The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-01
THINKS SMOOT
WILL Be OUSTED
Dubois Questions Ro0SeveIt'S
Motive in Defending Nor
mon Apostle.
A VISITOR IN SALT LAKE
SAYS PRESIDENTS ATTITUDE is
NOT WELL RECEIVED.

WcI0 cCllsilOE INGGl OiisOOl because lie
thinks all Mormons are Republicans,
said United States Senator Fred r. Du-
bOiS of Idaho, when seen last evening
at the .Knutsford. Senator Dubois is on
his way home from Washington, and
left for Blackfoot on the late train last
night.
rs the president actuated by politics
or by sense of Justice?" Senator Du-
bois was asked.
Politics. was the quick response.
and the Idaho statesman spoke with a
decided emphasis, an emphasis which
led his hearers to believe that he is not
particularly impressed with the revered
presidents brand of craftsmanship.
Continuing, he said
Not Well Received.
81 can assure you that the presidents
attitude ON the Mormon question has
not been well received by the majority
of the investigation committee. can
only explain it by saying that he is ac-
tuated by political expediency. He
knows the power of the church on cleo
ton day in this section. and does not
wish to jeopardize the party's success
by openly opposing Joseph P. Smith
and his crowd. If he would only re-
main passive i'm the matter il would not
hurt the anti-Smoot cause much, but nc
! seems to be out in che open for the re-
tcntion of this Mormon apostle i'm the
highest law-mal<ing body in the world.
1 believe bis only defense for his ac-
ton is that Senator Smoot has only one
wife and should not be prosecuted for
the sins Of his religion. He does not
seem TO take into consideration the fact
that in becoming an apostle OF this
church Senator SrnoCt had to take an
oath antagOnistic to the constitution Of
the United States"
Then You regard the president rs a
politician first AMI a statesman after
wards?" the senator was asked.
We'll put il that way if you want
to. I would prefer not TO answer that
question directly at the present time"
Vote Sure to Be Taken.
In regard to the time when the
Smoot matter will be voted on i'm the
serate, the Idaho man said: Il expect
that final action will be taken no later
than the first week in February. All
this talk about pOstDOning the vote is
nonsense. The matter Is now regularly
pending before the senate, and ii cam
not be laid over for any considerable
time. Besides, the Smcot supporters
as well as the opposition, say they want
an eariy vote. so with both sides agree
/ ing in such an amicable manner it
would surely seem that nothing can
prevent an early decision.
/ do 1 think Senator Smoot will be
ousted? Well, that is q rather leading
question / have not polled the senate.
but am inclined 10 believe that he will
| find himself out Of job in a few
weeks. A. least. I hope so. OF course.
4 the Smoot contingent. composed Of poll
! ticians with emphasis on the word
| ''politicians') friendly to the president
or having the interests of the party at
heart. viii do some talking during the
next month. ] am informed that Sen
ators Foraker and Beveridge will argue
FOR Senator Smoot. Senator HOPKINS
of Illinois may also say . few words. I
hope he does: it will helo US. ] am
going to try to secure Senator Cullor.
Hopkins colleague, to make a speech
! against Smoot and Will endeaVor to in
stitute a movement in Salt Lake among
the Illinois people here to write n let
ter to the aged senator. asking him to
take some decided stand against the
Mormon church. You know Cullom,
way back in 1862, passed the first anti
Mormon legislation through congress.
Interest Is Intense.
"The interest taken ny the senate in
the Smoot matter is intense" continued
Senator Dubois. when 1 made my
speech attacking him, every seat in the
room was 1lueO, ana, altnOuSn talked
three hours and n half. I was never
once interrupted. You see I know some
facts about the church from actual
contact with it, and / was not afraid to
tell just exactly what l knew. SmoOt
was sitting only ten feet from me, ana
/ always pointed ut MIN while I was
scoring him. My finger was i'm his di-
rectiOn most OF the tire, too, and when
the session was over he looked as if he
had been drawn through a knothole. -
in regard to polygamy, the senator
said: 81 honestly believe that during
the past two years polygamy has been
increasing in the Mormon church. in
stead of decreasing, and I think that
plural marriages are now being SOL
eInnized in secret. That the high church
officials sanction and even encourage
poygamy I was not able TO prove at
the Smoot hearing. but I have no doubt