The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-27
POLITICS IN THE smoor CASE.

pull Us IN E SMCOT CASE,
The interminaOle delay i'm the Smoot
cas-. confirms the belief, long since es-
tablished, that the merits of the case
viii have nothing to do with the final
decision, no matter what that decision
may be. Further it goes far to estab-
fish the conviction that the administra-
tien is playing both ends Of the game
IN the hope of avoiding offeuse either
te Senator Shoots friends or the large
eastern contingent which has been
working for his election from the sen
ate.
II is more than three years since the
Utah DTOtestaHts filed their objections
10 the retention OF Smoot The hear
ings in the case have been more than
thorough every opportunity has been
afforded both sides for the introduction
Of evidence. the arguments are in.
nothing remains to be done except to
secure a report from the committee
and let the senate vote unon it.
Yet. in spite Of the completion Of the
hearing it is Impossible 10 secure
vote from the committee on privileges
and elections. Delays have been Sc
cured on various pretcxts, from threat
ened appendicitis to acute sore toe
Senators nave managed to receive no
notice of meetings OF they have been
called out of town by feuce-mcnding
demands; they have not had time -
read the evidence or else they have
meeting of another committee TO at
tend. On one excuse or another they
have lodged the direct issue until the
whole country. particularly the state
or Utah. is worn out. sick and tired
or the delay.
There can be no excuse for this eva
sion. but the Republican leaders seem
10 think they can postpone the day Of
judgment until the case is forgotten.
Evidently they fear to offend Senator
Smoot and his political and religious
Confreres on one side. and are afraid of
the wrath Of Shoots opponents on the
other, So they halt and stammer. pIead
puerile excuses and ignore their duty.
al for political expediency. Processing
great friendship for the "reformersv
who would deny Smoot his seat for
alleged moral reasons, they show their
faith by their works in deIegating to
SmOot all the federal appointments in
Utah. the control of the Republican
machine and the distribution Of all IA
vors from garden seeds to United States
marshaIships
conditions in the intermountan states
# requires no mind-reader to guess
Why. The Republicans have conceived
the idea that Utah. Idaho. Wyoming
and possibly Colorado and Nevada can
be controlled by Smoot through the
ecclesiastical connections. An election
for high Offices. including congressman.
IS. approaching IF Smoot's following
were offended it might result I'm the
loss Of these states to the purely moral
Republican party That Theodore
Roosevelt, president Of the United
States, knows the conditions. Is Main
enough when one remembers the In
terview he authorized. in which he ad-
vised the legislature of Utah not IN
elect Smoot 20 the senate. That he Is
playing for political effect now is also
evident, since he has thrown the weight
OF his influence into the scales for
Smoot and has made him dispenser of
presidential favors in this region.
In view Of these facts it IS about
time for the Republicans on the SEN
ate committee to stop their game of
hide and seek. If they want to vote
for Shoots retention. all right. but
they ought for decency's sake to do
It at once. Utah has suffered three
years Of suspense, three years Of blast
ing criticism, three years Of injury at
home and abroad, because of the de-
lay in this case. If no other state
were interested, Utah would still have
the right to demand an immediate and
decisive vote Of the Smoot committee
in order that it may know its status
and be relieved Of the odium which at
taches from the continual discussion of
the Smoot case.