The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-08
THAT LETTER IN DEMAND,

That notorious Smoot letter 10 Pres
ldcnt Joseph t. Smith hns not yet been
printed. We wish to say. however, in
ali candor and fairness to the man.
are making q bad mistake in withhold
ing that letter. The people of Utah
have had their curiosity aroused TO u
very high pitch with regard to it. They
understand that 1t purports to give
ample and sufficient reasons why pro
hibition should not be enacted in Utah,
If it docs give such reasons. the pco.
pie would he glad to know what they
arc. II it does not give such reasons,
then certainly wrong impression has
been created by those who wrote and
received the letter For that letter
was said to be conclusive on the point,
and to give roasous sufficient to shake
any legislator 5 determination TO vote
he ought not to do it, Smoot referred
tn the letter AS giving such reasons,
and asked President Smith to show il
to those who sent the telegram as the
half of prohibition, Then members
of the Legislature to whom that let
ter WAS shown admitted the force Of
If, and while denouncing the necessity,
felt bound to yield their convictions to
tho arguments presented therein.
Yet Il grent many people in Utah
arc still in favor of the enactment of
prohibition. The Tribune editor is not
one of those, but he confesscs to a very
strong curiosity to find out what these
omnipotent reasons are that Smoot ad
duccd TO President Smith. and that
were so powerful with members of the
last Utah Legislature. If there are
valid reasons of such tremendous po-
tency, surely the public ought to be
apprised of them. 1t is too late to put
down the public desire TO see that let.
ter, The reasons set forth therein
against prohibition are now demanded
by every one who is interested in this
question, both for and against.
The public is entitled to know what
these overwhelming reasons are, and
why Utah should not adopt prohibition.
The prohibition issue has been before
the country for more than half cen.
tury, From time to time States adopt
prohibition. There does not seem to
be any general reason given anywhere,
or possible to give elsewhere. of such
force as to deter the people and Leg
lslatures of the various States from
time to time from enacting prohibition
Ii must be, then, that the reasons con.
tanned III this letter are peculiar to
Utah II is III fact reported that the
reasons are chiefly personal to Apostle
Smoot That in order TO make sure of
his scat in the Senate be made an al,
lance with "the interests includ.
ing the liquor interests. those combines
appearing to be so powerful in Con
gross. This report gains credibility
from the fact that Smoot wns SO fer
vent, 50 devoted. so unrcservedIy in fa.
vor of the demands of the "lnterests -
IN the enactment of the bunko tariff
law. Not once did Sinoot fail 10 sup.
port he enusc of those interests. Not
once did he vote against them aud for
the people, Every time his vote was
east for mouopolistic greed. and every
time for the enthrallmcnt of the pco-
pie aud their robbery by The trusts aud
combines.
1T is reasonable 20 infer. therefore,
from the situation, from Smoot's or
gan. and from the apparent determine
ton to suppress that letter. that it con
iains heartfelt revelation from Smoot
to the effect that he was bound up so
tight in thc service of those interests
that he dared not oppose them and that
when it came TO conflict between his
personal interests and the desires of
the people of Utah. the people must
give way and allow him to dictate.
lf This was the purport and true
meaning of the letter. then its sup
preston can well bc understood If
it was Il straightforward argument
against prohibition, if il was sta te-
mcnt that did not involve anyone in
turpitude. deceit, or betrayal of the
people, then il is impossible TO under
stand why there should he this refusal
To print that letter. Every day that
the letter IL withheld adds to the pub
lie uneasiness with respect to it, and
TO the public conviction that it is a
damaging. degrading letter. unfit to
have boon written by Apostle Smoot,
and Il shame and disgrace to the State
to have had it prevail against the con-
victious of members Of the LegislE
ture.
The worst will naturally be thought
if the letter is further withheld. and
the worst that can be thought will
probably he less damaging than the
contents of the letter, If the letter
IS so obnoxious that the gang dare not
print it, then it must he bad indeed; !;
because the refusal TO print it will in
evitably receive the worst possible con
structlou, and the gang will not be in