Show PATTERSON UN ON THE COMMITTEE Colorado Senator Will Hear earthe the Evi Evidence Evidence Evidence dence in the Smoot Case in Place Flace of Clarke of Arkansas HIS POSITION IS UNKNOWN BOTH SIDES PROFESS PRO TO BE SAT SATISFIED SATISFIED ED Special to The Herald Washington Jan 31 Senator Clarke ot Arkansas resigned his membership on the privileges and elections committee today his place being filled tilled by designating Sen Senator Senator Senator ator Patterson of Colorado for the va vacancy vacancy vacancy cancy The change is significant in its relation to the Smoot case which is pending before the elections committee and in 1 connection with Pattersons pro Roosevelt and Republican speeches In the senate today It is a current rumor that the president who at this time is friend friendly Jy ly with both Clarke and Patterson ar arranged arranged arranged ranged the th change Clarke supposedly sedly being in his sentiments and Patterson friendly to Smoot or at least not pot prejudiced against him This report is not given gien credence by the principals In the Smoot case both sides expressing their satisfaction at the change in the committee commItte membership and disclaiming the he truth of the th Intimation that the pres president president presIdent ident is interfering in the Smoot contro controversy versy Says He Is Unbiased d Senator Patterson today to lay said that the thep place p ace on the privileges and elections Committee ommIttee was not of his own selecting He understood that Senator Clarke was dissatisfied with his hl committee assign ments and members of the senate urged that he Patterson take the place He protested because he had all the commit committee tee work he cared to handle but It was insisted upon and he accepted Patter Patterson Patterson son said sald he had no bias for or against Smoot and could go into the case and give an Impartial trial to him on the tes testimony testimony before the committee and to be introduced d dIn In view of Pattersons appointment his several statements in the senate in reference to Mormonism and polygamy in previous debates are of interest at this time Reference to record indicates that apparently he has been both for and against Smoot In the debates upon the statehood bill in the senate in the Fifty seventh congress when the question of polygamy was brought up Patterson said sald that if i the Mormons In Colorado voted one way w y they were in a measure excusable excusable able ble and added If denunciation is to tobe tobe tobe be indulged in if the report of officials to hold positions to which they had been elected is to be called into question then the causes the reasons should be taken Into consideration as well wU W U as the bald fact that they Y are members m nibe of or a church organization which h has made itself ob obnoxious obnoxious obnoxious noxious to the th body of the American That Utah Deal j Later in ha debate on the same question I he intimated that Smoot had h d come to the I senate as one of the results of a deal made between Republican party leaders and the Mormon church by which Utah was to cast Its Us vote for the Republican national ticket in 1900 Opponents of Smoot apparently ap are sat satisfied satisfied satisfied with its change chang claiming that Pat Patterson Patterson Patterson terson is as likely to be against Smoot Smoots as s Clarke who never attended meetings Jf Of the committee and took no interest in the Smoot Chairman Burrows of the committee said today that Clarke resigned his place on the committee because b cause he was w s dissat with all of his committee assign assignments assignments assignments ments and that Mr Pattersons assign assignment assignment assignment ment to a place on the committee was satisfactory to him |