Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-01-16
DIOKER WITH THE MORMONs.

Considerable feeling has been caused in |
Congress, especially in the Senate, by the
Presidents interference in the Utah Sena.
torial election.
BY expressing TO the people and Legisla |
ture of that State his disapproysl of the |
candidacy of Reed Smoot, Mormon apostle,
Mr.. Roosevelt is said TO have entered into |
a new field Of politics. For the President
TO interfere thus directly In the election Of
United States Senator is unprecedented.
1t is pointed out that Presidents heretofore
have kept scrupulously aloof from such
matters, 1t being generally recognized that
they have no right 10 interfere. They have
been known TO pass the word, hoping for
the speedy settlement Of deadlocks, but
further than that they never have been
identified with Senatorial elections.
Senators who discussed the subject said
the election Of United States Senator is
entirely State affair and one in which the
President has no more privilege of partici.
patton than be has of sending message to
the Senate advocating the seating or I'M
seating Of any Senator. They, therefore,
expressed surprise that Mr.. Roosevelt should
see fit 10 identify himself with the Utah case.
Its matter Of common understanding
that the Republican organization has work.
cd hand in hand with the Mormon Church
recently in order 10 redeem from Demo.
cratic supremacy States 10 which Mormons
are powerful. According TO the story gen.
orally accepted, the Mormons were to vote
the Republican ticket, with the understand
ing that they should be we'll taken care OF
in the event OF victory. Their demand up
on the Republicans was the election oil
Smoot as Senator.
Political observers declare with confidence
that the Presidents action will result In Re
publican defeat at the next election and for
years after, not only in Utah, but In Idaho
and Montana as well. They assert that
other States In the vicinity will also be seri-
ously affected. Democrats generally con-
graduate themselves, for this reason, upon
the Presidents move, and declare that moth
ing he could have done would have been OF
greater benefit to the Democratic cause than
this interference with the Smoot case.
In discussing the case, Senator Fred 7.
Dubois, of Idaho, who Is in q position TO
know all the facts Of the situation, said
81 am very much surprised at the report
ed interference OF President Roosevelt and
Senator Hanna with the selection of a Sen,
ator by the Utah Legislature. II has been
persistently rumored for more than two
years that an understanding existed be.
tween Senator Hanna, the chairman of the
National Republican Committee. and the
first presidency OF the Mormon Church, by
the terms OF which the Mormons were To
support the Republican ticket and the Re-
publican leaders were 10 guarantee that the
Mormons should not be interiered with.
These rumors were 30 prevalent that they
have been accepted as facts"
Senator Edward W. Uarmack made no
effort 70 conceal his dissatisfaction. He
said:
1.-THE Presidents action illustrates Mr.
Roosevelts character as constitutional
busybody. For the President of the United
States to undertake TO dictate the internal
affairs of Utah or any other State is simply
a piece OF strenuous impertinence. The
people of Utah are supposed to know wha,
they want, and II is arrogant presumption
for the Executive of the nation TO under
take TO NEEDLE with their affairs. II lie moi
his business to control the character Of the
membership Of the United States Senate
and II comes with particularly bad grace In
this Instance IN view OF the open aud noto-
rious alliance between the Republican party
and the Mormon Church. There would
have been no chance TO elect Republican
senator 10 Utah but for this alliance be
tween Republcanism and Mormonism. =
Even if Mr.. Roosevelts protest were Ia
order, he has made II too late. II is not tc
be supposed that the Mormon Church made
one sided bargain with the leaders Of the
Republican party.
81 do not think Mr. Roosevelt could hav,
been persuaded TO announce any such ind
cation OF hostility 10 Mormonism befor,
the November election"