The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-29
ELDER BEN {. RICH
TAKES A HAND
Visits Idaho on a Political Mis-
sion for the Polygamous
Hierarchy.
HE LIKES POLITICS AND
IS 0BEDIENT TO CHURCH
This Is Why the llierarch
Trusts Him With Many
Mooted Questions.
Special 10 The Tribune.

Special TO The Tribune.
BOIS7, Ida, Sept. 2S-Elder Ben b.
Rich of political and religious fame;
from the Southern States mission and
the State of Utah, is in Boise, as usual
doing politics. He is understood to be
the chief political representative ol
the polygamous Salt Lake hierarchy
and is here gum -sboeing his way indus
triously from tho Governor s offi1c to
the Republican Ststc headquarters, and
around to the dirferent Offices of the he
publican machine, who are In sn alll-
ance with tho Mormon church as
result of the Pocatello convention. try
ing TO bufld up harmony and confidence
in the fight for the Republican State
ticket incidentally, but primarily the
polygsmous hierarchy which he repre-
sents.
Rich Is Seryile Tool.
II is as utterly impossible for Ben
Rich to keep out of politics as 1t IS
for duck 10 keep out of water; lie
loves it and in his loyalty TO the church
he is obedience itself, The church
knows Rich to be servile and trusts him
with MANY mooted questions in politics,
both in Idaho and Utah He likes TO
stand about and display his standing
ard the height OF his ambition wouli
be TO be generally dubbed as tBe po-
litical agent of the hierarchy. aud TO
be pointed out az the man with poll
ticak power, no matter how. tar dls'
family removed from the spirit and IN
teutiop Of the laws of the country his
efforts might be. He pushes himself
in at the big gatherings and among per,
sons OF distinction and renoUn, and
then glories in coming to little Idaho
andNtelling about his personal standing
with "great men.
Believes Joseph F. Infalible.
He all the time believes in the in
fallibility of Joseph Smith. and honors
him the same that he has FIVE wives
and fortv-threo children. and has lived
IN the polygamous relation since his
testimony in Washington. as though he
were n respectable citizen living the
ideal American life with one wife, with
a decent number Of legitimate off
spring.
Rich recognizes the disintegration Of
the rank and file of the Republican
party in Idaho, Nnd is striving ingeni-
ouslv TO cement the ipharmonlouS Gle
meu,s of the party, which, up to date.
Brady has been unable TO do. and
which many are unkind enough to say
he is unwilling to do.
While euseonced in tho Governor s
Office Yesterday. he made busy and sent
corriers out around the capitol build
State house and others who are in more
or less open rebellion against the ma
chine, which is q part of the Mormon
church.
Gooding Will Not Contribute.
The Gooding folks are said to be un-
willing to contribute campaign funds
10 the State committee to elect Borah
20 the Senate. Borah' IS followers re-
fuse 10 give money to the State com,
Gov t--hJ Jch
they see will be used simply to help
Gooding. who is generally conceded TO
be Brady's idol This leaves Brady
very much disconnected as TO the cash
necessary to carry on the campaign.
1t is suggested here that possibly
Rich came as an envoy extraordinary
from the geIl-known proprietor of the
WOODEN factory. of a drug store and Of
numerous other things about Provo
Apostle-Senator Reed Smoot, who is
temporarily representing the Utah HE
rarchy IN the highest legislative body
of the Nation and who admits (under
oat6) that he would leave the country
If he got revelation from God that
interfered with what he regards his
duty to the country he has sworn to
project.
Voters Resent Interference.
Rich g word will only be considered
by the leaders. The voters OF the party
will resent his interference. Rich used
10 be at Rexburg where he run the
''Silvcr Hammer. He was a ram
rant Silver Republican. and was always
trying 10 surround himself with the
idea that hc represented the Salt Lake
ccclesiasts. He ran for Office in Ere
mont county. but was always defeated.
He has no business in Idaho now save
politics. He is always adroit in man
nfacturing some cheap story that he
is here "to help some poor friend out
Of the penitentiary.'' He dare not
take the stump for the Republican
party In Idaho this fall. The itineraries
at Republican headquarters have not.
so far, suggested the name of a single
Mormon to campaign for them Rich
would like TO talk, but the temper of
the voters of Idaho, irrespective Of pol
itics. warns him TO desist. Since this
agitation has started IN Idaho. not a
single Mormon has been nominated for
State Office, and il is said to be the
programme now of the Republicans in
the Mormon counties not to put Nor
mon on any county ticket for either
branch Of the State Legislature.
Their own withdrawal from the stump
and from the State and county tickets
is tantamount TO an admission that they
cannot, as individuals, face the lime
light of political opinion either as de-