Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-18

this polygamous aquiescence ask the peo-
pie of the United States to aquiesce in the
terer be member of the Mormon church.
This whole plea for aquiescence Is
iniquitous. 1t is as If a moonshiner would
say: Il confess that I have been making
into, you must let work off my old
stock. So Joseph F. may confess that he
has been guilty of moonshine marriage but
just let alone. I'll die after a while.
Be tolerant and let me live out my adul-
ferrous connections. Or the counterfeiter
would say: We have been making counter
felt money, but just let me alone till We
work off the supply we have on hand. 1
confess l have been indulging in counter
felt marriages says President Smith, and
have more wives than the law allows, but
be tolerant and let me live out my days in
my favorite criminality. This Is the plea
made for and by Mr. Smoot concerning his
aquiescence In polygamous living.
Cannot Prove Polygamy.
why don't you deal with it when Utah
cannot without your help make effective
war against either polygamy or polygamous
cohabitation? We cannot prove polygamy.
We cannot prove adultery against polyga-
nous women. What we can do is to show
that these men are living polygamous lives.
Outside of a few towns in Utah we cannot
elect men who will prosecute such cases.
make such complaints are called spoilers
and informers. Even to refer publicly to
these facts. much more to instigate or coun-
tenance criminal prosecution for these Of
lenses. is regarded as evidencing the great
est hostility to the Mormon people and to
their religion. Now this federation of polyg-
amous living means the federation of polyg-
amy, the federation of adultery, with relig-
ious sanction Acknowledging, as we may,
that the majority of the people of Utah do
not dare to do other than acquiesce, that
Apostle Smoot acquiesces, shall the people
of this nation acquiesce?
THE senators who signed the minority
report SO plead. Senator Knox calls upon
us to let polygamous living alone and to
| ngious toleration.' He pleads with the SEN
ate for the religious liberation of the po-
lygamous living and the adulterous life of
Joseph Smith and his cult. He pleads for
the religious liberation of poiygamous liv-
ing. Why, the average morality of decent
men, as voiced in our laws, dare not toler-
ate such crime against the state. Reed
Smoot, apostle MISREPRESENTATION of
the Mormon Church, is in harmony with
the quorum to which he Is subject when
he acquiesces in the continuation Of this
crime against God and man: but can 1t be
! possible that Senator Knox Is in harmony
with his constituency In Pennsylvania. In
harmony with the moral and religious will
of the people of the United States, when he
becomes the devils advocate before the
Senate of the United States and makes q
plea for the religious federation of polyga-
nous living as he did,
DIR. Paden concluded with the statement
that Ito have thrown Roberts out of the
House was big thing, but to throw Reed
Smoot out of the Senate. will be tenfold
better one"
Dr. Paden was followed by Mrs Marga-
ret Dye Ellis of the Rational w. c. T. U.
and head of the legislative committee OF
that organization. She took the platform
and in brief though forceful words declared
that 1t was the sentiment Of the women OF
America that this crime against the sane
tity of womanhood and the home be sup
pressed She severely criticised Senator
Knox for his Endorsement of polygamy in
supporting the recognition Of Smoot and
closed with the statement that mot only Is
1t evident that the Gentiles of Utah are
not represented in the Senate, but those OF
Pennsylvania as we'll" Her sentiments
were heartily applauded.
Among the interested members of Con-
| gress present were Senator ]. c. Burrows
| chairman of the Senate committee on privi-
| leges and elections before which the Smoot
| hearings were held: Senator Fred T. Dubois
| of Idaho and Representative Littlefield OF
| Maine. Besides these there were Mrs. Du-
| bois and many representative women of the
| reform organizations Of the country who
are working for the purity Of the home.