The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-02
TELL IT ALL.

Why reduce the claim of Apostle
Smoot from twenty thousand dollars to
fifteen thousand dollars, Senator Suther
lande Why reduce the amount below
thirty thousand7 According to Apostle
Smoot's own statement-and' we have
the word of Senator Foraker that Apos
tie Smoot IS the purest man he has ever
known-the apostle has expended thirty
thousand dollars on his own defense. Is
this Nation TO be niggard toward its
own and only holy one? A mere, ordi-
nary, earthly individual is expected to
receive from the Government every dol,
lar that the Government owes to him.
If this Nation is indebted to Reed
Smoot for the sums expended by him
(or by the Mormon church in defense of
his seat) tho Nation is indebted to him
for the full amount of such expenditure; !;
and he ought to be reimbursed.
Senator Sutherland's IS resolution, in
troduced to repay Apostle Smoot, is
either all wrong or only fifty per cent
right, at best, 1t is probable that the
great law firm, of which Senator Suth.
erland WAS formerly member, has
charged the apostle at least fifteen thou.
sand dollars for services; and it does
not seem fair that Senator Sutherland
should merely interest himself in ex-
tracing from the public treasury an
amount only equal to one reasonable
legal fee of his eminent and former col
leagues and partners.
1t may be taking a great liberty with
the Senate of the United States to sug-
gcst that not fifteen thousand dollars,
nor thirty thousand dollars, nor any 9TH
er appropriation direct to Apostle
Smoot to be retained by him, will ac-
tually meet the obligation of the Gov
ernment for the expense in this case
If the Government is by honor or by
law bound TO meet such expenses. And
yet suggestion of enlightenment as to
the real facts may possibly be offered
without awakening too much resent
ment at Washington. The Mormon
church and its finances should be consid-
cred. There is ample evidence that the
hierarchy have expended considerable
sums of money, far in excess of thirty
thousand dollars, to protect Apostle
Reed Smoot in his place. As stated in
The Tribune some time ago, tithc payers
were urged to increase their contribu-
tions to the church "because of the
very heavy expense which the brethren
meaning always, when used thus, the
were under at Washington
in defending Brother Smoot against our
AS the normal 1.-THE revenues approx. |
mate two million dollars year, it is in
that the chiefs Of the
church would have urged with special
emphasis the need of larger tithes if the
expenses had been mere bagatclIe of
thirty thousand dollars. That amount is
30 trivial compared with the aggregated
funds of one years contributions Ito
'ay nothing of the reserves and the in.
crest and profits on the reserves) that
he prophets, secrs and revelators would
scarcely have condescended TO beg addi-
lonal money from their dupes OIL this
Iccount, There have been rumors of an
expenditure of half O. million dollars.
md even more. Whatever the amount
nay be, Senator, Sutherland should Sc
ure from the Mormon church an item
zed bill of its expenses in defendinp
APOSTLE Smoot's seat in the Senate; and
hat bill should be filed in the Senate
4 the United States as an accountant
nent. to Mr.. Sutherland s resolution
md the resolution, il urged at all
mould bear upon its face the total
mount OF the expenditures.
1T cannot be doubted that if the Gov.
rnment is under obligation to repay to
apostle Smoot the money which he gave
o one OF his advocates for the defonae
he Government is under obligation TO
ay to Apostle Smoot, for the Mormon
hurch, all the money paid to all of his ,
dvocates for the same defense; and ,
aging the money, the Government ia
ntitled to know the names of all such ,
dvocatcs so receiving cash for their ,
crvices.
Inc known purity of Apostle Smoot, s
ne known purity Of the Mormon chiefs, {
matters of this kind, as we'll as the I
hassallaole purity of all of the advo- G
ltes of Apostle Smoot, would make the {
perfectly safel 9
and then, to comfort the Deseret I
ews, whose sense of exquisite fairness i
as been aroused by this case. Senator r