The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-03-16
Washington Letter.
Washington u. c. March II. 1904.

Washington D. c. March II. 1904.
Ti e Smoot inquiry has occupied the at
tention of the Senate committee on cleo
tons during the past week President
Joseph F Smith, of the Mormon church
has been the principal witness, and has
been diligently piled with questions as to
the relations of his church to mundate and
civil affairs 1t appears that polygamy
has not been entirely abolished in Utah.
at least in SO far as marriages contracted
prior TO its admission 10 Statehood are con-
cerned. President Smith and other
apostles frankly admit ,hat they live in
polygamous state, and defend their action
on moral grounds, claiming that to desert
their wives would he more reprehensible
tnan to live with them after having mar
ried them, in spite of violation OF the law.
Th re is. an elemant of humor in the trial,
and it was amusing when Smith solemuly
admitted that he did not just know how
many children be had. 1t was suggested
that It might be a.lvisabla FOR Kim to take
a family cepsns on his return nome The
opinion seems 10 be qnte general that MIR
Sfnoat VIII BE- dee.ad the privilege of re-
taining a seat in he Unifed States Senate
on the ground that his position in the
Mormon church and h 5 adherence 10 the
terets of that creed is incompatible with
the spirit and institutions of our govern
ment Senator Dubois of Idaho, enter
tains We known hostility to Mormonism
He. was at one time United States mar
shall for Idaho. and IN that capacity he
lost favor with the Mormons by his zeal in
arresting and prosecuting those guilty of
plural marriages Since then he has had
to contend with their opposition in politics
and as the Mormons are now numerous in
Idaho they are positive menace to his
ambition This fact and early experiences
have engendered a strong feeling of bellig-
erency on both sides.
The drama has many devo.ees in Wash
ington. During the present season there
have been opportunities for hearing some
of the greatest living actors in some OF
the greatest dramas ever written. Shake
| speare, that 'Intellectnal ocean whose
waves touch all the shores of thought, and
Harvested all the fields Of thought, and
III who came after him were but cleaners
lof stra~. and.who foond human intellect
dwgilins ia a hat and touched II with a
ie wand If Iris saiQs and i became a
Haace, has aea .4il fepte aptea Sir
Aenry lryi7g presented Hamlet and The
Merchant OF Venice; Otis Skinner WAS
heatd IN The Merchant Venice, and
Forbes Robertson gaze WAat S been
termed the gre3tes' Hani.et s.nee ttie days
/ OF Booth. Grand Opera has also held the
boards The most popular play m the
C ty is Chase's which IS GeN0tad - Po!ile
Wrdevie and II IS one 81 .he neatest anG
/ most ardsucally tinlstted theatres II !h9
Icountry OF coutse The Old Home
stead The Burgomaster, The VIZ
! ard oil o. etc have appeared. They are
/ Ike old friends an.i neYeT tire, Also
Shore Acres and Re Rivals have
4 delighted large audiences Mrs. + ke APP
4 Bestred ia so13e Of lfs@n's plays aud man
Tested rare genius Of interpretation.
The adoasien Of the resolution OF MIR
( Hay Of Virginia, 10 investigate the state
ments oi MIR i3ristow regarding the part
4 certain members Of congress TO k IN the
I postal frauds has resulted in storm Of
/ protest from members. The committee