Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-05-27
WOMAN'S AMERICAN CLUB NOW
BUTTS INTO ILLINOIS POLITICS.
Vast Numbers of Lh Regarding Utah and the Latdsy Saints Are
To Senator Elizabeth An
Made but Fails

There are being sent out in vast
numbers circulars published by the
Woman's American club of this city,
over the names of its president and
secretary, which If the silly hopes of
Its authors are realized, are destined
to play havoc In the politics of nil
nois and defeat Senator Hopkins for
re-election
The pamphlet contains four pages,
the first of which, however, bears
only the title, Pressing Duty of the
Women Of Illinois" Following is the
document In full:
'"ro the Women of Illinois:
"The Woman's American club. and
the gentle women OF Utah generally.
appeal to you to do all that in honor
can be done to defeat the reelection
OF Senator Hopkins of your state, to
the United States senate.
Some OF our reasons are as fol-
lows; Sitting as a judge in the hear
ing in the case of Senator Smoot be-
fore the senate committee on privileges
and elections. Senator Hopkins also in
the case acted as attorney, and In his
argument went entirely outside the
facts" which he stated to the jury,
and that jury was the senate of the
United States.
You can easily verify this by COM
pairing his speech with the record OF
the proceedings in the ease
To get his opinion before the coun-
try in advance of the final arguments
In the Smoot case, he subscribed to
an article which was published In the
fo,, do,
only prior to the day set for the final
hearing, which article revealed the
same lapses of memory and the same
inventive faculties on his part, touch
ing the evidence in the case, that he
made conspicuous in his final argu-
ment,
in that argument he declared to the
senate, knowing that it would be pub
lished and read in every home In the
land the next morning. that Senator
Smoot had from childhood up opposed
and fought polygamy. There was moth
ing in the testimony before the senate
committee to warrant any such conclu-
sion. Rather, the trend of the testi-
mony was all the other way and, while
he was speaking, Senator Hopkins could
but have known that at the time there
was not one high officer OF the Mormon
Church-that is, from bishops. presi-
dents of stakes, seventies patriarchs,
apostles. up to the first presidency
not one. except, perhaps Senator
Smoot, who was not a polygamist, and
that II what he was saying about the
Utah senator had been true he never
would have been an apostle and would
never have been thought of as q justice
of the peace, much less senator of the
United States. IL 1t were true that SEN
ator Smoot had fought and opposed po-
lygamy from childhood up, there Is no
evidence that he ever succeeded in per-
suading one good Mormon to give up
his belief in the cardinal principle of
his Chnrch---not even 81 member of his
own family
AT Provo, Utah. in the year 1904. at
the home of the mayor of the city, a
sister of Senator Smoot when asked:
Although you are a product of polyg-
amy, you are married to a monogamist:
you know the difference between the
two systems; surely you would not
wish any of your daughters to marry
in polygamy? made answer: 1t is a
hard question You ask me, but ! will
answer truthfully. ! was raised in po-
lygan1y and taught TO believe II right
and | do believe 1t is right and If the
law would allow the practise of polyg-
amy | could wish no better fate for
my daughters than to be polygamous
wives. This was an intelligent woman
talking; fanatical. OF course, but all the
more dangerous because of her intelli-
gence. The above statement will be
verified by the president of this club,
to whom II was made.
women of illinois. do not let us call
to you in vain TO help defeat this man
for recollection to the senate of the
United States. Do not wait until this
menace to civilization reaches your
doors before you carefully consider 1t.
If you do not now help to peacefully
settle this question, you are leaving
il as q heritage for your children 20
settle, and will make good an old Nor
mon prophecy that not only win apos-
ties and high dignitaries OF the Church
sit in both houses OF Congress, but the
president of the Church will occupy
the White House. Even now, Mormon
missionaries in the state of Illinois are
quietly, insidiously working for the re-
election of Senator Hopkins. for this
Church is grateful To its friends at
court who help 10 fulfil It's bogus pro-
phecies.
"Wil you not labor with your hus.
bands, brothers, sons and sweethearts
to register their votes at the primaries
against this man? We promise you
that If he is defeated through the eff.
forts of the women of your state the
next days issue of the Mormon Church
paper will not contain an editorial en-
titled, Another Mighty Vindication of
the Church.
Senator Hopkins heard the president