The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-15
Senator Dubois Speaks to
 Mothers Congress.
AN HISTORICAL REVIEW
Doctrines and Practices Are
 IntOlerable.
United States Senate Should Proceed to Make an Example of Reed Shoot. Constitutional Amendment
 Suggested.

Washington. March 14.-senator Frederick T. Dubois of Idaho, talked to the Motherss' Congress tonight in the Purity of the Home" His speech was chiefly an historical review of Mormon ism in the United States and severe arraignment of the doctrines and prac- tices of the Mormon organization. He declared with emphasis that there should be no toleration of the present teachings and practices of the Mormon hierarchy and in suggesting a remedy said:
 Tt Is the duty of the United States Senate to act on the case of Senator Apostle Reed Shoot and to serve notice on the polygamous head of his church and his apostles that they must live within the law; that the nation is su- preme; that the institutions of this country must prevail throughout the land; and second. there should be an amendment of our constitution wide enough in scope to place plural mar riages and political control by the church entirely out the realm of pos sibility."
 Senator Dubois declared that Nor monism is a decided, If not the great est menace which confronts us as a people Polygamy he said, was prac- tfced by Joseph Smith as early as 1S41. as command from God and it has been practiced from that day to this in defiance of all law.
 Then the Senator continued: "The president of the Mormon Church and more than one-ha1f of the apostles are openly living in polygamy today and the testimony taken before the com mittee shows that several of the apos- ties have entered into polygamous mar riages since the issuance of the mani- festo.
 Mormons Political Strength.
 "The political strength of this or ganization has vastly increased until now. in addition to absolutely control ing Utah, they hold the balance of pow CT in Idaho and Wyoming and are spreading over and threatening Oregon and Nevada, and have following of no inconsiderable importance In. other Western States. Their great aim is political power so as to protect them in their polygamous practices. It is impossible now tc elect a Senator from Utah. Idaho or Wyoming who will op- enly oppose the methods or practices of the governing power of the Mormon Church"
 'I do not mean to be understood by this statement that the Mormon hier- archy is strong enough to select the Senators in Idaho and Wyoming; but I do say that they are sufficiently power
 
 States Senate in either of those States if they desire to, and I will say in ad- dition that they have a disposition and will exercise the power to defeat any one in either Idaho or Wyoming for the United States Senate. for Congress or for Governor who will oppose them in the exercise of their political power or who will undertake to punish them for their polygamous practices.
 Notwithstanding the testimony which Joseph F. Smith gave before the Senate Committee. no one has the temer- ity in Utah to undertake to prosecute him, and 1t is utterly impossible to en- force the laws of Utah against him.
 Tn Idaho the condition is the same the head of the Mormon Church there, President William Budge, testified be- fore the Senate Committee that he was living with three wives and that they had borne him children since the mani- festo; yet the Idaho Legislature, which has just adjourned, could not put on our statute books laws under which President Budge or any other polygam- ist or person living in polygamous re- lation could be convicted and punished. The Idaho Legislature began its ses- sion by electing a Mormon as Speaker. An attempt was made to pass effective laws, but failed.
 Their Power Spreading.
 "The political power in this church is becoming so great that 1t is not con- fined to our Western States where they live, but I fear 1t is becoming the ob ject of solicitude to the great national parties. The Mormons voted the Re- publican ticket at the last election. They are selecting Republican Senators and Congressmen wherever they can. During MT. Clevelands administration they were all Democrats. and if Dem- ocratic President should be elected in four vaara from now thev would again turn to the Democratic party. l wish to give my solemn warning to the Re- publicans that they should not be mis- led into thinking they have allies in the Mormon hierarchy. The Mormon hierarchy hopes to have an ally In the Republican party. It would please them equally to have the Democratic party as their ally and to give the Democratic party their support If the Democratic party were in power. With the power of this organization spread ing so rapidly over the entire Vest ern country carrying with 1t every where the poison of polygamy. our only hope is in the good women of the United States.
 Think of it a moment. These fifteen men at the head of this great organi- zation claim as a divine right to ab- solutely control their followers in all things temporal and spiritual. More than one-half of these fifteen are liv- ing in open polygamy, are standing forth in plain relief without fear and without shame, in open defiance of laws of the land and posing worthy ex- amples to their people. They control the public schools of Utah almost en- tirely and the public schools in a large part of Idaho and Wyoming and are teaching their doctrines in the public schools and holding up to the children, Gentle as well as Mormon. the polyg- amists who have passed away and the polygamists who are living as models for their imitation"
 sHThe FOlIOwers.-
 About the Mormon people. the follow CTS, as he called them, Senator Dubois made this complimentary allusion:
 T ought to close but must say a few words about the Mormon people-the followers. The most of them practice the virtues of industry. thrift, sobriety. honesty and outside of polygamy. per.