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Show Vol. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, MARCH 3; No. 27. Is the Senate Afraid? Heath endeavored to secure assistance from the church; they know that Duinto the afinvestigation bois has been, a suppliant for favors fairs of the Mormon church in the at 'the hands of the presidency many Smoot case, lias developed into a times. The members of this commitfarce. Like those who have insti- tee have been informed that it was that Tom Kearns gated it, caused it, meaning Perry openly acharged senatorship direct from the Heath, Thomas Kearns, Senator Du- bought then president of the Mormon church. bois and the shrimp from Indiana, They know that this charge was made Beveridge, the members of the com- by the Salt Lake Tribune at the time; mittee eem to want to glazo over that it was reiterated and that it has never been denied. They know, too, matters; to pass the most important that Heath and Kearns started this portion and, instead of having a thor- present rumpus because the church ough investigation into conditions would not use Its influence and call Smoot and permit Perry here, let go by unheeded the main off! lteed run for the senate; or rather to Heath chance. The result of this inquiry is caiise Perry Heath to be elected a all new. were of We aware, nothing senator. They know that when the us, that Joseph F. Smith and the bal- head of the church declined to take ance who have testified, were living this action that Kearns threatened to his dogs of war and that he with their plural wives. We were let! loosethem loose. They know that did let aware, all of us, that John Henry Senator Dubois was almost literally Smith has been living with his and kicked out of President Smiths office Apostle Lyman with his, and Apostle when he went there and grovelled for They know that Merrill with his and that children church influence. refused to even meet Smith President This ' information Heath, at the earnest solicitation of were being born. may have been novel and startling to Kearns, who promised that the opposithe members of the committee and tion to Smoot would be withdrawn to the eountry outside Utah, but to the if Smith would agree to support people of Utah, . the testimony of a Kearns and Heath with his priestly infew. men who entered into polygam- fluence and prestige. ous relations with a lot of women The senate committee must know fourteen years ago is not a sensation that Heath and. Kearns started this by any means. Neither is the state- fight on the church in order to force ment that one of them at least intends it to . concede its support to them to continue so to do. All who know and that it was denied, and. that now Joseph F. Smith will realize that he the; investigation has started they demeant every word that he uttered sire to have their own infamy covered when he stated that he would rather up and for. this reason want no conviolate the law than abandon his fam- dition. investigated except the quesilies. tion of polygamy,, in which they are The principal issue, however,- has not interested, at least under that been shelved. It was: Does the Mor- name, so far as :can be ascertained. mon church dominate the politics of For years and years both political the state of Utah, or does it not? The parties in this state, have grovelled in committee has dodged that question the dirt before the head of the church, and by letting President Smith leave Gentiles especially, looking for priestfor home without asking him a soli- ly influence. They have in some cases tary question concerning the matter received it and have profited by it. has placed itself in the light of being Yet, with all these facts before afraid to meet the issue for obvious them, the members of the committee reasons, viz., that by pursuing, the in- permit the head of the church, who quiry along those lines it might get could have told them the facts, to some of its own members into trouble leave, after they have elicited the and involve some of the politicians statement that a few old polygamists in a mess. We had hoped the senate have been living with their wives committee was brave and fearless, but since the manifesto and that they with the lights we have on the sub- doubtless 'will' continue to do so until ject at this writing we incline to the death severs the family relations. belief that it is not: that it dares not With respect to the question of church open up this portion of the topic; influence, it looks as if Burrows and dares not expose the conditions. Beveridge had received a hunch from Of course the members of that com- some place that it would be bad for mittee are aware that many attempts the: reputation of Kearns and Heath have been made by leading politicians and others who have passed beyond to use church influence in Utah for to expose theeptire business; that It their benefit. It Is patent to everyone would r implicate the late Senator of them that the late Senator Hanna Hanna in the'muss. So for the sake endeavored to obtain the influence of fo protecting a few men, this matter the head of the church in shaping is to pass without an effort to get at political matters to his liking, here in the truth and it is a shame and a disUtah. The members know that Tom grace that such should be the case.' who t is brought into ths Kearns and Statute of Limitations As Truth lias feared, the senatorial so-call-ed . . - . . No-matte- Hun;: 12, 11)01. " Cunts Truth adheres to the imsition taken business, the truth should be brought