120 years ago today - Thursday, Apr 2, 1903

[Rudger Clawson]

Elder Clawson ... Remembered that during his incarceration in the penitentiary none of the brethren—not even the late President Snow—could foretell the outcome—and surely there was no one to predict that fair Utah would speedily come into the union of states. ...

Elder [and Senator] Reed Smoot said that while absent from home he always thought of his brethren. ... A big effort is being made to disfranchise our people. ... Many of them are very friendly. A number of the senators simply wanted to know if I were a polygamist, and when I affirmed that I was not, they said that they were satisfied and would stand by me. The coming question will not be polygamy, for they want to prove that all who go through the temple are disloyal to the government. When I called to see President [Theodore] Roosevelt, he came across a crowded room to shake hands with me. Received me warmly and bade me welcome to Washington. ... I cannot tell you just what the president said to me for that

would be contrary to the generally accepted code of honor regarding interviews with the president of the United States, but it was a shameful affair. Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming will play an important part in the next presidential election....

The tables were then spread with bread and wine and the sacrament administered, Elder Jno. W. Taylor being mouth in offering the sacramental blessing. As usual it proved to be a very enjoyable occasion. ...

[Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson]

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