The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-21
SHOOTS GROSS D1scoURTEsY.

]
SHOOTS GROSS DISCoURTEsY.
The two days convention of Cover
nors IN Salt Lake City was marked by
nothing unpleasant save only by the
boorishnesS Of Apostle Smoot He ap-
/ peared as the champion of the reac
tionary Pinchot policies so far as he
could; the policies that tend toward
retardatiou and hindrance of the de-
velopment OF all this western country;
but he was pretty well used up in his
encounters with the Governors when
he came in contact with them. Still
his shockingly bad manners and gross
dIscourtesy We're cause of shame to
the people of Utah.
Governor Brady of Idaho took oc,
casion to criticise the workings of the
forestry service wherein those workings
are detrimental to the settlers and to
the public interests contiguous. Apos.
tie Smoot, In effect, dared the Cover.
nors to produce any case of abuse or
mlsmanagement, Governor Brady
promptly named the case where set
tier had applied for permission to cut
wood for his winter s use, and the re-
ply TO his application was not received
until the succeeding March, when the
winter had passed by. Smoot promptly
said that this could not possibly be
true, in effect calling Governor Brady
a liar. The idaho Governor followed
that with another case where the Pa,
cific, Idaho & Northern had to send
four hundred miles to get telegraph
poles for its line of wires, while
1ole timber was growing in abundance
Just beside its line OF road. Here,
again, Smoot said that this was highly
improbable, giving Brady the lie again.
Pcrsisting in his citation OF instances,
Governor Brady told of homesteader
who was denied his full acreage and
was limited to but nineteen or twenty
acres, although the family had lived on
the site two years and had built 8. com
Portable and substantial home. Again
Smoot said "thIs could not possibly be
So, giving Brady the lie for the third
time. We do not know how to account
for this grossly discourteous attitude
of Smoot toward Brady, who was
guest here on invitation, unless it is
that the Mormon church has decided to
desert Brady in his campaign for re.
election this year in Idaho. The pri
maries this month will show, however,
whether this is true or not; but
whether or not this supposed desertion
may be the cause for the repeated in
suits that Smoot put upon Brady. there
can be no question about the III breed
ing shown and the shame of treating
guest in that manner, Governor
Brady undoubtedly gave instances that
were within his knowledge; and his
word should have been accepted as
true.
Following the instances given by'Gov-
ernor Brady, few were added by
Governor Brooks of Wyoming, one be-
ing case where a forest supervisor
in Jackson S Hole is grazing thou
sand head of his own cattle on for
est reserve. Smoot apparently did not
dare TO give the lie TO Governor Brooks,
but admitted that the case was pos
sible and offered if Brooks would give
the names and details of the case that
he would report that supervisor, pro
vided it were shown that the supervisor
takes advantage of the situation Gov
ernor Brooks said that was Just the
point. Of course, the supervisor took
advantage Of it, being but human.
He would not be natural or normal
man II he did not. Smoot does not
seem to have had the gall to iuterpose
any further, and when Representative
Kahn said that the case cited by Gov
ernor Brooks was analogous to that
of man approaching a member of
Congress with an advantageous PROPOSE"
ton to obtain his consent to desired
legislation, Smoot appeared to have
nothing to say.
A score or more of like instances
were given by the Governors and rep"
resentatives of the nine States repre-
sented, and Smoot was for once snuffed
out in spite of his volubility.
1t is not to the credit of Utah to
have such ill-bred and repeated IN
suits delivered by man so promi-
nent as Apostle Smoot, to prominent
officials who are invited to this city TO
confer upon public interests and to at
tend to the interests of the settlers
within their States. The Tribune re-
qrets that this indefensible incident
occurred, and congratulates the Gov
ernors on their good temper when re-
spending to Smoot where an angry re-
sponse might easily have led to an al
tercation that would have discredited
Smoot for all time.
.DppprrATIuE WORDS