Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-05
THE PENDING QUESTION.

the Milwaukee Wisconsin an account
OF an interview with a Salt Lake gem
tleman, a portion OF which we clip and
insert below. The Press comments up
on II In It's usual style, showing a mix
ture Of ignorance and assumption on
the Mormon question, characteristic
OF that paper and which We need not
reproduce The Wisconsin Of Jan, Is,
says
II know Reed Smoot personally" said
j, II. Woodman of Salt Lake City at
the Plankinton house this morning,
land have known him for a number OF
years. He IL not my choice for United
States Senator from Utah, because !
believe that We have other men who
could represent the state better, but
am not opposed TO him on account of
any religious beliefs be may hold. /
am not a Mormon myself although
have lived I'm Utah for twenty-eIght
years. Smoot Is good, conscientious,
able man, and | do not believe that he
has practised polygamy at all. Whether
or not he has taken an oath to the
oath TO his country Is n matter which
| remains to be proven at Washington.
Since the manifesto OF few years
ago there has been practically no p0lyg-
amy or polygamous cohabitation in
Utah and none openly The practice
II no more apparent IN Utah than II Is
In Wisconsin | do not believe there
have been more than three or four
cases brought to public notice In ten
years, I was q member Of two grand
iuTles ten or eleven years ago which
brought indictments against some OF
the leading Mormons for that practice,
and since then II has been practically
abolished
The Chicago Evening Post, a short,
time ago, had a Washington dispatch
in which Il was stated that Senator
Burrows was certainly digging into
'Mormonism Among other works con-
suited by the Senator It was stated Is
Rev. A, II. Henry's romance called,
by order Of the Prophet" which was
reviewed IN these columns some time
ago The idea that information about
"Mormonlsm" could be obtained from
digging into" novel written for the
purpose of making II hldeous. Is cer-
tainly remarkable. But we notice that
the Yakima Daily Republic, published
at North Yakima, Washington. where
Mr. Henry now resides, copies the dis
patch with the following comments,
which we copy because they show
disposition to fairness on the part OF
DR.. Henry In regard to the controversy
ON the Utah senatorshp;
"The Rev Mr. Henry said today In
regard to this matter that II would be
somewhat remarkable II his book
should be instrumental IN turning the
scales against Smoot. especially as he
himself Is inclined TO think that Mr..
Smoot should be given his seat In the
senate.
"'t know. he said to the Republic
this morning, that "A great many mini
listers are in the movement to prevent
the seating OF Smoot. and many Of the
churches Of this state have pCtltlOned
Senators Foster and Ankeny to vote
against him. ! could not join in this
movement myself n | had been In
Utah when Mr.. Smoot VAS a candidate
for the senate ! should have opposed
his election. but now that he h elected,
he Is legally entitled To the seat
I'm my judgment there IS mo better
reason why 70 man who believes Ion the
Mormon religion should be excluded
from the senate than there would be- tor
the exclusion of % Methodist ! have 400
mind merely the legal aspect of the
NATTER
THE case of smoot Ia altogether
different from chat off Roberts Sm0ot
b. Mormon, ANA presumably ns hc ia
one ui the Mormon apostles, he Is % De-.
l.eyar m 400 OF the Mormon teachings
iugWlmg po.yglmy Roberts not only
believes thc doctrines but when hc
asked for q Wlt lu tha house. be W1s
practising wygdmy lie was admitted
lN 81 law breaker 0a there H % folHrl
statute asanst poiywmy Of course
he hnd nn fIght I'm the eomtry.H lcWsh-
tive hlus
"l uu very WHl acquainted with
ioel 5Woot Nu .s splendid fellow.
Capable and progressive Hs "a citizen.
Hu1 m hN religious belief q hltt uo
doubt hr H W r.HH .Hnf.uUH Is ans ut
QUA NW UI'. H .u H.UpWpIII h.l 800.
wnn 0ul lh.r 'Ifu Uut .h.. m happy