The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-06
The sMooT CASE AT HOME.

A LTHOUGH THE HEARING of Sen
"A ator Shoots case has only begun.
the result-the unfortunate results
being felt here at home. None but the
unkind and vindietive could rejoice at
the effect throughout the country of the
publicity being given the personal, do
nestle affairs of men who feel the stig
ma attached to such publicity; none
but will feel the inevitable effect on
every relation of life. business, dOmes-
tic, social and civic, which must follow
the Haunting of such revelations as are
bound 10 come out in the hearing.
The effect here at home, as has been
said. is already being felt. Apparently
there is to be a revival in some degree
OF the old bitterness, the suspicious Of
neighbor for neighbor, the demarcatiOn
between Mormon and nOn-Mormon in
business affairs, the rivalry of politics
emphasized by lines which had been
all but obliterated.
1t is only natural that personal feel
ing should follow the lines of religious
adiliation to some degree; but it should
be remembered in all fairness that men
who have every regard for the individ-
ual members OF the Mormon church
foresaw just what has happened and
advised against the nomination and
election Of Senator SmOOt for that very
reason. Senator Shoots own friends,
both Of his church ard of other
churches, told him what would surely
follow his accession to the senate, told
him that his enemies and the foes OF
his faith would exert every energy to
bring about his downfall. told him that
the state would suffer in its material
interests. In the face of this it is hard
~ fair 10 say that Senator Smoot is the
victim of persecution or that the fight
against him is a matter OF religious
prejudice alone or that the senator is
the victim Of anything but his own am
bition.
Nor should it be forgotten that the
non ormons as well as the Mormons
of Utah viii suffer. The injury to the
state must fall upon all citizens alike.
Possibly. as Senator Shoots chief de-
tenders assert, the Mormon faith VIII
benefit by the widespread distribution
of their doctrines, the exploitation Of
their beliefs throughout the country. If
this is true, there is some compensation
70 them, but for the non Mormon no
such consolation is offered. They see
nothing ahead but a serious and perma-
neut injury TO their state. the stop
page of desirable immigration, the hu-
initiation Of their representatives in
congress, the depression Of the high
hopes they have based on the supposi-
lion that the old agitation had ceased
forever. COrceding that the friends Of
Senator SmOot have cause for resent
ment. is It TO be expected that the men
who opposed him in all sincerity outside
of his religion win not resent the injury
his election has wrought to the state
and its interests?
The fact is that conditions compelled
just such 4 crisis in the states affairs,
as the election of Senator Smoot pre-
cipitated. Holding the supreme Office
OF his church, with ore exception. rep
resenting to the public mind an &C.
clesiastical position incompatible with
the duties of the senatorship, repre-
senting, too. an influence in public civil
sffairs which many believed inimical
20 the public welfare. he could have ex-
pected no other outcome to his political
aspirations. He can hardly claim that
the opposition to him was based on
hostility TO his religion because others
Of his faith, but not of his exalted
church station, have gone 10 the SEN
ate and been welcomed. It was Smoot.
the apostle, not Smoot. the Mormon.
who invited the attack; and his friends
should be broad enough to concede the
honesty Of those who sincerely believe
his retention in the senate would be a
violation OF the states pledge that no
church influence would be permitted
IN the political and civil affairs Of Utah.
The Herald has no sympathy with
those who are willing TO see Utah in
Jured that Senator Smoot may be hu-
inflated; it believes the best interests
OF the state viii suffer no matter
whether the senator retains his seat or
not. But, il believes, too. that the ex-
ercise Of forbearance on both sides. the
elimination or personal animosities and
the absence Of controversy at home viii
90 far toward preventing a local stu
alton which might easily do endless
harm
HnnD TIME To IIfpoN