The Irish standard., 1903-01-17
APOSTLE REED sMOo1.


If President Roosevelt has rnterfered
in the election Of a United States SEN
ator from Utah, as reported, he has
exceeded his authority. Reed Smoot,
who is an apostle of the Mormon
church, but not polygamist as was
Brigham II. Roberts, is a candidate
for the senate, and having about two
thirds of the Utah legislators on his
side there is no doubt Of his election
President Roosevelt is said to oppose
his election on the ground that he
is one Of the leaders of the Church of
Latter Day Saints, and Washington
kilograms say that he has sent mes
sage to the Mormon advising him to
! withdraw from the senatorial race be-
cause he will not be seated if elected.
Later dispatches deny that President
Roosevelt has interfered at all in the
Utah election, but that he is strenously
opposed to Shoots candidacy is ad-
mitted. 1t is also said that Senator
Hanna. Of Ohio, and Senator Kearns,
of Utah, have Joined the President in
opposing Smoot on account of his being
dignitary of the Mormon church
Commenting on this alleged opnosition
of the President to SmOot, the St. Paul
Pioneer Press, an orthodox Republican
organ, says:
IF for any reason Apostle Smoot is
an unfit man it is the senates preroga-
tive to bar him us Roberts was barred.
But even the senate cannot bar Smoot
Oh the score Of his Mormonsm or his
high position in the Mormon church.
Mormonism, no matter how objection
able it may be, is not crime. 1t is
religion and as such cannot be re-
cognized as barrier to political pre-
ferment. Polygamy is crime. 1t was
because Roberts was shown to he ~
pOlygamist that he was not allowed to
take his seat in the house. But ArOs
tie Smoot is not IL polygamist; so it is
generally said and believed. So man.
fest is the want of any motive for /;
departure from the fixed traditions of
the limits of the presidential rrrroya-
tive or from the spirit of the Consti-
tuition and of the age regarding free
dom Of conscience that it requires IL
lively imagination to suppose that
Roosevelt has been meddling in the
Utah election. The story has evidently
been cooked and served by Shoots
managers out Of nothing i'm order to
bring about the very consolidation of
Shoots following that has take place
as protest against what would have
becn-if it had been at all-obviously
improper interference"
Judging from the newspaper reports,
President Roosevelt has interfered in
the Utah election. The personal Or
gans of Senator Kearns in Salt Lake
City has published the kilograms from
Washington about the Presidents op-
position to Shoots election, and Smoot
himself says that Kearns informed
him that it was the Presidents wish
that he should not run for the senate,
not because Of any antagonism toward
the Mormon faith purely as religious
sect, but solely on the ground that his
election as Mormon apostle would
be inconsistent with the duty Of al
legiance which senator owes to the
United States, and that his election
would reflect discredit and intlict in
jury on Utah. Senator Kearns does
not deny that he so stated and in
consequence Of the opposition to Smoot
because Of his official standing in the
Mormon church, several members Of
the Utah legislature requested him to
resign his position as an apostle, but
that he has refused to do.
Apostle Smoot is either eligible or in
eligible to occupy a seat In the United
States senate, but whether he is or not,
the President has no right to interfere.
That question will he decided by the
senate itself. The fact that Smoot is
leader in the Mormon church does
not render him ineligible. Hn is no
polygamist and he believes ttat the
opposition he encounters ut the hands
Of the President is in the interest of
Kearns who wants to be reelected
two years hence. Representative
Sutherland withdrew his candidacy
against Smoot with the understanding
that he would support him against
Kearns in the next election. That Is
why Smoot may he turned down" by
the senate and rot because he is one of
the apostles of the church founded by
Joseph Smith. In point Of morals,
Smoot is the equal Of MANY members
of Congress. and the superior of some
of them. He should not he perse
cuted because of his high position in
the church of his fathers. The first
amendment of the Constitution saws
that Congress shall make no law re-
speeding an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
Therefore, Smoot is entitled to his seat