when tills investigation first was out. The ohllquy attendant on this talked of; vi.., that the com mil toe east boon should has thoroughly inqiiire into the coninvestigation upon Utah by Ferry lleath and ditions here, nil of them. The question Thomas Kearns, for no other purpose of polygamy is now having an Inning. than to compel the Mormon church to If reports received from Washington aid and abet their aspirations toward are correct, and senators who are When members of tho committee are accurthe United State's senate. Kearns had the support of the late ately quoted, two other matters represident of the church and Heath main to ho investigated; church Inexpected to get it. they both wore ful- fluence In politics and church influsome in their praise of the Mormons. ence In business. We do not hellevo Heath got himself interviewed time that anything can he brought out conand again by representatives of big cerning the Influence of the church In papers in the cast and in those inter- business that will Injure any one In views which were copied by the Salt Utah or elsewhere. It Is a fact that Lake Tribune, stated that the Mor- high churchmen are engaged in busimons were all right, that they were ness; that officials of tho church own living up to tho requirements of the md control one of the great mercanlaw, and that they were a fine people. tile Institutions of the state; thnt they When Heath failed to obtain the sup- have control of at least two of tho port of the church in behalf of his banks of this city, and one, If not two, so-call- ed senatorial aspirations, he changed his tune and after openly making threats of a newspaper war on the Mormons, has done everything he possibly could to villify and slander them. f the savings hanks; that they are heavily interested In tho Consolidated Railway & Power company and tho vugar factories of tho state, and In other business enterprises. It can be charged, however, that being hardly n is a crime and all the evibusiness Thus far in it's inquiry in the Smoot dence brought out on that question case, or rather the investigation of the .well serve to harnj no one, so far as Mormon church, the' senate committee we are able to determine af this writon privileges and elections has been ing. Truth Insists, however, as it has very thorough in its work. The probthis question ing the polygamy question has re- many times before, that of church influence ought to he inceived, both at tho hands of the mem- vestigated. It lias been openly charged bers of the committee and by counsel, that church Influence was used to elect has been deep. The senators and the Tom Kearns to the senato of tho attorneys engaged in eliciting testi- United States; that he bought and paid for this Influence; that tho supmony- apparently want to hear the port of the church was demanded by whole truth and to the end that every- William A. Clark, of Montana, and R. thing in connection with the question C. Kerens, of Missouri, and that said of plural wives, and their fecudity, demand was made in writing. It Is and has never been denied, might be brought to the surface, the charged, that Kearns election was a part of a strict rules of evidence have been dis- deal between the church and Clark, regarded and questions that would Kerens and Kearns, by which Saltalr have been barred in courts of justice and the road running to it was to pass have been asked and answers received. into the hands of the three men menThere is no fault to be found with this tioned and that a large sum of money plan of action either. If an investiga- was put up as an option, which option tion is' to be had, then it should be was an evidence of good faith on the part of the trio alluded to, and which thorough and complete. The testimony adduced thus far In sum of money, was forfeited after the examination has been .of a char- Kearns was elected. acter calculated to startle the people Truth says to the members of the of the country, who arc not as familiar committee that it would be well to Inwith the conditions here as: we are. vestigate that charge. Joseph F. The- - answers to questions, and the Smith was a member of the first presistatements made by Joseph F. Smith, dency at the time the deal was alleged the head of the church,' were so very to have been made. He is reported as frank and so manifestly truthful as to having protested against it. Mr. Smith, command admiration, even from those If questioned, will no doubt be equally who have opposed, and are still oppos- as frank in connection with that afing him. President Smith did not con- fair as ho was in relation to the matter ceal anything, so far as we can deter- of living with his plural wives, and If mine from the press reports, and when- he is, some startling disclosures may ever asked concerning a condition or he anticipated. We again suggest an act of which he is cognizant, has thatW. A. Clark, U. C. Kerens, and replied without evasion. ' Candor com- Tom Kearns be placed on the stand pels the statement that he was a and compelled to answer questions much clearer witness to follow, and and produce documents. Incidentally evidenced a much stronger belief in it may be well to ask both Kearns and the ancient principle of polygamy President Smith about the many atthan did Apostle Lyman or Young Merr- tempts of the former to induce the latill- perhaps we should say Merrill the ter' to take a hand in the game of poliyounger who followed him ' Upon the tics here in this city. These attempts were made last fall and were frequent. witness stand. : . |