Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-08
THE WoMENs PROTEST.


ileges and elections
IN senator's are to be removed nv PEE
ttion, the protest against SmoOt Is Ger
tainly rather formidable. To be sure,
n person with Il statistical turn VI mint
might object that the petition II nct
signed by majority of American wom-
en-. nor yet by majority Of those OF
Utah, who ought to feel the disgrace
most keenly n womanhood IS really
dishonored by the presence Of Smqot "a
the Senate However. it Is doubtless
true, that many OF the women Of the
United States have not been asked 10
sign. and a protest backed by q million
of them II entitled 20 receive attention
Senators may, perhaps, upon reflection.
DE inclined 10 think that the removal "
member because there Is petition
numerously signed IN favor " such 3
step would be a dangerous precedent
There are n good many Of the senators
FOR whose removal an immense NUM-
Der Of signatures could he obtained, not
only from women. but from voters
also"
The right Of petition Is guaranteed
By the Constitution of the United
States; but II Is not provided IN that
instrument that the Congress or any
branch or department OF the National
Legislature, shall be governed by petl-
ton, or persuaded thereby TO take
course unwarrented by the facts In any
case or by the rules of the body TO
which petition may be addressed
The voluminously signed Plea, chiefly
by women. TO unseat the senior Senator
from Utah Is based Updn statements
which are grossly h.correct II any
serious attention is paid TO the petition,
this will he manifest at its first reading.
Close inspection Of It viii reveal its
Inherent weakness - a batch OF asser-
tlons without the least particle OF proof
Indeed the evidence before the commit
tee having the matter in hand as pub
Ished In the official report, establishes
the contrary Of that which N charged
by the signers Of the petition We do
not charge those ladies with wilful
untruth, but we do say that thousands
upon thousands Of them have no more
understanding Of the real issue in
Volyed, than OF the conditions existing
on the planet Mars Or Of the occult
mysteries Of the region OF Thibet
Large numbers OF them, after being
invited by their pastors or by female
ndventurers. hired 10 misrepresent
Utah and her people marched In droves
Into the vestry Of the church or chapel
where flaming harangues had been de-
lIvered. and put their names to a docu-
ment containing statements the truth
Of which they had no means OF deter
mining.
tits well known by Congressman that
signatures can be obtained 20 almost
my petition, no matter how foolish or
absurd It may be. sin there Is no
doubt that some effect VIII be pro-
duced on the minds OF certain Sena-
tors by the mass OF slgners 90 the
document which has been submitted.
The oath OF office which they have
taken, however, requires them to give
some attention to the Constitution of
our country and to tbs rules and regu-
lations concerning the transaction OF
public business. And these should, and
we hope will, be considered OF greater
moment than the wishes OF no matter
how many Of the fair sex who do not
understand the case and whose petl-
zion bears on lts face the marks OF lts
weakness ana its untamIliarity with
the case at issue.
The point made by the Courier
journal that the petition IS not signed
hy majority of the women Of Utah IL
well taken 1t might have been truth
fully stated that It Is not signed by
even majority OF the nom Mormon
women OF this state, and this suggests
that while the enemies Of Senator
smoot have been active IN stirring vi
tile female mind throughout the coun-
try against him. steps have not beer
taken by his friends 10 set forth IN,
truth IN his case by counter petition
signed by the women of Utah or 10y m,
men of this State who would know
something about what they were en-.
dorsng, This does not speak very ia.
yorably for the energy and activity Of
the people who know Of the untuthful.
ness OF the charges preferred agaius
the Senator,
The idea that he personally Voui,
bring any disgrace upon Womanhood, >
either here or elsewhere. has not
shadow Of foundation IN truth. nor car
& be shown that any woman in IN,
United States would be "dlshonored" b,
his presence In the Senate or In tibet
immediate society Proofs enough hay
been given TO he country Of his indl
vidual purity OF character and NE. an,
hosts Of people who thoughtessly Joi
in the cutlery against him would b
greatly improved II they would TAX
his character az a model Tor their iml
tation.
The Courler-Journai touches the mar
row OF this question when II shows tina
a dangerous precedent would be estah
llshed II a United States senator coul
be removed by petition, and the broa
hint it gives about the effect tina
might follow II n similar rule Shout
prevail IN the cases OF other Senator
Is very powerful suggestion that the
would do well TO consider When III
matter comes forward for action in III
Senate Il Is possible that some Of u
members OF that body viii be fouu
to have too little backbone to resist tt