The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-10-16
SENATOR poLI1vEH AT OGDEN.

Apostle Smoot's s case in Washington.
He joined with Senator Burrows in
signing tho majority report against the
seating OF Smoot in the Senate. After
wards he changed and supported Smoot,
both speaking and voting for him.
What caused this very astonishing
change in Mr.. Dollivcr? Ap'
parenty his course was dictated
by reason of his own personal sItua-
tion in Iowa. At the time that
be signed the majority report against
Smoot his time was about expiring, and
the Iowa Legislature had his successor
TO elect. In due course of time that
election came on. and Mr.. Dolllyer was
elected to succeed himself, After that
election he changed to the Smoot side.
Before. he did not dare go before the
legislature of Iowa as q supporter III the
United States Senate of representa-
tive of q lot of polygamists and traitors.
After his election he concluded to
Ftake his chances' against the public
sentiment OF Iowa, and supported the
representative Of those polygamists and
traitors in tho Senate, hoping that his
abominable treachery would be forgot
ten before the expiration of the SIX
years which his new term had TO run.
In his speech in support of Smoot,
Mr.. Dolliver explained that he came
newly into the case a short time prior
10 the committee S vote on the report
it should make as to Smoot- He pleaded
that he had not attended the sessions
When the evidence was taken, and that
he felt it to be his duty to reserve
specifically the right TO make more
careful examination of the record and
of the testimony upon which the report
was based. it appears, however, that
he had examined il sufficiently 10 en-
able him to make up his mind with the
majority rather than with the minority,
and to sign the report against Smoot.
He explained, further, that the fuller
examination that he had been able to
make in tho intervening time had con-
vinced him that it was his duty to sup
port Senator Smoot. He went on 10
claim that he had deep prejudice
against the polygamous branch Of the
Mormon church, that he did not like
its history and record, and that he hated
with a perfect malice, the barbarism
OF polygamy But it was the fact of
his election to the Senate III the mean
time that changed him: set him free 10
pronounce partisan political Judgment
IN the case, at the solicitation of the
President
He next proceeded to state That he
entered upon the examination of the
question with the general impression
that Senator Smoot was polygamist.
Which certainly was very astonishing
thing for him to say, jnasmuch as there
was nothing of the kind in the record,
nor was there any testimony taken or
sought to be taken TO establish any
such proposition And 1t appears that
Apostle Smoot s statement had much
weight with Mr.. Dolliver, as he
stated:
i recognize the force of the accusation
made against Senator Smoot that he is
mixed up with the crime of poygamy in
Utah and II ne had not stood on the
floor OF the Senate and under the solemn
obllga ton of his oath and his duty here
cleared himself Of sympathy with that
conspiracy against the State, would
have forborne TO utter word here in
his behalf. But no man occupying his po-
sitIon could have borne such testimony
unless he was telling the exact truth
about himself and about his people.
have found out also since this debate
opened that he does not appear as wit
ness on this question for the first time,
but that for nearly twenty years among
the young Mormons of Utah he has used
his influencc--that mighty influence aris-
ing from the purity Of his eXample-in
behalf OF A better standard in the social
life OF tho people among whom his lot has
been cast. | know that the younger peo-
pie of Utah are out of sympathy with the
whole scheme of theology that has added
to their religion the degradation OF their
family life.
Now, it is not in the least true that
Senator Smoot stood on the floor of
the Senate denying that he was "mixcd
up with the crime of polygamy in Utah,
and under the solemn. obligation of his
oath and his duty here cleared himself
OF sympathy with that conspiracy
against the State Smoot has never
done anything of this kind, either in the
Senate or anywhere else, lie could not
possibly do ii, because he is in direct
sympathy, collusion, and support of po-
=
trine. And we cannot refrain from ex-
pressing our hmazement that Senator
Dolliyer should state anything Of this
kind under his responsibility as SEN
ator and in the high body Of which he
is a member, when there is not the least
truth in 1T.
Ana when. further, Senator Dolllvcr
stated as fact, the matter contained
III the second paragraph above quoted
Of Smoot's influence being directed for
twenty years against polyeamy. il is
the baldest kind of nonsouse, Nothing
of the kind has ever been known in
Utah, and nothing of the kind is true.
Smeot does not speak against pdlyp.
amy; he dare not speak against it, and
he never did. On the contrary, what.
ever he has said about that, has been
in acquieseence with the poIygamic
system, and part Of tho time proudly
boasting that he is himself product of
that system.
Senator Dolliyer, in speaking fur