The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-01-28
REED SMOOT To
POSE As MARTYR
What the ApoStolic-S Senator
Proposes to Do When
Kicked Out.
COMING BACK IN ROLE OF
MUCH ABUSED INDIVIDUAL
Believes the End Is Near and Is
Figuring on Future
Plans.

Apostle-Scnator Reed Smoot is begin
ring to realize that he Is down and out.
His standing and influence In tho United
States Senate being minus quantity; his
Influence. politically, swept away as tho
result of his actions during the recent
municipal campaign In Salt Lake: md
nil this, coupled with the fact that the
fret presidency OF the Mormon church
and his fellow apostles are out OF har-
mony with him. because of the trouble In
which he has involved them, Smoot is
beginning to realize that his ecclesiastical
elevation to 4 Senatorship was u most
unwise moye-for himself as well as the
church
Losing Confident Air.
tIis confident air respecting the action
that Congress will take in his case, IL Is
well known, has given way to cringinS
fear year ago he boasted openly that
there was not the slightest danger OF his
being unseated; today, trembling In eVery
limb and virtually afraid of his own
shadow, he slips about etcalthly, noise
lesSy and crngingly, dreading. with
nervous dread, the approach OF the time
when he must face the recommendation
OF the committee having his case In
charge ard be thrown out OF the highest
legislative body in tho world for the rea-
son that he belongs to an un-American
organization.
II also is said that Smoot hae under
garding those enterprisng apostles Of po-
lygamy-Cowley and Taylor
Pathway Is Tortuous.
The worst hnl that 1 now have to
traverse is comprised of Cowley and
Taylor" Smoot is alleged to have said
views concerning those two law-defying
polyGamlsts had undergone complete
change within the past year. A year ago
Smoot, ii is alleged said in the converse
tfg.H tod hat he Il NOT haiIA hn
CowlcY and Taylor had recently taken
plural wives, but he was now convinced
that they had He also is said to have
stated that he Is ready TO believe now
that others have done likewise In the
conversation cited Smoot also lntimated
that all was not harmony in the quorum
OF the twelve apostles and the first prcSi
dencys growing out OF Shoots lamentable
failure as a political leader, coupled with
the additional disgrace and trouble which
has accrued 10 the church by reason OF
have grown out OF his mistakes since his
elevation.
Will Resign Apostleship.
Men close to snoot now express The
belief that II Smoot Is kicked out OF the
Senate, as II is confidently believed he
VIII be. he will return home and resign
his apostleship and, 1t is limited, sever hie
connection with the church; in fact IL Is
said that he has stated to close friends
that he VIII resign his apostleshp If he
is thrown out OF Congress
This threat by the apo7tie-Senator is
believed to be his last card. BY making
1t, he is believed TO have double pur-
pose-hrst. ii possible 10 spur the trea-
sonablc hierarchy 10 which he belongs 10
redouble Its efforts TO prevent his eXpul
sion. and second. 10 pose as a martyr.
Smoot In the role of a martyr Will be
interesting, also eXcruciatingly Tidicu-
lous; but the man is said to believe that
II he Is expelled from Congress, all he
has to do IS to return home, resign his
apostleshlp and take his place at the head
of the Republican organization OF the
State, I'm the event. OF course, that the
aforesaid Republican organization can be
located with any degree OF certainty.
Is Really Too Funny.
Smoot as a martyr 1t is to laugh yes.
TO shrek TO indulge In paroxysms OF
laughter; 10 put ones thumb TO ones
nose and tantalzingly wigGle ones fin
gers. Smoot as a martyr, Smoot as a
martyr-the man who has dragged his &C.
clcsiastical robes into the mire of politics
and done the job In such bungllng man.
ner that even his fcllow-conspirators are
dsgusted with him; the man who has
given the church more cause to hide It's
head in shame than any man In its his
tory. not TO except Brigham II. Roberts
This man 10 pose as martyr and build
up a Republican machinei 1t Will be
huge 1Okc. THAT'S all