OCR Text |
Show " SMOOT TRIAL MOST SENSATIONAL AND SHOCKING CASE ON RECORD A Washington correspondent of the Now York Journal, writing of the Smoot case, "ays: Developments of the last few days indicate that tho whole system of Mor-monlsm Mor-monlsm as well as the political status of Mr. Smoot Is on trial In the United States Senate. "The Constitution of the United States," said a Republican Senator, who has listened to every word of tho Smoot case testimony, "vouchsafes to all Its citizens absolute freedom In religious re-ligious faith and in religious worship. Men may believe whatever they like. They may bellevo that by cutting the throats of their fellow meu they nre worshiping God. So long as they merely mere-ly believe that sort of thing, the law can't touch them, but when they begin the throat cutting, the law lays Its hands on them and sends them to the penitentiary or the gallows. "These Mormons," he continued, "aro no exception. We do not quarrel with them because of their religious views, even though wo may believe that their views are hostile to the Government, injurious to society and a menace to civilization. The point at . Issue is whether or not these men arc committing commit-ting crime under the cloak of religion whether or not they are violating the laws of tho land behind the mask of ecclesiastical authority." Public men here arc awakening to a realizing sense of tho far-reaching significance sig-nificance of this Investigation. Tho feeling is strong among leaders In both political parties that there Is radiating from Utah an influence that Is insidiously insidi-ously assailing the social and political structure of the Nation. Democratic Senators have no deslro to make the question a party one, but they will not hesitate to do so In case the Republicans Republi-cans attempt to forco It upon them. The repelling features of Mormonlsm, as dlsclosod In the Smoot Investigation the wanton violation of the laws of God and man and the degradation of American womanhood supplemented as they are by the startling disclosures made today will. In the Judgment of many politicians here, become the overshadowing over-shadowing moral Issue in the Presidential Presiden-tial campaign. The movement started by various national na-tional associations of women throughout through-out the Union has gained tremendous force since the investigation began. Revelntlon after revelation that shocks the sense of all thinking persons has come In swift and logical succession. It Is little less than a drama that Is being enacted at the Capitol a drama that runs the whole gamut of human emotions. The committee room of the Committee Commit-tee on Privileges and Elections Is a playhouse In miniature There aro exits and entrances, and each man and each woman members of the committee as well as witnesses plays many parts. There in daily attendance are representatives repre-sentatives of the women's associations from all parts of the Union. Tho U. C. T. N. Is prominently in evidence. Back of that society aro other oth-er allied associations, supplying It with money and supporting it with sympathy. sym-pathy. Beautiful women, clear-eyed and firm In their determination to vindicate American womanhood, sit silent throughout the day, tho rich oval of their cheeks reddened now and then with Indignation as tho apostles of Mormonlsm disclose, with unconcealed bravado, their unlawful practices. In Baltimore and Philadelphia and In New York, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, Or-leans, Denver and San Francisco the hearts of their sister women are beating beat-ing in warm sympathy. One Philadelphia woman has pledged her fortune to tho cause A Boston woman, a representative of one of tho best New England families, has written writ-ten that whatever needs to be done Bhall be dono by her and her friends to stamp out the Infamy. Throughout one of the sessions this week sat a richly gowned New York matron, who listened to the pathetic story as- it came fresh from Clara Mabel Ma-bel Kennedy's Hps tho woman who. as a girl, becamo the plural wife of a Mormon. "That little woman's face was the womanllest thing that my eyes havo looked upon for years," she said. "What a tragedy was mirrored In her eyes! .What pathos sounded In every word she uttered! I surely would pity the man who could listen to that story of hers and not feel his pulse beat faster, nnd the blood burn more warmly In his cheeks. I am proud that I am ono of the protestants. I would give my Jewels Jew-els if it were necessary to save our women wo-men from a fate like hers." |