The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-06-05

No one is so blind, according to an
old maxim, as is he who will not see.
This is illustrated, in part, by the
attitude OF the Crawford organs with
regard to the question whether the
great Mormon church, through its
hierarchy, is lending encouragement
the United States senate.
AS this paper has heretofore sug.
gested. the case rests substantially
upon probabilities. 1t is known for
a certainty that certain of the Mormon
elders, now in South Dakota, have at
various times criticised Senator Kilt
the Smoot matter. That these elders
sought to influence the public ad-
| versely to the political interests of
MI kittredge is so we'll attested as to
require no additional proof. At Worth
ing, for instance, two of the Mormon
their auditors that no further refer
ence by them to MIR. Kittredge's atti-
tuda regarding Smoot would be toler-
ated.
The real point-the. real meat-of
the whole Mormon question, so far as
il relates to Kittredge, is contained
in the vital issue that Mr.. KittredGe
has raised with respect to Shoots
seat in the United States senate. No
writer, no legislator, no s%ociologist,
has so snccinctly stated the basis
for reasonable opposition to the seat
ing of Mormon apostles in either
branch OF congress as has Senator
kittredge in his explanation of his
vote against the seating of Smoot.
Senator kittredge has raised an is
sue that bids fair to become national
in character. He contends that so
long as the Mormon hierarchy coun-
tenances polygamy, as the evidence in
tl~ C-,~-t ~~-~ -,rl l-,, ~-I
until the federal government shall
have been clothed with constitutional
power to deal directly with polygamy,
there is but II nod OF punishment
Cor Utah's violation of the compact
by which it became a state. That
mode is through a Withholding of the
right from Mormon apostles to par
ticipate in national legislation.
The Mormon hierarchy undoubtedly
realizes the force of this position.
Senator Kittredge has become a a
of national reputation. His reason
for denying Smoot the right to sit in
the senate strikes the country with
redge's opposition to Smoot cannot be
ascribed to religious "fanaticism,"
which is urged by Mormons against
the church people who have taken
such a radical position against Smoot.
kittredge's contention is sc logical as
W pIGcluuS duN MOIlllOu uGltuS0 IudC
otherwise might be set up.
There is still another basis for Nor
mon opposition to kittredge. He
stands committed to the adoption of
a constitutional amendment comforting
upon congress ther right to deal direct
ly with polygamy and with poiygamists
thus circumventing such states as
Utah in their evident determination
to ignore polygamy and to protect
polygamists from punishment.
In view of these facts the %probabili.
ties assuredly point to Mormon effort
to encompass Kittredge's defeat. 1t
does not require the brains of eminent
breasts rankle with hatred for Kit
redge.
When it is understood that the head
of the Mormon church has two million
dollars annually to expend as the
apostolic board may direct, without
ing for the funds, the probabilities
mentioned in the preceding paragraph
are at once strengthened.
In this connection it may not be out
of place to call attention to the evil
dence of Mr.. w. S. Bowen, formerly
editor of the Sioux Falls Press, now
bois in the editorship of the Scimitar.
published at Boise. Iraho. Mr.. Bowen
cannot be accused of special friend
ship for Mr.. Kittredge, and yet it is
manifest from what he says in his
paper that he believes that the Nor
mon hierarchy is secretly lending as
sistance to the effort to defeat the
senator. Commenting on a paragraph
recently appearing in the Faulkton
Advocate, MI. Bowen said in the
Scimitar of May 16, 1908:
And South Dakota is getting a
touch Of the power Of the hierarchy.
~. N-~.4. l-~ a.; n a-.lJ
an of the most regular order. He APP
proves of the Roosevelt policies gen
orally. In one instance he asserted
his Independent preference, in conse-
quence OF which he has brought down
on his head the concentrated opposition,
and; as the Adyoeate STAGES; money
TO Mbd defS ha c sefa bis v h%iftT ie he 1anste was af
the United States, as one of the two
representatives of a sovereign state
against a representative and defender
OF polygamy retaining, his seat in that
body.
South Dakota. We have a touch here
of the power of this menacing sect,
parading arrogantly before the peo-
pie as a church. There you have but
the campaign of the agents of the
church with which to contend. Here
we have the votes of 10000 of their
| deyOteeS, ruled by the Spl11t OF reVe-
lation from the ,polygamous head of
the organization, direct from Salt
Lake.
Here they all profess to be repub-
licans, while there they are engaged
in a fractional fight within the repub-
lican party, against a senator because
he voted as his patriotic conscience
babe him vote.
"All this in the name Of the church,
and under the guise of religion"
Secretary of State Wipr, after a
| continued and profound. silence, has
undertaken to explain why he held
up the Wolf Creek colony in Hutchin-