The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-07-20
MORMON AT THE HELM.
Federal Government is Drifting Into
Strange Straits.

Because Senator Porter ]. McCum-
Der was beaten in the North Dakota
primaries, writes a Washington cor
respondent of the New York World,
a Mormon apostle can claim the
Craftsmanship of the finance commit
tee of the United States senate at
the expiration of McCumber's term
next year.
This Craftsmanship, the most pow
erful and influential in the senate,
will be inherited by Senator Reed
Smoot, of Utah, by right of seniori-
ty. And this right, in the courteous,
conservative senate, has been almost
as immutable as the laws of the
Medes and Persians.
Reed Smoot is second in length of
service on the mighty finance COM
mittee, and Mr.. Smoot is so high in
the Mormon church that if two men
both aged; one frail-should die,
he, again by right of seniority, would
become the "prophet, seer and reve-
lator" of that church in succession to
Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and
others less famous.
Only one of the twelve Mormon
apostles ranks Reed Smoot in age
of ordination, Rudger Clayson. Un-
der the strict rules of succession in
the Mormon hierarchy, the eldest or
dained apostle is the president of the
Apostle Quorum and on the death of
the president of the Latter Day
Saints he automatically moves up
the First Presidency. Mr.. Clayson is
said to be far from robust.
President Heber Grant, however,
though sixty years old, is as sound
physically as he is mentally, so while
Senator Smoot may in the course of
nature become the president of the
twelve apostles within compara-
lively short time, he may not head
the church during his present term,
which expires in 1927.
When he comes to be first presi-
dent, however, with the tremendous
RESPONSIBILITIES and exacting duties
of that post, he must quit the SEN
ate, for no living human could dis
charge the functions of the two Off
ces.
McCumber, Smooth and LaFollette
of Wisconsin-such is the ranking on
the Republican side of the finance
committee. So the Republicans of
that august body are not behind the
Mormon church in praying for long
LIE to First President Heber Grant.
For if Smoot were called back to
Utah, they would face the, dilemma
of accepting the radical from Wis
consin to lead the finance commit
tee or break the seniority rule.
Such action with the advent of
the prospective progressives, Bever-
idge, Bookhart and perhaps Frazier,
who beat McCumber for the nomina-
ton in North Dakota, would centain-
ly be very embarrassing, for if there
is anything the Republicans want to
avoid it is a row with the progress
sives that might bring about a repe-
tition of the circumstances of the
1912 campaign.
The suggestion has been made that
the issue might be avoided by break
ing the seniority rule now, so that
Smoot would be the apparent victim
instead of LaFollette. Smoot also
is next ih succession on the appro-
priations committee and is said to
have expressed preference for that
craftsmanship over the other. 1t
would be necessary to placate Warren
of Wyoming, the present chairman,
whose term does not expire until
1925, but it might be done by shift
ing him to the finance committee, for
ovoroD1o