Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-19
DR.. Hale on the Smoot Case.

To the Editor OF The Star:
The cha plain of the Senate with the SEN
ator from Pennsylvania, seems to think that
the question of religious liberty is involved
in this case. He assumes that If Mr.. Smoot
should be deprived of his seat he himself
might be debarred from public office be-
cause he is "a Unitarian and this would
be unconstitutional. But If DIR. Hale has
studied the Mormon question he must
surely know there is no comparison between
the two cases. The Cnitarians as a body
have always been among the most lava bid
ing of our citizens. DR.. Hale himself Cu,d
cut off his right hand before he would
raise II against the government Has this
been the character of Mormonism? AS an
organiZa ton it has from the first been in
conflict with both state and national gov
ernments. II has never submitted to the
laws Of any safe or of the nation until it
was forced to do so by power that it dare
not and could not resist. 1t drove civil and
military officers of the government out of
Utah and it took force of $50 soldiers
to bring them even to the appearance of
obedience This is the very nature of Nor
monism. 1t lies in the system. That sys-
tenn. its adherents claim, has been given by
God Its laws are divine laws. and as such
are above all human laws. They are ad-
minstered by hierarchy which every Nor
mon is bound implicitly to obey His first
allegiance is to his church and not to the
national government. Now, when the
trainers of the Constitution provided tina
Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof" they never dreamed
OF religion which should nullify the Con-
stitution itself: they did not propose that
the Constitution should commit suicide and
so far forth it does commit suicide when it
puts in control CT the government those
whose political well as religious allie
glance is given to another and an antagon-
iStic power.
POlygamy-thaf moral capoar in, o,,r
tents only an incident in Mormonism To
quote from an earlier article of the writer:
Behind the polygamy. behind the dicta-
ton OF votes and behind everything else In
the Mormon system is the tremendous and
irresponsible power of the priesthood with
its claim of Divine authority. What the
priesthood says God says; what the priest
hood orders God orders whether Ii be a
Mountain Meadow massacre. a blood atone
ment or a political vote. There is no blink
ing this thing, and If Congress proposes to
give seats in it's halls to men who are
wrapped up il this system and bound to its
support the day CT reckoning will come.
Sowing the wind the nation sooner or later
,@wil reap the whirlwind. The question Is
not as to the personal character Of an ap-
plicant for seat in Congress: 1t is whether
he is part of d system un-American, uncon-
stitutional, immoral and antagonistic to the
whole character and spirit of our govern
ment.''
The purpose of Mormonsm was stated by
one of its bishops UauU, and the pub
lished statement has never. as far as we
are aware, been denied: I'VE look for
ward" said the bishop. with perfect con-
fidence to the day when we will hold the
re!ns of the United States government
That is our present temporal aim After
that We expect to control the continent
Our vote Is solid and will always re-
main so. 1t will be thrown where the most
good will be accomplished for the church"
Some things the bishop anticipated have
not come to pass but good deal has
come exactly he and the Mormon
hierarchy planned They have sent their
men into different states and territories in
sufficient numbers to hold the balance OF
power, and have sold their votes to the
highest bidder Of the political parties I'VE
possess" the bishop adds, 1.-The ability to
turn the political scale in any particular
community We desire. Our people are
obedient. When called by the church thew
promptly obey. You can i'm a ojna
the results which wisdom may bring about
with the assistance Of church organiza-
ton such as oars. 1t Is the completest one
the world has ever seem"
The Senate has open proof of the truth of
these boasts today. The political defeat
and moral triumph of Senator Dubois have
been brought about. by just such combina-
tons as the bishop fOretold. And the end
is not yet. Let the Senate put its seal on
the Mormon system. with its criminal his.
tory and political treasons and moral cor
ruptions. and other senators and repre-
sentatves will in time feel its power They
will yield to 1t. to the shame and peril Of
the nation, or they will go down before it,
T. s. CHILDS