The Irish standard., 1904-03-19
it is invariably of interest.

Next to him is Joseph Benson For
aker, of Ohio. Foraker jumps into a
hight as an athlete jumps into a cold
plunge. He lays about him with n
tongue tipped with cunning and force.
He squirms in his chair when the
subtle questions Of Mr.. Hoar are be-
ing unwound, and can hardly hold his
peace as he sees the coil surround the
victim. 1t is rumored that Mr.. Fora
ker leans to the side of the Mormons
i'll this inQuiry-that is, that he does
not regard the case against Reed
smoot as amounting to much.
Whether it is his individual lean
ing in that direction or whether it
comes from constitutional inability
to put himself in harmony with his
colleague. Mr.. Hoar, the result is the
same-a friction that blazes into i
flame at the slightest opportunity. Yet
the two men respect each other highly
and are the best of friends.
The two infants of the senate. AL
bert jeremiah Beveridge, of Indiana,
and Joseph Weldon Bailey, of Texas,
sit on opposite sides of the committee
table. Mr.. Bailey is ponderous Of
speech, not to be moved from the
point he is inquiring into, and pro-
found in his deductions as to the law
questions involved. Mr.. Beveridge is
rapier-like in his questioning; talka-
tive, inquisitive, rapidly skipping from
one topic to another, and turning up
all kinds of surprises for himself and
everybody else.
Lee S. Overman, Democrat, of North
Carolina, sits next to Mr.. Bailey. Ov-
erman is new man in the senate, and
has made but one speech. He is clean
shaven, round faced, scrupulously at
tired, and with such a shining face
and neatly brushed hair that he re-
sembles little youngster fresh from
the ministra tions of his mother. IL
the Smoot hearings he has asked
many questions, always with strict i'm
partiality and with lawyer-like pre-.
cision.
Opposite him is Senator Dillingham;,
of Vermont, who has taken little part
in the discussions or the examinations.
Another member of the committee,
Louis E. McComas, of Maryland, has
had little to do with the DEVELOPMENT
of the case.
So much for the committee. The
other part-the AUDIENCES a study,
too. 1t is composed largely Of women.
The committee room is small, and
there is room for only twenty or thirty
spectators. At the door, which opens
into corridor, there is always a
crowd Of from fifty to hundred per-
sons, half of them women, standing
patiently by the hour, jammed in like
sardines, craning their necks to hear
the testimony.
On the days when Joseph F.
Smith, president of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was
the witness these women listened
spellbound to his rodnd, unvarnished
tale Of marrying five wives who have
borne to him forty-two children. When
he said these children consisted of
twenty-one boys and twenty-one girls,
''and I'm proud of every one of them,' -
there was subdued chorus of "Ohv'
and "Ah" from women that might
have meant admiration as we'll as
horror.
In the crowd are girls of II or 18,
we'll dressed and modest Of demeanor,
whose presence in that place on that
occasion is an enigma to everybody
except those who are expert in psy-
chology. They are wedged in among
pudgy old women and gaunt, shabby
men.
(which is Smoot?" is the first ques-
tion propounded by the visitors. "Is
that President Smith," is the next.
lis that woman a Mormon?" follows.
'4That woman" is square jawed,
elderly person who invariably takes a
gseat in the rear Of the row Of Mormon