The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-06-04
NONE so BLIND. ETC.

No one is SO blind, according to an
old maxim, as is he who will not gee.
attitude Of the Crawford organs with
regard to the question whether he
great Mormon church, through its
hierarchy, is lending encouragement
to the candidacy Of Mr.. Crawford for
the United States senate.
AS this paper has heretofore sug-
gested, the case rests substantially
upon probabilities. 1t is known for
q certainty that certain of the Mormon
elders, now in South Dakota, have at
various times criticised Senator Kilt
redge for his opposition concerning
sought to influence the public adj
versely to the political interests of
MIR. kittredge is sc we'll attested as to
require no additional proof. At Worth
ing, for instance, TWO of the Mormon
elders were given to understand by
ence by them to Mr.. Kittredge's atti-
tuoa regarding Smoot would be toler-
ated.
The real point-the real meat-of
the whole Mormon question, SO far as
II relates to Kittredge, is contained
ha raised with respect to Shoots
seat in the United States senate. No
writer, no legislator, no sociologist,
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-
fanQnnnC nGIUOqr m &c the nu16nnon In
the Smoot case clearly shows, and
until the federal government shall
have been clothed with constitutional
power to deal directly with polygamy,
there is but one mode 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 man
for denying Smoot the right to sit in
the senate strikes the country with
even greater force because MI. Kilt
redge's opposition to Smoot cannot be
ascribed to religious 'fanaticism,""
which is urged by Mormons against
such a radical position against Smoot.
K~ittredge's contention is so logical as
to preclude any Mormon defense that
otherwise might be set up.
There is still another basis for Nor
mon opposition to Kittredge. He
a constitutional Notwithstanding
upon congress tbs right to deal direct
ly with polygamy and with polygamists
thus circumventing such states as
Utah in their evident determination
to ignore polygamy and to protect
n~nlVpqmjSfC from n11pichT m ont WEE r#
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
logicians to understand why Mormon
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
being under the necessity of account
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
associated with former Senator Du-
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
senator. Commenting on a paragraph
recently appearing in the Faulkton
Advocate, Mr.. Bowen said in the
Scimitar of May is, 1908:
"And South Dakota is getting a
touch of the power OF the hierarchy
too. Senator Kittredge is a republic
an of the most regular order. He ap
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 headth concentrated opposition,
and, as the Advocate states, money
to defeat Senator Kittredge. This was
when he cast his vote in the senate OF
the United States. as nj of the two
representatives of a sovereign state
against a representative and defender
of polygamy retaining his seat in that
body.
idaho extends cordial greeting to
South Dakota. We have a touch here
of the power of this menacing sect,
parading arrogantly before the peo-
the campaign of the agents of the
church with which to contend. Here
we have the votes of 10000 of their
d%evotees, ruled by the spirit of reve-l
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 factional fight within the repub-
lican party, against a senator because
he voted as his patriotic conscience
bade him vote.
ssAll this in the name of the church,
and under the guise of religion"
jaH&8t s@ N5 s
Secretary of State Wipf, after a
continued and profound silence, has
undertaken to explain why he held
up the Wolf Greek colony in Hutchin-
son county for $685. for Incorporation
fees. He explains that $50 of it went
to the state for fees and that the
balance he kept for services perform
ed in preparing the papers. The mem
bers OF the colony know that any law
| yer would have gladly performed this
service for $25, and they believe that
an easy c5n0 The fart that Mr.