Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-11-30
A COMMON.SENsE VIEW.

Amidst the numerous misrepresenta-
tlons OF affairs in Utah, set anoat by
religious fanatics and unprincipled
preachers. 1t Isl pleasing to note the
independent and rational position TAX
en- by a number OF influential pa
pers, ON the question presented to the
United States Senate, Diyested of
the unsupported statements and senti-
mental verbIage In the charges pre-
ferred against Senator smoot, there Is
little If anything left OF substantial
character. This Is perceived by in
quring and unbiased editors, and some
of item are not afraid TO face the excit-
ed and upthinklng enthusiasts, who
imagine they are doing great things by
clamoring for the exclusion of Sena-
tor, whose life and principles are be-
yond reproach and who, as stall
wart representative OF monogamic re-
latIons and Republican politics, ought
to be particularly acceptable to the
majority of his assailants. We have
copied few sensible comments from
eastern journals, and we now take
the following from the Burlington
Oowa) Journal OF Nov. o. The edI-
torial is headed, THE Case Of Mr..
Smoot:"
1T Is beginning to appear that the
Efforts that have been made to induce
the senate TO deny seat In that body
to Mr.. Smoot, the newly elected senator
from Utah, will fail of accomplishment
When the announcement was made that
Utah's senator was q Mormon" and a
dlgnitary OF that Church the conclu-
sion was jumped az that II he was a
Mormon" and an officer Of the Church
he must, of necessity, be all that any
member Of that Church ever was, and
protests, based upon that assumption,
were made against his being recognized
as member of the United States sem
Petitions poured into the senate max
Petitions poured into the senate. max
ing various charges against him and
several religious and secular societies
took UP the case, These protests came
before the senate committee on cleo
tons, and It has given more or less at
tention TO the papers that have been
filed and has called, upon those who
charges made The declaration was
made against him that he was o polyg-
amlst, but when called upon for the
proofs IN support Of the charge they
. have non been forthcoming. Possibly
they may be IN existence and obtainable
but so far his accusers have not pre-
scented the senate with a particle Of evil
dence In support Of the charge that has
been made with so much assurance. Mr.,
Smoot himself says he ls not now and
never was polygamlst and his yeraci-
~ has not been impugned.
Another charge ~ that he regards
his oath and obligation TO his church
as paramount to that he will assume
on his admission TO the senate. The
senator denies this count In the In
dictment and his accusers have not
been able to present evidence show
ing that no Is not telling the truth
an the matter. The opponents Of Mr.
Smoot seem to have made wholesale
charges against him that they are so
far wholly unable to substantiate
whatever they may he able to do later
on,
"In an due fairness, appearances in
dictate that the persons who are NOV
ing to tho matter OF excluding MI
SmOOt from the senate are over
gentleman s a member In and officer
of the Mormon" Church, believe he
! must be guilty Of all that has brought
that organization into dlsrepute ir
| this country II may be regretted that
| Mr.. Smoot rs a Mormon" and that the
| legislature Of Utah sent him to Con-
| gress, but the constitution prohibits
! any religious tests being applied as a
| criterion Of official qualifications. A
| Buddhist or Atheist could not be ex-
! cluded because Of his belief, II legally
| elected 10 Congress, any more than
| could a Baptist or Methodist. Possibly
| these enthusiasts who have been man
| aging the crusade against Mr.. Smoot
| supposed the evidence desired wouli
be easily obtanable but they have
been disappointed, and Il Is probable
little II anything, more viii be done
In the controversy by the senate than
to admit the Utah senator 20 ali thu
privileges 20 which he seems TO be just
| ~ entitled"