The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-25
DENoUNCEs FOR PoLYGAMY.

he SmOOt organ mad long ana pit
ter arraigpment yesterday morning o1
Elder b. III. Roberts, because he hao
the audacity to write political lcttci
in which criticism of Smoot appears
Smoot being the tboss bully of his
organ. this arraignmcut Of Roberts may
fairly be rcckoned as Smoot IS own
personally conducted drive at Rob.
erts.
For the most part tho matter is per
sonal, and Elder Roberts being Of full
age and volubility, VIC leave his defense
to himself The Tribune would not ven.
lure TO trcspass upon his privilege in
this respect, and doubtless anything
that we could say in that line would
be less satisfactory TO him than what
he can say for himself.
There is, however. ono portion of the
assault upon Roberts which is of wide
public concern That is where Smoot
donounces Roberts as Il polygamist Re
ferring TO that portion of the Roberts
letter which dcuouncos Smoot and Suth-
erland and Howell, the Smoot organ re.
wa eS' %Nchp VI tuSSt lltH CNtI blOhC
the laws of his country, or is today liv-
ing in violation of those laws"
That makes a straightforward and
clear arraigDment against Roberts.
Smoot dcnounccs Roberts as polyg
amist, and for living in polygamy. This
is certainly an astonishing phase of the
present campaign. We are much inter
ested in it as matter of public con
Germ; for if men arc to be denounced
by Smoot s organ as polygamlsts, Smoot
can hardly expect that that denuncia.
tion Will be confined 10 political lines.
1t is certainly wholesome to have the
Smoot paper denoupcing q man for be
ing polvgamist; il tends TO help in
solving the great community problem
here.
But If Roberts is to he denounced as
II polygamist. surely there arc others
who must also be denounced If Rob. |
crts is blamcworthy in the estimation
Of the Smoot organ for "breaking The |
laws of his country and living in viola
tlon of those laws. ~ the laws with re-
'IN'N " P'il dui una lul Noudb
itation being clearly meant, then Joseph |
f. Smith, John Henry Smith, Hebcr j. |
Grant, and all the ignoblc array Of law.
breakers on the same count, must also
he denounced. For it would be con-
Iempiible indeed TO denouucc a man as
a polygamist simply because be is
Democrat and excuse polygamists who
ire Republicans. Polygamy is matter
that does not permit of "diyision on
party lines The propensity for law
breaking in this respect cannot be con-
incd TO narrow limits like those. Ac-
We expect the Smoot organ.
since it finds polygamy and polygamous
living so odious in Elder Roberts, to
lenonncc il also in other eminent
ihurchmen and make clean sweep in
he interest of consistency and of com"
non deeency. lnasmuch as il has de"
lounced Elder Roberts on this ground
Ell it go right on and denounce others
IN the like grounds
1t is a refreshing outbreak of this
TO see the Smoot organ array
tseit deciSiNely against polygamY and
'olygamous living, us ii does in thus
|cnouncing Elder Roberts. Let itrkeep
light on now, and dcnounce others in
ike case with him and make a record
)r, Will 1T be SO craven. so timorous at
Is own audaciousness, that il sill hast.
n to apologize and crawl under the
covorlet once more2 We j.,
re really curious to note the outcome
f this denunciation Of polygamy in the
crson of Elder Roberts, as made by
moot S paper. The outcome is certain
o be one of large interest, and we
rust that the gage having now been
brown down. it will be defended with
vigOr equal TO that which made the :,
asst. The battle cannot stop where it
), a general engagement must come on
the retreat is not instantly sounded