The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-17
SHOOTS NIGHTMARE.

Smoot has revealed now where his
great fear is The apostle recognizes
that the success Of the Idaho move
nent against polygamy and ecclesi-
| astical interference in politics will
mean his downfall with the politicians
in Washington. Born of brag and nur-
tured in falsehood, the political status
of Apostle Smoot at the Nation g cap
ital has been maintained only because
of multiplied and reverberated exag-
gerations on the part of himself and
friends and q constant and avid gull
Gbility on the part of partisan leaders.
For Apostle Smoot it has been claimed
and is claimed at Washington that he
can deliver the Senators and Represen-
tativcs, the electoral vote, and all or a
part of the delegates to the National
conventions from nine States in the
Rocky Mountain region and on the Pa
cific coast, and the delegates in Con-
gress and the delegates to National con-
ventions from two Territories. This is
the kind of bossism which looms lnrge
on the political Imagination, IT is bot
ter than money, or stump speeches, or
campaign issues, or great moral ideas
1t is better than all combined, from
tho viewpoint of the practical cal
culator who wants results. What would
not party do for boss who could de-
liver goods in such wholesale guam
tities7 And what would be the opinion
of party if boss claiming so much
should fail to deliver one of his own
immediate districts2
The claim for Smoot has been exag-
gerated beyond all reason. AS often
boast. The Mormon hierarchy-on dis
Greet occasion-admit the possession by
them Of the paramount influence, the
balance Of power in nine States and
two Territories, -and-on other and OPP
posing discreet occasions that
they exercise or are even interested in
any such influence or power. In reality
they want to sway the control in this
large domain, and the surest way to OBJ
tain that control is to be credited with
ltS poSsooSlpHe -tlt VIZ ouidll ROiibi-
clans will follow the big ones, and
eventually that which was an empty
boast becomes fact; and in the mean
time they enjoy the pride and the
profits while the fact is growing.
Such being the case, tho reason fer
the Smoot fear concerning Idaho must
be manifest TO all observers. Our neigh
Dor State has probably twenty-five
thousand Mormon voters. Under nor
NAL conditions these are enough to
carry the election to either side. a
better situation for the hierarchical
purpose could not exist. The chiefs Of
the church can force friendly party to
give to them what they want, and they
can defeat an opposing party-thcy can
terrorize or cajole at their pleasure. No
wonder Apostle Smoot claimed in Wash
ington that he would have the scalp of
Dubois next winter; for all the super
fetal conditions in Idaho seemed to ia
vor his assertion. But in the night he
has dreamed dreams and seen visions.
and the terror of the midnight will not
pass away with the coming OF the
dawn. If in Smoot's own pretended do
main of Idaho, whose politicians the
chiefs of the church have been wont to
rule with iron hand, whose conventions
have been dominated, whose Legisla-
lures have been corrupted-if in Idaho
the warfare against polygamy and &C.
clesiastical rule in secular affairs shall
be victorious, Apostle Smoot recognizes
that in Washington he will be e1-
posed; as his only claim to protection
there is founded on his ability to de-
liver political goods from Utah and
surrounding States. His failure to de-
liver will throw him into political
bankruptcy. .....
APOSTLE Smoot has revealed his ap-
probation of the case in Idaho by hIs
talk to his people in Colorado. The
church must win its fight in Idaho or
politicians in Washington will reject
the church oa nolitIcal aI1y