The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-02
THE sMoor CASE AT HOME.
Democratic Newspaper in Utah on 1t
 Regrettable Effects There.

Regrettable Effects There.
 Although the hearing of Senator Shoots case has only begun, the result the unfortunate result-is being felt here at home. None but the unkind and vindictive could rejoice at the effect throughout the country of the publicity given the personal domestic affairs of men who feel the stigma attached to such publicity; none but will feel the in- evitable effect on every relation of life, business. domestic. social and civic, which must follow the Haunting of such revelations as are bound to 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 suspicion of nefghbor 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.
 It is only natural that personal feeling should follow the lines of religious af- tiliation to some degree, but it should be remembered in all fairness that men who have every regard for the individ ualual members of the Mormon church foresaw just what has happened and advised against the nomination and election of Senator Shoot for that very reason. Senator Shoots own friends, both of his church and of other church. es, 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 inter- ests. In the face of this it is hardly fair to say that Senator Shoot 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 ambition. Nor should it be forgotten that the non -Mormons as well as the Mormons of Utah will suffer. The injury to the state must fall upon all citizens alike. Possibly, as Senator Shoots shief de- lenders assert. the Mormon faith will benefit by the widespread distribution of their doctrines, the exploitation of their beliefs throughout the country If this is true there is some compensation to them. but for the non-M Mormon no such consolation is offered. They see nothing ahead but serious and perma- nent injury to their state, the stoppage of desirable immigration, the hunilia- tion of their representatives in con- gress, the depression of the high hopes they have based on the supposition that the old agitation had ceased forever. Conceding that the friends of Senator Shoot have cause for resentment is it 1 to be expected that the men who op- posed him in all sincerity outside of his religion will not resent the injury his election has wrought to the state and 1 it's interests?
 The fact is that conditions compelled ljust such crisis in the states affairs | as the election of Senator Smoot pre- cipitated. Holding the pupreme office tof his church, with one exception, rep resenting to the public mind an ecclesi- asticaI position incompatible with the duties of the senatorship, representing, 1 too, an influence in public civil affairs which many believed inimical to the lpublic welfare, he could have expected
 Inc other outcome to his political aspira- l tions. He can hardly claim that the lopposition to him was based on hostility
 to his religion, because others of his
 faith, but not of his exalted church sta
 tion, have gone to the senate and beer
 welcomed. It was Shoot, 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 reten-
 tion in the senate would be violation
 of the states pledge that no church in-
 f1uence would be permitted in the politi-
 cal 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 will suffer no matter
 whether the senator retains his seat or
 not. But it believes, too, that the exer- else of forbearance on both sides. the
 elimination of personal animosities and
 the absence of controversy at home will
 go far toward preventing local situa-
 tion which might easily do endless
 harm.-Salt Lake (Utah) Herald.