The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-05
PIGMY EMBASSADOR-

one Characteristic OF the Mormon
! leaders has always excited the admlra-
| ton of mankind, II is their patient de-
| termination to build whatever work
| they undertake. no matter what the
difficulties We do not allude to the
effort TO construct a polygamous So
ciety in opposition to law, for such
reference might seem to be ill-natured.
But their work in constructing the great
granite temple here whose blocks were
hauled by OK teams from the Cotton
woods, is a case In point Without
rest. without counting the cost. be the
site good or bad, the material fraIl or
strong, when they undertake to mako
something-whether 1t is worth making
or not-they are noted for their con-
tinuIty. They fall, in fact they fire.
quently fail; but they get their COM
pensation in their old favorite express
sion: I'VE VIII be found trying
or all their mighty labors heretofore
undertaken there Is none which COM
pares with the one upon which they are
now engaged.
Today they are seeking to make of
commonplace Individual, a statesman
They are trying TO build Reed Smoo5
into Daniel Webster. All their paid
hodcarriers are Juggling materials 10
construct the ediflce upon which Apos-
tie Smoot is to stand before the popu-
lar view. or course. the hodcarriers do
not object, for they are well paid, and
the credulous dupes. who furnish the
money do not object. because they
fancy they will get a reward hero or
hereafter for their efforts; and, of
course. Smoot does not object, because
he really fancies that he stands on his
pedestal. one of the most splendid ng-
ures OF our National history.
II does not seem to occur to the hie-
rarchs that their effort TO make Ma
tional statesmen out Of their priests
has been. with rare exceptions, an ut
ter failure. Their first prophet, Joseph
Smith was nominated for the Presi-
dency of the United States and the
twelve apostles were called upon a
mission TO advocate him to the citI-
zenship OF this country. His campaign
was cut short in its righteousness by
his tragic death-otherwisc It would
have been almost as much Of a farce as
the present effort to make Il leading
man OF the Nation" out OF Mr.. Smoot-
whose sole distinction was his possess
sion of an apostleshlp Roberts was
groomed for a high place some of his
friends said Let B. H. just get TO
talk once to that House OF Representa-
tives and all opposition to him will
vanish, and he will take his rank as
one Of the great men of the world"
The rest of the chapter would be too
painful TO repeat. Now they try
Smoot. They are bound to have n
statesman. 1t makes no difference
what his original lack OF intellectual
stature-they will build a pedestal for
him so high that he VIII appear to tow
er above common men like Mt. Nebo
above the plain. The Smootite hireling
adulatorS. who receive their Compen-
sation as they do their instruction
from hierarchical, quarters-speak Of
Senator Smoot as II he had performed
herculean tasks since he first pushed
the doors Of the Senate chamber In
ward. 1t is noticeable that none Of them
enter into particulars. He is n great
man and 1t would be too much of
condescension to recite his mighty
deeds; and so. the rank and file of his
community are left to comfort them
selves for the extraordinary expense
with the thought that they have built
Smoot and Sfnootism Into a grandeur
which awes the world.
The whole scheme Is as pitIable az
would have been the flasco OF Joseph
Smiths candidacy for the President OF
the United States. Mr.. Smoots Intel
lect has been unframed in the knowl-
edge of history, the study of sociology.
the art of government, He has made
no impression upon his colleagues In
the Senate except as the ambassador
of political tyrant who has In the
past delivered votes at the ballot box.
and who. for that reason. is rnista kenly
supposed To be able 10 deliver in future
The treatment OF Mr.. Smoot in public
life Is a humiliation to every Utah
man who goes To Washington. The
apostle has been the cynosure of all