Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-03-10
VOL. 80.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our Regular Correspondent.)'
Washington, March 5, 1904.

huttOr fTeSSs-
The examination of Reed Smoot,
Apostle, elected to the Senate from
Utah, is proceeding before the
Committee on Elections of the
Senate, seventeen Norman wit
nesses are present, summoned and
brought hither by the government.
At their head is the venerable
President of the Mormon church,
Joseph +. Smith, nephew Of the
celebrated founder of that religion.
Before q committee of Senators he
yesterday stated that he had five
wives who had borne him eleven
children, since the government
manifesto; and when asked why he
had disobeyed the law proclaimed
in that prohibition, he frankly
stated that to desert his wives and
abandon his. innocent children
would be unmanly and he preferred
to receive any punishment that
might be inflicted. He said that
he had not married an additional
wife since that time andthat noMor-
mon had added to his wives since
that prohibition was issued. The
purpose of the anti-Smoot crusaders
is to prove that Senator Smoot rep
resents the church and not the
state, but the President of the
church denied this roundly and
repeatedly and declared that the
church had nothing whatever to
do with the election ofcivil officers.
On the 23rd inst, the Senate in
dulged in spirited running debate
on the Naval appropriation bill, as
presented by Senator Hale of
Maine. In round numbers the bill
will carry one hundred millions of
dollars for the next fiscal year.
While this is very large sum Sen
ator Hale admitted that if the
naval program is carried out, in d
few years the naval establishment
will cost two hundred millions of
dollars annually, and there will be
10000 sailors ahoat. This will
make the navy Of the United States
second only to that of England.
Expansion, and the retention of
the Philippine Island was given as
the reason why such q great navy
is needed. Senator DepeW pictured
glowingiy the great results that
might be expected to flow from our
Oriental commerce when each of
the four hundred millions OF
Chinese wears a cotton shirt made
in America, and eats Parker House
biscuits made of American grown
wheat. Already the government
has fleet of twenty-four war ships
in Asiatic waters to protect Ameri-
can interests. Incidentally, the
question arose whether the guns
on the new ship should be mounted
in revolving turrets, or on plat
forms, en- barbette, as in the
English navy. AS no one could
answer this technical question il
was dropped. There was little op.
position to the bill, and it will pass
The President has not decided
whether he can go to Jackson
Mich, to attend the birthday cele
bration of the Republican party
1t cost more than $4,000 a year tt
watch White House cranks ant
send them back to the town!
whence they came. A host of th,
advocates of the service pension
bill have been laboring with th'
President to secure his infiuenc,
for the measure. Thus far he il
non-committal. 1t is now said th,
bill will take but $40, 900 pc
year, enough to build three largewal
ships. A delegation of forester
has called upon the President, ant
in little speech he assured then
he was in favor Of putting timbe
lands to their best use. The Presi
dent has been advised that
should not take more than 80 day
to hand over the money and clos
the Panama deal.
EI1i1a THO noiya6