The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-05
THE APOSTLE APPEARS.


Back to his mountains his steps re-
tracing comes Apostle Reed Smoot
from tho East, affecting to be as jo-
cund as the newborn day. All the
ightness is his. all tho gloom and the
burden are borne by his gentlemen-in-
waiting-Senator Sutherland and Con-
gressman Howell.
Apostle Smoot tells the public, i'm the
hour of his rendvent Into this common
wealth. that he VIII be "de-lighted
(note the dainty. diplomatic compn-
ment to the President of the United
States) to have his case called up on
the first day OF the next session OF
the Senate and TO this declaration oi
his own feelings no one can consistent
ly offer remonstrance. because Reed
Smoot alone knows what are his pres
ent emotions But he adds the aston
ishing statement that he has always
been anxious to have the matter hnal-
ly disposed of, and that Il was not his
fault that a vote has not already been
taken In this case. since he is speak
ing in the past, the public has as much
right TO judge. us he has to assert,
what his desires and purposes and ac-
tons baYo been. IT Is unreasonable
for Apostle Smoot To say that he has
been anxious 10 facilitate settlement
Of his case. IT has been in his power
to bring the question to issue at any
time since the instant Of his taking the
oath of office. Indeed. there have been
some notable opportunities and provo
cations 70 that end. When the first
petition was filed against him in the
Senate he had the chance of a lifetime.
Repeatedly since then il has been in
his power to settle the case and relieve
Utah Of the long and deadly agony OF
this contention with tho Government.
Apostle Smoot may not call IL q fault
on his own part, and therefore he may
be evasivcly correct in his self-plauditi
but it is his responsibility, for he and
the church leaders and all their politl-
cal allies have entered into conspiracy
after conspiracy TO make postpone
ment-iu the hope that the storm of
public indignation. aroused by the evil
purposes OF mis- co.partners and his
evil Endorsement OF those evil purposes,
would pass away.
II the statement of his general plan
OF delay be not specific enough, The
Tribune takes this occasion to remind
Apostle Smoot OF two things upon
which he might have expended his
anxiety" with a certain result OF
bringing the Smoot case 10 a prompt
conclusion. II Apostles John W. Tay-
ior and Matthias +. Cowley had been
permitted TO go to Washington and tell
the truth-as both Of them were Will
ing TO do, If they had been directed
by the church leadership (Which In
this matter was entirely under Smoot's
controD, the case against Apostle
Smoot would have been brought TO al
most instant issue. Again. If Apostle
Smoot had been willing, after the tes-
tlmony was in. to have the case de-
cided after two speeches-one on each
sIde-a conclusion would have already
been reached
The whole strength OF Shoots posi-
tlOn mas Deen I'D MS dplllty 10 procure
delay To that end every enginery
which his church can command has
been at his disposal. Every political
contest In which they were supposed
10 participate has been used to secure
postponement Every political infiu-
ence which they could exert has been
directed 10 enforce delay Tho hope
Of Apostle Smoot and his coadjutors
OF tho hierarchy has been to hold the
final decision in allegiance until some
other mighty question should obscure
1T. until the people OF tho Nation
should grow wearlcd and Indifferent,
and until he could serve out his full
term of six years,
Apostle Smoot pays a poor conpli
ment to the people of Utah when he
dares TO intimate TO them that the de-
lay in the decision of his case Is not
his responsibility. He must think that
they can neither read nor reason; and.
justified Us that opinion might be by
tho fact that they elected him to the
Senate. he should realize that they
have improved in mentality and edu-
cation, as well as morals. In the trying
four years since he began his warfare
upon the peace and dignity Of the
commonwealth.