The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-12-23
WASHINGTON letter.
ropics of Conversation at
the Capital.
SENATOR SMOOT CASE.
A Bribery otatu'
Post.
oar Regular correspondent.

p.or Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, ID. g., DEC. TO- I9o4
Tbo severe weather and deep fail OF
snow; the preparations for the inaug-
ura,ion: the Impeachment of Judge
Swaync of Florida: the details :"
Murmon religious customs as reseaiea
~ the smoot investigation: and The
comjng OF Christmas, are fruitful
,cnics of conversation at the Nations
captal city. A week ago II was con
sid.rcd doubtful whether the commit
tee having the investigation In charge
would impeach Judge Swayne, but
when he admitted that he charged
the Government $40 per diem when
his expenses were tut 81 20 DAY;
and when it was shown that he speut
On an average 2I2 days each year out
OF his judicial district, not ho'ding
court elsewhere, the committee couid
do no less than recommend his I'M
pcachment, and on Tuesday the
House came to the same conclusion
Wednesday afternoon the House COM
mlttec appeared before the Senate ana
formally impeached the Judge or
.hivh crimes and misdemeanors.
This is the first impeachment since
1876, when the Secy, Of War, under
Grant, Mr.. Belknap, was put on trial
and convicted. The Senate has. not
yet decided what it will do in the
matter. Ii the trial is likely to he
short one, confined to two or three
counts, it may he held during the
present session, otherwise there are
thJsc who think it will 60 over until
next December owing to the pressure
Of public business,
The great Smoot inquiry, which is
really au investigation of the Mormon
church Is Ia progress, and attracts a
large crowd Of spectators, many OF
whom are women. The secrets Of
the endo ynent house; the ceremony
or celestial marriages; the discovery
Of those who acknowledge having
plural wives: the heart rending stories
Of women who have abjured Mormon
ism, aud much more, make matter
second In interest only to the Chad
wick system Of money making. A
mass meeting OF citizens was held in
this city on Sunday afternoon when
the delegates Of the w. 9. t. U. an
nounced that they proposed to fight
Mormonism to the bitter end. The
strongest point made at the meeting
was by Rev. DR.. McKim, who said h.
objected to Senator Smoot because h,
represented a foreign government
which was doing, and proposed to d.
all it could to overthrow the govern
mcnt of the United States. This i
the crux OF the whole thing, and il i
proves a fact that Senator Smoot'
oath to the church as an apostle, |
paramount to his oath 10 support tn
Constitution of the United States, |
lsQuite likely he may be unscated
Personally there are no objections t
Mr.. Snloot.
Since the President asked In hi
Message for u statute to punish bril-
cry and corruption in Federal elect
IONS, and urges Congress to provid
lor The publication not only of tn
expenditures for nominations an
eiections OF all candidates but also
contributions received and cxrcnd
lures made Ivy political committees,
Two bills have been introduced in,
congress by Bourke Cochran ar
senator Carmack, having the san
emu IN view. With both Republican
anu Democrats agreed that son
'alhg should be done to ensure IA
e'ectlons now Is the time to push it
-FOUR correspondent called, ycstc
'a!' on Postmaster General Wynn
70 inquire into the feasibility Of
'o'heStic parcels post. lie was NJ
win the declarations: 1.-THE adm
s'on into our nail OF packages wcig
.'S more than four pounds is qul
'mpracticable. II packages Of ten
."enty or thirty pounds were carri
!" Ine mail bag under our free del
's system, especially IL the scry