Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-07
WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE?

The Herald, on Sunday morning, con-
tanned an editorial lamentatIon over the
effects Of "the publicity being given the
domestic affairs Of men prominent In
the Mormon Church. 1t bewails the
results which, II says, must follow the
haunting OF such revelations. as are
bound to come out IN the hearing ~
Further, It says; "Nor should II be for
gotten that the non.Mormons as we'll
as the Mormons will suffer. The Injury
to the State must fall upon all citizens
alike
Granting, me- ~ for arguments
sake, that these representations are
well founded. where does our contem-
porary place the responsibility for the
troubles present and TO come? Upon
the parties who stirred them up? Up
on those who made the charges, some
of which are false and others Of which
have been acknowledged? Oh no. The
fault In laid incidentally on the out
spoken witness and directly upon Sena-
tor smoot. The Senator is assalled
thus;
ut was smoot the Apostle, not Smoot
the Mormon who invited the attack,
and his friends should concedc the
honesty Of those who sincerely believe
his retention I'm the senate would he
violation OF the States pledge that no
church influence would be permitted IN
the political and civil affairs OF Utah
We think that the honesty and sin
certify Of a number Of good people who
object to the Senator's position on re-
liglous grounds should be conceded
And also that their opposition should
not arouse anlmosty on the part of the
gentlemans friends, But at the same
time we may make fair estimate OF
their intelligence, their information ana
their reasoning powers, The state Of
Utah agreed by It's Constitution that
There shall be no union of Church
and State, nor shall any church domi-
nate the State or interfere with It's
functions
Was the election OF Reed Smoot by
the Republican party Of Utah in regu-
lar form, union Of Church and state
Is there anything IN the state Consti-
tuition or state laws which forblds the
election Of n man because Of his posi-
ton IN church? ON the contrary, Is
not this clause n part Of the same see
ton In which the foregoing appears?
mo religious test shall be required
as qualification for any office Of pubic
trust, or for any vote at any election -
Article /, sec, 4.
The brain that can evolve a rational
argument out Of these provisions, to
show that the election of Reed smoot
was "a violation OF the states pledge
IL certainly abnormal and we must be
excused # we fan TO see the releyance
OF the Heralds reference And while
we concede the sincerity Of uniformed
people who may entertain such enron.
eous Views, how about those who manu-
featured the charges that brought out
the responses which have occasoned
so much excitement? our contempt.
rary shifts the responsibility on Reed
Smoot under the plea that he Is an
Apostle and therefore ought to have
known what a rumpus he would create
That might do for the ignorant and
prejudiced, but the people OF Utah
know that George @ Cannon was an
Apostle and served several successive
terms IN Congress, ana more than that
was one of the First Presidency of tho
Church lie was finally rejected be-
cause he was an avowed polygamist
never objected to because he was an
Apostle. There II no more reason why
ON Apostle should be disqualified than
any other Elder IN this Church, from