Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-27
PETITIONS AGAINST SMo0T,

THE case OF Senator Smoot drags It's
slow case along and a multitude OF
petitions are SUN being received against
his admission, signed by women. a
distinguished American preacher well
known for bis advocacy of women s
suffrage, once heard a woman make
a long and rambling talk iu his prayer
meeting, aud at the end OF Il he Fim-
ply said; Yet I believe IN woman's
suffrage We recall his remark when
we see these petitions, 10 rs az i'm
proper TO send petitions 10 the Senate
asking the members ~ refuse 60 allow
him his seat &C II would be 10 send
such petition 10 the Supreme Court
IN case brought 10 il for decision
The action Of the Senate in this case
Is purely judicial not legislative, They
are to decide On the law and Constitu-
tion, whether he Is properly "a meme
Der, and no urgency by any one should
have the least influence on Senator
What we think, or what any other
man or woman thinks as 10 Nj.
Shoots right to a seat, should have no
effect with Senator. He must judge
the constitutional matter himself, ac-
cording to his best Judgment, and
should not IN the least consider an acre
Of petitions from his State
The foregoing is an editorial that APP
peared in the New York Independent on
February %. We need scarcely inform
our readers that 1t Is standard re-
Igious magazine, which has a wide cir
culation. and is, as It's name denotes,
Independent on all subjects on which
It treats. The position which il takes
IN regard TO petitions and their effect
upon u legislative body, viii be en-
dorsed as rational and sound by all
unbiased readers,
We have explained the situation
many times. showing that the attempt
of sectarian ministers to dictate to the
Senate Of the United States what that
body shall do In reference to admit
ting or rejecting member duly elect
ed is the height OF impudence and an
endeavor on the part Of church people
TO dominate in state affairs,
The ladies who have been induced to
sign the petitions have permitted their
names to be used for something about
which they know next to nothing Not
one In thousand Of them could ey-
plain the nature OF the case before the
Committee on privileges ana elections
and the petition they have signed con-
tains a number OF untruths which the
Official record of the Investigation
plainly exposes.
The people who have formulated ami
subscribed to the petition for Senator
Shoots expulsion do not perceive that
their course Is premature and in the
nature Of requesting judgment upon an
accused person before the investigation
into the charges against Nm has ter
minated. The independent rightly CONF
pares that piece OF impertlnence to an
effort to prevail upon the Supreme
Court to pass Judgment while q case
before It Is pending, in order TO force
an adverse decision,
But the ministers of The different
sects, who are the prime movers In that
improper proceeding. do not appear In
u
Senator Fred T. Dubois. one Of tho
committee sitting as judges in the case
who has repeatedly given public utter
ance to his decision while the case was
IN progress, attacking Senator smoot
aud the Church TO which he belongs
and holding both up before the country
for reprobation. BY this course he has
helped to evoke the prejudice and M.
feeling among religious people which
have Ted to the framing and signing Of
the petitions that have been forwarded
10 Washington. That such proceed.
ing has not aroused the press OF tho
country to just Indignation would be
marvellous. were It not Tor the fact that
his animus and preiudgment have been
directed against AN unpopular people
who themselves have been condemned
without a fair hearing.
We wish once more to remind our
contemporaries throughout the country,
and people who have rashly made up
their minds on a matter that rests with
The Senate 10 decide that the investiga-
zion IS not yet concluded II is still pend
Ing Senator Smoors side Of the ques-
tlons recently brought before the COM
mittee has not yet been heard The
leaping and Naultlng at conclusions
which disgrace many so-called religious
publications cannot be considered de-
cent just or Christian
il the Bible precopt s correct that,
"fle that judgoth "a matter before he
heareth It is not wise" surely the
preachers ana people who have con-
demnod Senator Smoot and his cause.
and petIuoned the United States Senate
TO pronounce judgment adversely upon
him before any report has been made
by the tribunal TO which IL was re-
ferred and even before ali the tcsti-
mony has been presented. cuunot claim
very high place In public estimation
for wisdom, fairness or consistency.
OLD AND IDLE TALES.