Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-12-23

7 postpone the whole matter az long al
properly possible. and the details are
all In the air as yet. All talk Of an
extra session In the spring for tarifi
revision purposes IL abandoned, and
II there In a special session at all for
the purpose, which Is by no means
certain. II will not come until along
In next October. The talk from the
immediate revisi0nists has fast died
out since the first outburst after
election and the "standpatters' Will
have their way by an overwhelming
majority.
Several hearings In the case
against Senator Smoot have already
been held, and many more are vet to
come, evidently. The attendance Is
not as large at the hearings as during
last session, the novelty To some ex-
tent having worn of, but Senator
Burrows's committee room continues
to hang out the standing room only
sign. and very little Of that, even
The entire case as demonstrated thus
far Is simply raid on the Mormon
church and religion, with no direct
reference whatever to Senator Smoot.
He hardly seems to be n party to the
hearing at all. Nothing improper or
Illegal or immoral has been charged.
even, against him, much less proven, |
| must make an exception, however. |
our earnest female witness testified |
that she had reason to believe that |
the senator wore peculiar make of |
union undergarment or suit. be-
cause "all good Mormons had to-"
What penalty will be inflicted, IL the
charge is proven, is uncertain. Sc
riously, the prosecution has not
reached Senator Smoot personally at
all. As ! have said, he has been
charged with no crime, offence or
misdemeanor. Not the slightest legal
or constitutional reason has been ad-
vanced why he should not remain a
member of the senate. He does not
appear to be disqualified in any way.
The raid. as i have said, is against
the church and not against him.
Also, II Is largely political raid,
from democratic sources, into which
thousands of well-meaning women
and clergymen have been ignorantly
drawn. Senator Smoot. physically,
and In his entire person.
atty, is one of the cleanest, least OBJ
iectionable and most attractive men
ever had the honor and pleasure of
He has one wife; neither
more nor less, and two winsome lit
lie children and his home life is as
,ure as that Of any man I know Of
IluCH IllOTt So lldU tildl OI COultleSS |
of orthodox churches in my
The arrangements for inauguration
re going on with the utmost en-
husasm and nearly all the funds
ecessary have been subscribed. An
feature of the parade will
e several large bands Of Indians
I'd by noted big chiefs like Geron-
no. who have record of many -
calps at their girdle, The house has
nus far refused to consent to the
Sc of the pension building for the
ball, and the location
that gorgeous event is as yet I'M
ecided.
Finally l want to register a pro-
st, a big kick in fact, against the
accepted idea up north as
a Washington winter. / am aweary
being congratulated on coming
,uth ito escape the hard winter
ever saw a more solid winter in
ermont than we have been having
IRE for the past fortnight On top
six inches of snow and ice already
ere came several inches more of
low Saturday and Washington is
rtainly suffering as many Of the
scomforts of snowy winter as
y place in old Vermont. Don't
me to Washington to avoid a Ver-
ont winter; you'll run into al
rise one!
]. e. Harris.