Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-02
WILL TRY INTIMIDATION.


Az the time for the vote on the resn-
luton 10 deprive Senator Reed Snoot
of his seat In the Senate, to when the
neople of Utah have elected him. draws
near. 80 becomes evident that the con-
spirators do not dare to leave the case
TO the Impartial decision Of the Senate
They do not rely on the merits OF the
case Notwithstanding the voluminous
"evjdencep and the lengthy lists or
names under petitions for exclusion,
they seem to fear that the Senate Is
not to be trusted for just and falr
disposition of the matter And so their
hired organs threaten the Senators with
dire consequences If they do not vote
their way; they are also said 10 have
arranged for mass-meetlngs to ihnu-
ence the vote of the Senate on the very
day the vote is to be taken. The policy
of falsehooi and Islander. of higotry
and hypocrisy is to culmlnate IN
blaze of kissing threats and intimida-
ton.
This policy was limited at the other
day In a local anti-"Mormon" sheet, in
an article which, boiled down TO It's
real meaning, served notice on the pub
lie that the men who have sworn to
unsent Senator Smoot would not permit
Utah to ENJOY peace, until their pur-
poses had been accomplished. II the
Senate would only lend itself to their
infamous scheme, they would pledge
themselves to permit the dove of peace
to build her nest in the valleys of the
mountains. undisturbed. This was the
apparent trend of the article referred
to.
We do not wonder that the cpnspira-
tors now resort to threats and promises.
Every argument against the senior
Senator from Utah has been demol-
ished by the minority report OF the
Committee on Elections and Privileges,
and by the speakers who have already
addressed the Senate IN opposition TO
the majority report. II has also been
shown that a great many of the sigma
lures to the exclusion petitions were
obtained under false pretenses. Moth
ing remains to the conspirators but the
effort at intimidation which they now
are said to have decided to try as
deriiier resort. That Is, however, the
tactics OF brutes. Those who adopt
them are of the same moral and mental
calibre as the class of anarchists who
WELD the knife of assassins in the al
legged service of reform. AS for the
promises such individuals make to
cease the war as soon as they have
their own way, it would be consummate
folly to place credence in them for
even minute. They stand now as
pledge breakers before the nation, un-
worthy OF public confidence, Nor do
they want peace. Their only aim Is to
rule; and II they cannot rule, TO ruin.
Pity a community in the grasp of such
despots, a thousand times worse than
any terrible Romanoff, or even that de-
stroyer whom Mr.. Gladstone referred
to as "the damned"
All along the conspirators have relied
on their inventive genius, instead OF
the merits of the case. In order to
arouse public INDICATION against sena-
tor Smoot they have represented him
M polygamist, feeling certain that
that was the shortest and most direct
road to the desired goal. But knowing
that II was falsehood impossible to
make appear true, they continued their
persecution by painting him as a
traitor" In order to secure his con-
demnation they have invented the term
"hierarehy." They know there Is no
such monster here, but they have made
tho word do service as a spectre in
their nursery tale They have Invented
stories about church dictatlon In poll
ties, and church oppression" for con-
sumption abroad, and not content with
their Misrepresentation of persons and
Institutions at home, they have as
sailed President Roosevelt and the par
~ that placed him at the head of the
affairs of the country.
Undoubtedly the senator's viii duly
consider all the facts. And II decision
is given In accordance with the testi-
mony, Senator smoot viii be retained.
Petitions, Of course. have some weight.
But IL body Ike the United States
Senate 10 asked TO establish precedent
dangerous to the free institutions OF
this country; or commit wrong
against a member; or 10 do something
the Constitution does not empower II to
do, then, we take It. II win be tho
sacred duty OF that august body
20 decline to comply with the
request, no matter how strong
petitions are received In favor
OF It. The right of petition is not
disputed: but the duty of the body that
receives the petition is to decide whoih-
or the granting thereof Is In the interest
of the public. or the contrary.