The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-26
SAY ROBERTS
IS BANISHED
Report That Mormon Historian
Is in Exile for Talk
ing Politics.
RESULT OF SHOOTS ANGER
WIFE SAYS HE'LL RETURN NEXT
WEEK.

That b. Fl. Roberts had been sent on
a mission to Canada, where he was TO be
! Kept until after the election. was the
story in circulation among SmoOt men
yesterday. II was stated that MT Rob
erts had offended the powers that Doe
in the Mormon church by his criticism
OF Senator Smo0t and that his exile was
To he the punishment An effort 10 reach
some official authority of the church
who could speak with authority failed.
Mrs. Margaret 9. Roberts said. however.
that the story was untrue. -Alr. Roberts
left for Canada two weeks ago she
said. ana viii return next week"
Tine story however. was said 10 have
good authority. Mr.. Roberts. who is one
Of the seven presidents Of the seventies.
left Salt Lake just two weeks ago. with
in few days after the publication Of
the letter that is said 10 have made the
heads Of the SmOot machine regard his
absence from the state as necessary. The
letter was addressed TO Professor Ly-
man of the state university and was in
vited by Mr. Lyman. who had affiliated
with the insurgent movement la the Re
publican party Mr.. Lyman had talked
the situation over with Ma. Roberts and
liked his views so we'll that he desired
Mr.. Roberts To put them i'm writing. 50
that he could show them 10 his friends.
Mir. Roberts did 50 and ultimately the
text of the letter reached The Herald
and the Republican. both of which pub
lished them. Mr.. Roberts in this let
ter, promised that no man, no matter
what his capacity. was big enough u
hold the two offices of apostle Of She
Church of Jesus Christ of LatteT-day
Saints and senator of the United States.
He followed this with statement that
There is no occasion for his tSmOOt -
election on the score of transcendentsi
abilities or that there are no others WOT-
thy OF capable 10 fill the place since
in his party alone there are at least 5lb
men in the state any one Of whom could
equally acceptable manner and some Of
them with greater credit and advantage
70 the state and without peTpetuaung the
old antsgOnism and exciting new ones
Mr.. Roberts also argued that the selec-
ton Of Mr.. SmOOt would be, like his orig
inal election, in violation OF the Ameri-
can sentiment that high church officials
should not seek nor hold political posi-
tons. There was much more in the let
ter which was so direct and cOncisely
stated that an epitOme of IL is Impossible,
but the statements quoted are what
aroused the ire of the SmOOt mea.
Mr. Roberts on q previous occasion was
sent from the state because he dared
10 oppose Senator SmOOt I'm The city
campaign of 1895 both he and Apostle
Charles ". Penr0se. then editor Of the
Deseret News. were warm supporters of
Richard p. Morris for mayor and for the
entire Democratic city ticket Both men
have always been Democrats. but i'm THAI
year the American party scored rs
first success Dl eleCting its city ticket.
SmOOt blamed Roberts ard PenrOse. The
former foT working and talking fOr Nor
ris and PenFOse because he failed OF de-
clined 10 prostitute the News 10 the ends
of the Republican managers. That was
the campaign I'm which the Republican
ticket received about 4.GD votes in the
city. on the closing day of the cam
paign the News published card from
President Smith. stating that the church
was not involved in the elecJion in any
way and assuring the readers Of the pa
per that no one had right TO try 10
influence them with pretended desires or
the church authorities. This was SUD
DIemented by Mr.. PenrOse with a signed
statement that the statement or Presl-
dent Smith meant precisely what ID puT-
ported to mean and that the Mormons
were free to vote as their cOnscienceS
dictated. This statement, 50 the SmoOt
men have since charged, resulted IN the
defeat OF the Republican ticket They
said also that PenrOse had cajOled Pres
ideut Smith into making it, Apostle Pen
rose was afterwards sent TO England 10
take charge of the European mission
Mr. Roberts was sent at the same time
to inspect the missions Of the east ana
the south. Both men were sent away
Just before the campaign OF 1906 opened
Mir. Roberts returned after the campaign
Mr.. Penrose isn't back yet. When the
two men left the state the SmOOt leaders
boasted that they We're being punished
for their conduct in the campaign OF
1865.