The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-23
SPOKE IN DEFENSE
OF HIS COLLEAGUE
Senator Sutherland Asks that
SmoOt Be Given His Seat
in the Senate.
GROUND FULLY COVERED
CHARGE THAT LIFE AND PROPER.
TY ARE NOT SAFE IN UTAH WAS
INDIGNANTLY DENIED - CON-
GRESSlONAC NOTES.
Publishers Press.1

league, Senator Smoot OF Utah py
speech in the senate defending the
Mormon's right to retain his seat in
the United States senate. Prefacing
his argument with observations on the
gravity of the charges against Smoot.
law. either as principal or accessory.
or recognized any allegiance to any
power paramount to the allegiance he
owes his flag and country, or If by
reason of his conduct he were so NOR
ally unfit that his continued presence
in the senate would bring reproach or
shame upon it, he should not retain
his seat, otherwise he should.
Discussing the charge that Smoot
had taken an oath as a Mormon apos-
tie that conflicted with his obligations
as senator, the senator stated that
this charge originally was made by
the same man who charged Smoot
with polgyamy. and that of the five
witnesses who testified to it four were
shown by uncontradicted evidence to
be persons of bad repute. drunkards
large amount of evidence, said he, CIV
en- by thoroughly reputable citizens of
the state to the effect that no such
oath was taken and that taking all of
the testimony together this charge
was utterly discredited.
The two charges remaining were
that polygamy and polygamous CO.
habitation are still being practiced. by
adherents of the Mormon church, and
that the church interferes in political
and temporal matters. AS to the first
charge, the speaker traced the history
with reference to the growth of polya-
my until its public abandonment by
the church in 1890. Mr.. Sutherland
took the position that it was recog-
nized in the main that the people who
entered into this unlawful relation did
so under religious delusion that they
were good men and good women,
though of course utterly mistaken in
their views respecting this matter.
AS to the charge that there have
been polygamous marriages since the
manifesto, he said, he has no means
Of knowing how many such cases
there may have been, but there has
been some he has no doubt These
men occupy wholly different position
from the old polygamists; for them
no word of excuse or any federation
could be uttered by any honest man.
Discussing the question of interior
ence by the church in political mat
tiers he traced the history in this re-
spect, showing that when the Mormon
people went to Utah in 1S47 their
movement possessed all the charac-
teristics of religious exodus. Their
religion to them was everything and
other matters were of subordinate
concern he said. For 20 years they
were isolated from the world. There
were no telegraphs, no railroads, no
newspapers except their own. When
a civil government was formed the re-
ligious leaders became their officers.
The gentiIes who, under the name of
the Liberal party, fought to overthrow
polygamy and church control in gov
eminent matters with the Mormon
people in opposition organized the
Peoples party. For 20 years the fight
waged was altogether pro-church and
anti-church in character. Finally, in
1891, after the manifesto on the sub
ject of polygamy, the Peoples party
was abandoned, and organizations
were effected along national party
lines" Since that time. the charges
Of church interference have been
made from time to time, and while he
believed there were instances OF in
terence on the part of leading OFF,
Gals of the church in political mat
tiers, on the whole, there has been
marvellous advance.
Mr.. Sutherland declared that any
charge that life or property is in the
slightest degree unsafe in Utah that
the people or any of them teach their
children to disrespect the flag. or that
there is any feeling hostile toward the
general government. is cruel false
hood. Smoot himself. said Mr.. Suther
land, has always insisted that the
practice of polygamy should be aban
doned was never polygamist and no
testimony could be found which inii
Gated that he ever advocated the prac-
tice of polygamy. He said that
Shoots whole life has been clean and
above reproach: that the demand of
the petitions that he should be remov-
ed from the United States senate in
order that he might from that exalted
place make war on the American
home is hysteria pure and simple.
Senator Culberson introduced bill
prohibiting the sending of any infer
nation regarding dealings in cotton
futures either over interstate tele-
graph lines or through the mails.
Senator LaFollette conferred with
the president concerning a bill intro
duced by him to carry out the presi-
dents recommendation in relation to
the leasing of public lands known to
contain deposits of coal, gas, oil or
eilss,nite. The measure provides that |
he surface lands may be taken ny
and that the minerals may be worked
under leases. Common carriers, their |
stare holders and officers are prohib- |
ted from obtaining such leases. and |
women and children are prohibited |
rom working in the mines.
The senate committee on inter |
canals authorized a favorable |