The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-06-12

have concluded is, under all the cir
cumstances, not only the wisest course
TO pursue, but probably the only course
that promises effective and satisfactory
results"
Prophecy as to the result is needless
because the final event is no near, but
speculation as to the forces for and
against Smoot is of considerable value
as indicating the ultimate result.
Shoots enemies seem to be confident
he will lose his seat; his friends are
quite as confident he will retain it.
Neither side seems to have ascertained
definitely the status of the senate ex-
cept that it is taken for granted vote
Will be taken before adjournment.
There is no question but that Pres
ident Roosevelt and the powerful in
huence of the Republican machine have
aligned themselves with the Utah SEN
atOr. Every appointment to federal Of
fee has been made by SmoOt. or with
his approval Hull and Spry and Booth
furnish ample evidence of the presi-
dents attitude. The Republican ma
chine is behind SmOOt Aldrich, the
most powerful of the Republican sena-
tors. has assured the Utah man he will
be kept in the senate-and what AL
driCh says nowadays is about as good
as done The names appended to the
minority report furnish additional owl
dence of the Republican machine po-
sition. Foraker, Beverage, Dilling-
ham, Hopkins, Knox make an array Of
formidable strength. The very fact that
they disdained to touch any of the
charges except the one that Smoot. as
a member of the ruling organization in
the church. encouraged and counte-
nanced polygany is assurance that they
did not care to have the political in
huence question discussed too freely by
the Republican senate. In a word, 50
far as politics can affect the result
Senator Smoot can count upon the
backing of the Republican administra-
ton and its staunchest supporters.
The real test will be on the question
whether a majority or a two-thirds vote
is required to expeI Smoot. No senator
has ever been denied his seat or ex-
PEELED from the senate except by a
two-thtrds vote OF more. The tradi-
tions of that conservative body are
strongly established and some of
Shoots most energetic opponents viii
refuse to vote for expulsion by d bare
majority.
If rule Is adopted requiring a two
thirds vote It seems certain now that
Smoot will stay in his seat; if the sen
ate agrees to a majority rule. he may
have to 60 So far as either commit
tee report is concerned, no recommen-
dation on this point is made, but f the
senate adopted the Burrows report
without a specific rule, it might carry
with it the declaration that his seat is
vacant, avoiding the establishment of
a precedent by substituting the simple
declaration of a vacancy for the more
drastic form Of expulsion.
IN any event IL II teE TAIN the 6&iSCtt-
cies of politics viii have more to do
with the determination Of the result
than any fine moral or ethical cjnsid-
eratiOns. The one satisfactory phase
Of the situation is the prospect of a set
tlement which viii remove the matter
from constant discussion and explOita-
ton to the injury of the state and the
disturbance Of its internal affairs, So
ciaI business and political And no
matter what the vote of the senate, it
is pretty well settled here at home that
the one sure and permanent solution
of the issues which Shoots case has
raised can only he attained by the de-
feat Of the Republican party in the
state and the RELOCATION to ObscuTity of
the factiOnaI fights which it has in
hicted upon the people.