Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-27
DEsERET EVENING NEWS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 81 1907

as pursued Andrew johnson. a new
generation of Wades and Summers
could readily invoke the coercive pow
er OF such precedent 20 convict the
President OF the United States--and
they would.
wero hardly more than lay figures In
the real contest which conferred about
them. The vital issue was whether
tho Constitution Of the United states
is constitutional, Happily the Senate
has decided that II IN
The New York Evening POST en-
dorsce the Senate decision in the fol-
lowing editorial paragraph
There were twenty-eight Senator's
who voted to unseat Senator Smoot i'm
spite OF the fact that he was not
polygamist nor an apologtst for polyg-
amy, and ten " them belonged 10 his
own party. That was really more than
the proponents OF so weak case had
a reasonable right to expect. The SIM
pie fact was that an application OF
the reasoning on which the anti-Smoot
agitation was based to matters other
than religions. would have created
havoc in the Senate membership II
q man is disqualified for Sen0toriai
honors by serving on church govern
ing board with polygamists, what WAS
to be- said OF Senators who sit On
boards Of directors along with roput-
cd corruptionists and financial pirates,
or others who have taken orders from
irresponsible bosses. as Smoot was
never shown to have subordnated
himself to the First Presldencv2 In
eleven days the Mormon Senator viii
have completed the fourth year of his
term, but yesterdays decision uuiets
any anxiety as TO tho remaining two
rr. II, "A
luminosity toward the Church. admits
that the case against Senator Smoot
was directed against the Constitution.
The paper says:
THE real issue before the senate
was the Constitution. Mormonism was
not upon trial, properly, and the eS-
pulsion OF Smoot, not for any personal
offense, but on account Of his religious
BELIEF, would have established n dam
gerous precedent. and been n direct
assault upon the dignity of the organic
law nj the nation
The Boston Transcript reviews the
vote in the Senate from geographic
point OF view, thus
The most interesting thing about the
result IN the Smoot case. which had
been long anticipated is the geograph- |
fcal distribution of his Republican op- |
ponents Where party lines are drawn |
as closely - they have been here, Re- |
publicans sustaining him and the Dem
ocrats opposing him. 1t may be assumed |
that the men who break over the lines |
on either side, disregatding the advice |
of the s0-called leaders and decreed |
policy of the organization, must either |
have strong reasons for doing so or |
feel that popular pressure is behind |
them At home. which they cannot or |
dare not resist. or the twelve New |
senators only Mr. Hale of |
Middle Atlantic State senators only the |
senator from Delaware Mr.. Dupont |
voted against SSmoot, The East thus |
holds religious tolerance IN high regard |
Moving westward both senators from |
Michigan ana one senator each from |
the States OF Indiana, Wisconsin, Min
1esota. South Dakota and North Dako- |
la voted against Shoots retaining |
scat In the Senate. showing I'm the |
Northwest a considerable hostility 20 |
the Mormon Church. of which Mr.. |
Smoot Is an apostle. West of the Dako-
q line both parties usually like 10 stand |
well with the Mcrmons except in Idaho,
where under Mr.. Dubois leadership, to
attack them has become a Democratic
cause. But In the adjoining State OF
Montana the Democratic senator Mr.
Clark, voted in favor OF Smoot, as did
Two border State Democrats, Mr.. Daniel |
IF Virginia and Mr. Blackburn Of Ken
lucky. The issue Is at last Well settled.
The next move OF the Mormon Church |
viii be awaited with interest
These editorial utterances represent
very well the general comment by the
journals of the country.
Some OF them take occasion to aim a
blow on the side at the Church. or the
hierarchy" at the same time display
ing either Ignorance or inexcusaDle Bit
-erness but as rule the references to
the Church are rather kindly than 9th
erwise, and on the right OF Senator
Smoot TO the place with which Utah has
honored him, there Is practical unanlm-
ty.
In