The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-25
ROBERTS AND THE MACHINE.


Brigham II. Roberts certainly spoke
right out in the Democratic meeting at
saltair on Thursday afternoon. He de-
nounced the Smoot machine and its
methods of vigorous language and de-
clared that no Democrat in Utah owed
any allegiance to Smoot or his machine.
Mr.. Roberts discussed the question of
church influence in politics. asserting
that the church guarantees political in
dependence to its members, and that
No priesthood has the rigft to domi-
nate the political acts of men In this
great, free republic OF the west"
Mr.. Roberts advocated a reaffirma-
ton by the coming Democratic state
convention OF the Mine points OF faith"
set up by the reconvened convention of
1885. at which he was nominated for
congress. Those points are. briefly
that any man may worship God as he
pleases, that the first allegiance Of
every man. politically, is to his country:
that no church nor spiritual adviser
should encroach upon the individuals
political rights; that no political party
can be required to obtain the consent
or any church or the leader thereof
before selecting its candidate for public
office and that all men are of right
free to think, act speak and vote
without fear, molestation. Intimidation
or undue influence"
Now. it is a fact, and everybody in
Utah knows it. that Senator Reed
Smoot. or those acting for him. have
played the game Of church Influence TO
It's fullest extent. They have gone from
one end Of this state TO the other and
from one side to the other with their
whisperings that the church authorities
desire the Mormon people to vote the
Republican ticket and so sustain Reed
Smoot, apostle and senator. The Smoot
campaigns have never been conducted
on the basis Of Reed Shoots merits.
He says he was a Republican before
he became an apostle but he was an
apostle-and he certainly had to be-be-
fore he became a United States sena-
tor. II he had not been an apostle
he could never have been elected TO
the high civil office he holds.
Brigham II. Roberts knows this. He
Is familiar with Smoot and his methods
. Mr. Roberts Is also a consistent mem
Der of the Mormon church. an officer
with high standing in the organization.
II the people he has served. the /peo-
pie for whom he has given the best
| years of his life, would listen TO him
there would be little talk of church in
reference In Utah politics. We might
have clean. honest, fair campaigns here
with a chance for ability TO win over
mediocrity, for candidates to. go be-
fore the people on their individual mer-
its and not because Of their backing by
church politicians.
We believe with Mr.. Roberts that il
would be a good thing for the Demo-
Gratis TO reafirm the admirable princI-
pies laid down by the reconvened con-
vention. It is time for them 10 speak
out again. to speak out clearly and
distinctly. We have had enough Of the
Pussy Andersons, the Sprys, the Cal
listers and the Smoots. The people of
this state. the honest. decent voters who
believe in expressing their convictions
at the polls. can II they will. smash the
Snoot machine this fan into bits so
small that they can never be gathered
together again while the commonwealth
lives.