The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-10

sympathy. w can iluClSldAU' III"
ever. that it might appeal TO the IL
norant, or those, at least, whom we
consider ignorant. 1t all depends
upon the point Of view. There are
people, no doubt, who think Theoso-
phists are cranls and Christian Scieli-
fists a species of dangerous idiots.
We pass no judgment; we simply re-
cord observations. We must admit,
then, that to some people the alleged
revelations" made to Joseph Smith
and his successors seem genuine and
that their simple faith in those
worthless satisfies, so far as they at
least are concerned, the innate erav-
ing of the human mind for the IN
tangible and mysterious.
But now there arises the question
of polygamy. The enemies Of the
Mormon Church assert that 1t still
forms part of its tenets; and that 1t
IS practieed today. The Mormons say
that il was abolished by the publlca-
ton Of the manifesto" in 1890, ans
that no plural marriages have been
entered into since then. The testl-
mony taken by the committee shows,
however, that polygamOus cohabita-
ton has continued between men and
women who thought they had been
legally married prior to 1890. As
President Smith put 1t on the stand,
rather than abandon the wives he had
married" and the families he had
raised, and turn them out into the
world as mistresses and bastards, he
"faced the law" Aud on this prOpo
sition we shall be very much mistaken
IL the much-married President Smith
has not the respect, if not the sympa-
thy, of a very large class Of people III
this country. He viii have it, We
think, as had it the then Prince Of
Wales when he went into court,
faced the law and "perjured him
self ike a gentleman"
There Is still another point, how
ever, upon which interested poll
tieians rely to break the power of the
Mormon Church. They hope to prove
that adherenee to its doctrines makes
loyalty to the United States impossi-
BILE; that, therefore, the Mormon
Church is, in a sense, a reasonable
organization, and, as such, must be
extirpated. That's the way, at any
rate. IN which the more radical among
them put 1t. Those less fierce IN their
denunciation of Mormonism simply
assert that It is 4 religious hierarchy
controlling absolutely the political
destiny Of one State and threatening
those Of at least three others. We
have no means OF Judging whether
this is so or not. The testimony so
far adduce3 has certainly shown moth
ing of the kind. But whether true OF
not We are unable to admit that the
lpuTely religious character of the Nor
I mon organization justifes placing II
IN a different category from any
other organization designed to infu-
enee public opinion IL we did, Wa
might presently be called upon to leg
islate out Of existence every labor or
ganization IN the land. And having
done that, we might be compelled &c
proceed against certain churches
sects, and creeds who happened t.
have, as the Mormon Church hes ii
Smoot, a representative" IN Con
gress.
Reed Smoot has not been guilty OF
any infraction Of law, but his expul
sion is soughRon the ground that he
belongs TO a semi-treasonable organi
lzation, or that, at any rate, he belongs
TO an organization which believes thai
| lis tenets should carry greater weighs
than the law Of the land, with those
subscribing to them. In other words
he IS sought to be punished not fol
what he has done, but for what he !,
thought to think That attempt, i
successful, viii establish a dangerous
precedent, IN our opinion. We MAJ
well pause before adopting it. w
may well stop to consider whethe
the game Is worth the candle. W,
may we'll take, counsel Of ourselve
and ask, Shall we sacrifice principle
for the sake Of permitting others :,
reap a temporary political advai.
tage ~
1t would be iniudicious for RFr TTfi