Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-01-20
THE CASE or HON. REED sMoof

This Is how the much discussed case
Of the senatorial situation IN Utah looks
TO the Chicago Record-Herald;
THE election OF Reed smoot as Unit
ed States senator from Utah will pre-
sent very different problem from the
one involved In the Roberts case. Rob-
erts was polygamist and was pre-
vented from taking his seat in the
House on the ground that he was a
iawbreaker. Smoot, II IL said, Is not q
polygamlst The record win show mere
~ that he Is a Mormon and an Apostle
of the Mormon Church. II this Is the
limit Of the proof against him II IL
clear that the task Of preventing him
from taking his seat or Of unseatlng
him would encounter obstacles much
more serious than any that Roberts
could devise. For the question raised
would be whether Mormon ~ barred
by hts religion instead Of by social prac-
tees that are contrary TO the laws and
customs OF the country"
The Kansas City World takes this
broad, rational ana calm view Of the
matter
The good women OF the National
w G. +. u. have entered a light against
Smoot OF Utah Anybody may scratch
the face or pull the hair OF poor smoot
The temperance women have sent q
mesFagc 70 the Utah Legislature, cx-
pressing their disuppfoval Of smoOt on
two grounds, First. not berause he
belongs 10 the Mormon Church. but Is
the candidate Of the Church, and Sec
ond, because he does belong TO the
Church and Ia under It's influence. In
other words, the good women object
20 him doubly for the simple reason
that he is q Mormon. OF course. the
constitution OF the United states says
there SHAH be no discrimination against
a man because OF his religious beliefbut
who cares anything. any more, about
the Constitution OF the United States2
A set Of principles that can be annuiled
IN one part OF the cointty's possessions
can be annuled 10 another--can't ~
But In making the plea that Smoot
should not 50 10 the senate because he
is under the control OF the Church the
women are establishing a precarious
precedent. This argument may rise up
to haunt them some time when they
seek, IN the future, as they have done
In the past, 10 secure the election OF
some other man under the control OF
some other church. And, by the way,
" you are not fully Informed about the
Mormon Church, creed and work, you
are not qualified 10 condemn IT, All
churches look pretty much alike In the
great common aense OF the American
people. and a blow OF this sort at one
church " In effect o blow at them all.
Besides II We are 10 exclude from the
senate all who art under control OF
some organized Influence or other. that
august body would be left without
quorum
The Influences that control most sem
ators are far more dangerous than that
OF any church can even be imagined to
be, II IL not mere demagOgic cry
10 say that trusts, combines and cor
porations control sure majority OF
the senote, Look behind almost any
senator who IL permitted TO become
a prominent figure IN Congress, and YOU
VIII find q corporation or two standing
back OF him and controlling him. II
would not be polite 20 mention names;
that would be coming too near home.
Nor Is II necessary. The fact IS known
10 all who are interested in public af-
fairs To these vital facts the good
women are blind But they can see
when a man Is under the influence OF
o church. and. since II IL not their
church. they think II too utterly awful
for anything, The common sense OF
the people % the United States and of
the Legislature Of Utah Ia not apt To he
greatly infuencrd by this distinctlvely
feminine protest Church rows and riv-
alries are rather too common to dis
turb the general serenity. The zane
longing of the public Is that there
might be less senators under corpora.
ton control and more under control OF
churches or other moral influences"