIA
as q practising physician for over eigl
years. going among the Mormon wome
and children. gaining n Knowledge an
insight OF their home life as has bee
given TO a few men or women. speaks /
the highest praise 81 the polycamou
wives. She says:
'sThe women Of Utah are coed wornel
They are devoted mothers; they are mors
andi the majority of cases true To tbs
s,,sl,,,ae NJ bas,s floagiS f,r -I,e-, D.,