The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-29
THE MERITS OF SHOOTS CASE.

its cand0r is as refreshing as a cold
watermelon on July day. Possibly it
might better be compared to a hot
tamale in December. but no matter; its
frankness is delightful. and deserves
acknowledgement. in its issue Of the
18th it stated several propositions Of
interest to those who are following
the apostles campaign for the United
states senate. Given seriatim. the Provo
Enquirer declares:
First-That il Is entirely proper for
a high church prelate, such as Apostle
Smoot Of the Mormon church or Bishop
Seaman of the Catholic church to run
for office as a partisan candidate.
SecOnd-That Apostle Smoot has not
said that he expects to combine his
apostolic and senatorial duties.
Third-That objection 20 She smOot
programme is an attack on the Mormon
church.
Fourtb-That the Democracy's sup
port Of Moses Thatcher for the senate
and 3. n. Roberts for the house bars
the party from opposing Apostle smoot
for the senate.
Fifth--That il the Democratic party
persists in pointing out objections to
Apostle Shoots candidacy. It (the Dem
cratic party in UTAH viii be wiped out
OF existenee-or words to that effect,
II is. of course. perfectly natural for
Mr. smoot to declare that Bishop Scan
Ian would be "a desirs Die candidate for
the senate. Apostle Smoot, as can
didate and high churchman, could take
no other position. But. followed to its
conclusion, the precedent cited is fatal
to him. since the Catholic church recog-
nizes the danger Of combining
church and civil Office in a man who
already Yields enormous authority in
the church. II has never, I'm the his
tory Of the United states, had an &C.
clesiast of high position become a can
didate for civil office; and its growth,
its power its spiritual influence. all at
test the wisdom o. SIS course. II
Apostle SmOot studies the history Of the
Catholic church in this country. and is
guided by it, be viii Withdraw his can
didacy, or else resign his church office.
. . o
Tt is true that Apostle Smoot has not
said he win combine his church and
senatorial duties. If he is fortunate
enough TO be elected. But it is also
true that he has said nothing about
resigning his church position His ST.
lence on that point warrants the as
sumption that he does not expect to
resign And until be announces that
NE viii devote himself to one or the
other, the conclusion that he expects
TO combine both offices in his own per-
son is entirely fair.
9 . @
The Enquirer's statement that OBJ
lection to Smoot in politics is az attack
on his church is unwarTanted and dis
honest. Il Apostle Smoot is 10 be
sort of sacred white elephant in poll
tics because of his church connection.
then the voters OF Utah are wasting
time in holding conventions and max
ing nominations.
The moment announcement was made
of the apostles candidacy, ne became
a proper subject FOR CONNECT as TO
his fitness or unhtness FOR office. His
membership in the Mormon church is
only an incident. il he were a Metho-
dist bishop or Catholic bishop. or
high ecclesiast of any other denOmina-
tion. he would be open to the same
objection as now.
The objection is valid honest and
without malice toward the man or his
~ fr-.sT Of "a rtaracfinm
that has been discussed again and
again ever since the United States be-
came a government. No offhand
threats can prevent objection to the
partisan activity of an apostle IN the
senatorial campaign. and no honest cit
lien viii call such objection an attack
on any creed.
1t is true that the Democracy Of Utah
gave Moses Thatcher liberal support in
his candidacy for the senate, and it is
true that the Democratic party elected
3. II. Roberts to congress.
What followed in both cases taught
the party the unwisdOm Of its course.
but. up to date. Apostle SmOot and his
friends do not seem to have learned
anything from either precedent. on the
contrary, they are inviting a repetition
of the internal dissensions that fol-
lowed in the Thatcher incident, and the
external attacks which. resulted from
Roberts election. They could cite no
more unfortunate cases in support Of
their cause than these two. particularly
since the Republican party made pre-
cisely the same objection to Mr.
Thatcher that the Democrats offer
against Smoot now. And 1t was Re-
publicaRs who fought Roberts and Sc
cured his rejection in congress.
% 8 o
Filthy. and lastly: The Democratic
party viii not be "annihilated" because
it happens to oppose Smoot on prin-
ciple. 1t will not quit business in Utah
or anywhere else because it believes
the candidacy Of Apostle Smoot is ill.,
judged.
The party was founded on q belief in
free speech and equal rights before
the law. Its founder was one OF the
first of the fathers to preach religious
liberty and the separation Of church
and state. With its history and its fol-
lowing. the party in Utah viii go right
on IN its own path, without asking per-
mission from the Provo Enquirer or
Apostle Sm0ot, or any other individual.
Whether it is successful or not, it wiz
live up to its principles; and it could
better AFFORD defeat after an honest.
fair, open fight. than success at the
sacrifice Of its convictions.