Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-14
STILL STIRRING 1T UP

We notice that some ot the joe
lirious publications feel very sore over
the manner Boo which the reports Of
the committee on privileges and cleo
tons Of tine United States senate have
been received and commented upon by
prominent public Journals The min-
GRITTY report has evidently made the
stronger impression upon the trained
Journalistic mind. 70 is more direct
and conclusive than the majority re-
port and coudeuses the subject into
she read gist ~ the whole matter The
longer more diGuse and less con-
vincing report takes Cor granted 90
many things not subsiautIated by the
evidence presented. aud some that are
actually dlspro,ed by that evidence
that IL does not commend itself to the
confidence Of the careful ana analyt.
cal reader But as 1t IS adverse to
the senator from rtah and adopts the
notions and assertions OF the pro-
testants in the ease. IL naturally suits
the ministerial mind among the re-
llglous sects and meets with their
approval As q consequence. Of
course they DO not Ike the minority
report.
Among the religious publications
that take this View Of the subject is
The Christian Statesman published
al Pittsburgh. Pa, which after re-
ferrIng adversely to the minority re-
port quotes from the Philadelphia
Public Ledger the conclusion by that
paper that "The sum Of Shoots Of
tending is that he is a Mormon" and
That in spite Of peoples opinions COM
corning his religious status. "lt would
be the height Of uuwisdom and in
Justice 10 exclude him from the seat
10 which his state freely elected him,
on a hasis OF a broad prescription Of
p religious or any other body ANA
the Ledger concludes that ~ tina,
precedent and principle be established
The senate win become am unstable
body. al the mercy Of the within. pas
sion and prejudice Of every passing
outburst Of popular hostility" This
nrouses the inc Of the Christian
Statesman and it remarks:
We are therefore constrained to re-.
peat what we have so often said be-
fore that the National Reform as
ISOLATION has not objected 20 MI
SmOot because be is a Mormon nor
has any other body Of which we have
knowledge our ground Of objection
has been that the Mormon hierarchy
has aided and abetted the violation OF
the laws against polygamy, and that
Mr. Smoot Is "a conspicuous official
member 81 that hierarchy OF these
two facts. the first has been amply
proved. and the second is freely adj
mitted. The conclusion seems obvious
that he Is not IN the present national
struggle against polygamy a ht MEM
Der OF the senate Of the United
States
The Christian Statesman may try 20
deceive itself on this question and
possibly may aid some OF IT'S confreres
in the work Of ,eif-deccptIon. but 10
viii not be- able TO lead astray tina,
portion Of the public which reads and
reflects ion itself The head and front
OF Senator Shoots offending is thai
he is am Apostle Of the Church OF
Jesus Christ Of Laiter-day Saints. and
his opponents think tha, no sucl
ccclesiasucal dignituy should 3,
elected TO prominent public Office
They have right 10 their opinion
but there IS nothing 90 the Constitu
tion and laws Of the United State
which SETS up bar against the elec
ton OF any one 90 seat in Congres
because OF his religious opinions o
status.
Passing that by the Christian
Statesmau's ground OF objection"
bsseless u is not true that It 'ha
been amply proved" that tine Momo
church tmisname1 'h.emrhyD Dol
aided and abeitcd The violation OF m
laws against poIyEmy ON the cor
trary the evidence DIS 81 appears 8
the official record U.s. against 90.
proposition This is clearly set fort
IN the committees minority Iepor
Testimony was given concerning %
alleged violation OF those laws ON o.
part Of some individuals. hut pro.
was not furnished. hoy was There ar
evidence that the purportrl onsus
were aided and ahlttcd" by n
Church
Further there was NOT the sUghte
evidence alductd 'ha, Senator Smo
had anything whatever 20 DO vi
those alleged innactions OF She Do.
Therefore, the argument of thc Cbu
ilau Statesman is utterly nuaDiou
and 30 Is not "otyious' That SDUal
Smoot b. unfit to he O. member OF n
senate Of the United States lHds,
that paper does not attempt to col
meet the senator dirstlv with a
commission ~ au ofeusc Boy other 8
diyiduais but assumes something
IT'S own imagining iu order 90 rca
its conclusion.
Il is rather late .n ,he day to ga
NJ this subject Just now. ana we
20 simply because 81 the strained ,
forts on The part ~ so-called "Chr
tlau" publications TO keep il in lgIl
tion. II is astonishing Go q roasoui
srind how Illogical and untenabie +.
mo pretended arguments Of sor
theological writers aud speakers II
~lsh is father 90 thc thought" in
rruy Instances that u causes one
believe that many religious teach
and writer's take so much Tor grant
ihst they DO not exercise that rea'
end Judgment uhieh are required
10