Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-28
Election to the Senate.

LAS for myself, | am willing to take the
Senate and the country into my confidence
and make part of the eternal records of
the Senate. for such of my friends as may
care to read. the vindication of my course
to my posterity 1 had an ambition, and
not an improper one, to sit in the Senate of
the United States Ny competitors had
longer experience in politics and may have
understood more of the peculiar situation in
the state. They sought what is known as
church influence. / sought to obtain this
place by purely political means l was
elected After all of their trickery my op-
ponents were defeated, and to- some extent
by the very means which they had basely
invoked. l have served with you four years
and have sought in a modest way to make
a creditabIe record here. 1 have learned
something of the grandeur and dignity of
the Senate, something of its ideals, which
could not know before coming here. say
to you, my fellow senators, that this place
of power is infinitely more magnificent than
l dreamed when l first thought of occupy
ing seat here. But were 1t thrice as great
as L now know 1t to be- and were l back in
that old time of struggle in Utah when
was seeking for this honor, / would not per-
NIT the volunteered friendship of President
Snow to bestow upon me- even as an lnno-
cent recipient, one atom OF the church mon
arch's favor. My ideals have grown with
my term of service in this body, and be-
lieve that the man who would render here
the highest service to his country must be
careful to attain TO tnlS HSn~ pace by the
purest civic path that mortal feet can
tread
Il have said enough to indicate that for
my own part l never cOuntenanced, nor
knowingly condoned. the intrusion of the
church monarchy into secular affairs. And
I have said enough to those who know me
to prove for all time that, SO far as I am
concerned, my election here was as honor
able as that of any man who sits In this
chamber; and yet I have said enough that
all men may know that rather than have
a dead mans memory DETAINED on my ac-
count l will make his cause my own and
will fight for the honor which he is not on
earth to defend. This will not suit the
friends and mouthpieces of the present rul-
ers, but l have no desire to satisfy or con-
ciliate them, and in leaving this part Of the
question 1 avenge President Snow sufficient
ly by saying that these men did not dare
to offend his desire nor dispute his will
while he was living, and only grew brave
when they could cry: Lorenzo, the king, is
dead! Long live Joseph. the king!'
Defeat Preferred to D1shonor.
LAS a senator I have sought ito fulfill my
duty to the people of this country. I am
about to retire from this place of dignity
No man can retain this seat from Utah and
retain his self-respect after he discovers
the methods by which his election is pro-
cured and the objects which the church
monarchy intends to achieve Some Of NV
which I could not hold. 1 will not pause
to discuss that point further than to say
that if l had chosen to adopt the policy
with the present monarch of the church
which his friends and mouthpieces say 1
did adopt with the king who is dead it
might have been possible to retain this
place of honor with dishonor. Every apos-
tie is a part of this terrible power which
can make and unmake at its mysterious
will and pleasure.
Warned the Church leaders
Early in 1902 warning had been pub
licly uttered in the state against the con-
tinued manifestation of church power in
politics. The period of unsettled conditions
during which / was elected had ended and
we had opportunity to see the manner in
which the church monarch was resuming
his forbidden sway. and we had occasion
TO know the indignant~feelings entertained
by the people of the United States when
they contemplated the fragrant breaking of
| the pledge given to the country to secure
4 S-~~Sr - "a r