Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-11


milton"
scnator Smoot did not.
J Mr. Worthington--Was there any
thing said about ayelging the blood
of the prophets or anything else on this
nation or on this government
Senatir SmOot-NO, slr.
Mr. Worthington Was there any
thing said about avenglng the blood Of
| Joseph smith Jro the prophet
Senator SmoutNO sir. And il seems
| very strange chat such a. thing should
be spoken Of, because the endowmeuts
| have never changed as ! understand
! H. II has been 80 testified aud that
! Joseph Smith Jra himself was the
| founder of the endOwmenis. 1t would
! be very strange nded TO have such an
oath TO avenge his death when he was
! alive.
Mr. Worthlngton-N Now let me ask
! YOU whether when YOU took your oath
as senator OF the United states you
| took II with any mental reservation
Senator Smoot None whatever
Mr. WorthinTtOu--An whether there
| IS anything iu your past lie, either In
connection with the Church or anything
els" which. I'm the slightest degree, az
fects your loyalty 10 your country, as
| recognized by that o0th'
Senator Smooth No, sir
| Mr. Worthngton How did you come
| 10 be candidate FOR the office Of sana-
| tor Mr. Smoot}
Senator Smoot j have been rather
| active in politics
Mr. Worthngton without being too
modest on that subject ! wish you
would give the committee "a general
idea Of your activities In that direction
| prior To- the time you We're am open can
ddatc for the place " senator,
Senator Smoot--I may say that be-
fore ever there was division on party
lines in the state Of Utah became in
terested In the principles Of the two
great national parties. I remember at
one time Of taking one OF the leading
Democratic papers ana one OF the Lead
Ing Republican papers. II was about
1854. when I became manager OF the
Provo Wooden MINIS.
thought. OF course, ut the time that
| was a Democrat My father came
from Kentucky He WAS "a staunch
Democrat and Of course ! thought
was Democrat He believed Ina pro-
lection, and OF course it had been
taught to me all my life and / believed
In II.
But after studying the papers very
carefully indeed with AN the interest
that ! could my mind gradually driftcd
toward the principles Of the Republican
party
think It was In 1888 that there were
a few mon in Provo, Republicans and
we organized Republican party That
was before the division on party lines
In our state. We used TO meet quite
often for the purpose OF discussing the
principles OF the party ana ! became
deeply interested IN them and i'm poll
tics. was prepared or felt myself 80,
when the division ON party lines came,
to align myself with the Republican
party, and / have been "a Republican
from that time on,
our county Utah county was strong
ly Democratic. I'm fact, 1t was one Of
the strongest Democratic counties In
the state aud We. the Republicans Of
that county Worked very hard indeed
to change the condition OF our county
from q Democratic majority to a Re-
publican majority We sometimes
wer placed on the ticket, knowing full
well that We could not be elected but
we had that Eight 70 make, and we did
make It; and ! think in 1900 was the
first year that we Carried Utah county
for the Republican party,
attended most OF the conventions,
both county and state.
Mr. Worthngton-Of your party you
mean?
Senator Smoot Yes, / gave my time
and gave my means for the advance
ment Of that cause. / was an organ
izer Of the southern forces as they
were called, I'm moist Of the campaigns
and | did II because | liked H. ! en-
iuyed the work | think that / have
been loyal 20 II from beginning to end,
and for aught | know VIII continue to
be as long as the principles are as they
are. and as / believe them to be- the
best for this country.
Mr. WorthingtOn-- You saw that you
organized the southern forces. Just
what do you mean by that
Senator Smoot--I mean that IN the
state Salt Lake is what may be called
the central part Of our state, and
then there Is the northern part Of our
state and then there Is the southern
part Of the state, and, of course, In the
organizations certain interests for that
section of our state always came up
at the conventions, and we We're gen
orally together on any kind OF a prop
ostion as to who should be nomnat-
ed
Mr.. Northumberland TO 1909 had
anybody become the recognized lead
or Of the Republican party In the
southern part Of the state?
Senator SmOot-Well, / would not
want to say that
Mr.. Wurthiugtou--t viii not press
YOU ON that subject Others have
testified about H. When did you your
self first consider the question OF be-
ing q candidate for the position OF
senator OF the United States from
Utah"
senator Smoot-Oh. / was spoken
10 by my political friends back as