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Show 1 M. ,4 .) ;if lit,. t!r y.i kr ti HI' il. s.m Ii4 I ! L: II Vol 2, No. 23. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, FEBRUARY Political Melange. The protest against Senator-eleSmoot being allowed to take his seat has been filed. The substance of it was known for a long time. It is an exceedingly adroitly framed and well worded document, moderate in tone and devoid of any personal accusations against Mr. Smoot. The - substance-Of it is that Mr. : Smoot, although a monogomist himseli, encourages the practice of polygamy by his colleagues, of thequorum of the twelve apostles, and approves, of polygamy and that Mr. Smoot in common with other dignataries of the church, exercises church influence in political matters. That is the whole thing in a nutshell. The protest opens many avenues for Mr. Smoot to defend himself. It is said he will soon make a ct i 5 S trip to . Washington to acquaint himself with the situation as .it exists there. Truth believes that Mr. Smoot will not be denied his seat.' There is little logical . reason why he should be. It would be. a. dangerous precedent to establish to exclude a man duly, elected to the United States senate because he believes something or does not believe something else, but what will count more than that is that' the Republican party cant afford to turn down Smoot, and thereby probably send Utah, Idaho and Wyoming into the Democratic column. An sentiment mon and an will doubtless be created in. the east which the senators cannot afford to ignore. Their plan will be to seat Smoot and pass an amendment to the Constitution for submission to the people brlng-.in- g pqlygamy under the jurisdiction of the. Federal courts.' By that means of the they will preserve the good will to the loss Mormons, not endanger the set up no party of the states named, at the same dangerous precedent and sentitime cater to the ment, which exists and will be increased in the country. Expediency anti-Mor- -" ; anti-polyga- -- my anti-polyga- anti-Morm- on is more considered in politics .than principle. By the plan outlined neither expediency nor principle will be violated. This is Truth's prediction. We shall see how near it will come to being fulfilled. J . ' : J If reports current in the streets are true, another brilliant meteor has passed across Utahs political -- .and journalistic skies. The Hon. Perry ;S. Heath, they say, will not return to Zion, or if he does it will only .be to close out his affairs and shake the dust of Zion from his feet Mr. Heath invaded Utah in glory and splendor like the hosts of Sennacherib, and is retiring in as blighted a condition, politically, as that celebrated king and his army after the angel of death had breathed upon them. Perrys coni, nection with Utah is amusing. In the days when P. H. Lannan was the autocrat of the Tribune, Perry used to come here occasionally as a representative of the Republican National committee, especially when the committee needed money. On more than one occasion he was the guest of Mr. Lannan and all the big guns of the party in the state fluttered around the great lumi' nary, dazzled by his splendor and greatness. Lannan, notwithstanding all his shrewdness, was fooled by Perry like the rest. Lannan in those days thought Perry was the real thing, red hot stuff. The Tribune was filled with fulsome adultatlons of the great man. Every two or three days a new picture of him appeared in that paper. The reporters who had to write the slush sickened of it, but had to go on dishing it out just the same. The dlimax of hero worship was reached when by the specific Instructions of the owner of the Tribune a young lady was obtained to present a tremendous bouquet, to Mr. Heath on the occasion of a political meeting in the theatre. Perry cut some ice when ne came to Utah in those days. He was some pumpkins, too, when he negotiated through another party for the of the Tribune by Senator Kearns. Mr. Lannan has never liked Perry so well since. In fact, he doesnt like him at all any more. His love was turned to hate. You see Perry didnt tell Lannan his principal in the deal was Kearns, but Lannan got his price and so far as that deal was concerned has no legitimate grievance against Perry. - -- purchase Ji J With the transfer of the Tribune Perry burst on the public as the publisher and manager of the paper. It was a great coup and there was tremendous rejoicing in the camp of the Keams-Heat- h crowd and among all Price 14, 1903. une the loss of the salary, $1,200 a month, will be considerable. The $500 a month salary which he receives for doing nothing as secretary of the National Republican committee will, him to enable exist until the however, next national convention is over when a new committee will be elected. Perry also can doubtless pick up little doles on the side here and there. He is quite resourceful and there is no immediate danger being reduced to absolute want, even if he has lost his job of mismanaging the Tribune, of-hi- s ji j The political friends of Senator Kearns, who, for the "past month or two, have been in,tiie dumps over the gloomy prospect of the senator being two years hence, are beginning to take heart. They are recovering from the stunning blow which the senator and they, through him, received. They say there is still hope, great hope, that their idol will again resume a firm seat in the saddle, for they say he holds the fate of Senatoi Smoot in the hollow of his hand. He can have Smoot seated or unseated, they say, by just crookifig his little finger. .The Republican national, committee thinks Kearns is the only real thing. Hanna has great influence, not only with President Roosevelt, but with the members of the senate. If Kearns says thumbs up, Smoot will be accepted as senator from Utah, but if he says thumbs down, Smoot will be sent home, so we are told. In view of this fact, if it be a fact, Kearns is in a position to bring his opponents, par ticularly the Mormon element, to time. Few citizens of Utah, especially those of the Mormon faith, would like the duly elected senator to be rejected. Rather than such a thing should happen, it is claimed, that Smoot and his friends and the hierarchy of the Mormon church would accept Kearns for another term. The action to be taken in Mr. Smoots case will establish a precedent If he is refused a seat it means that no high official of the Mormon church will ever be admitted to either branch of congress; if he is seated the way is open to high as well as to others. The momentousness of the case to Mormon church people is apparent, and Senator Kearns friends declare the consideration is sufficient to make the church swallow Kearns, notwithstanding the bitterness of the pill. - The argument is striking on account of its utter want of principle. The only point in the whole business is that Kearns shall win. An apostle who is with Kearns is all right for a senator, but an apostle who is against him is not a. fit person to occupy a seat in congress. re-elect- ed their followers. Kearns was elected senator and Per ry would be the next senator after Rawlins. That was the arrangement, that was the plan, but it miscarried. Perrys personality, backed by the National committee, failed to either attract or overawe the denizens of this very wild portion of the wild and wooly west. His senatorial aspirations went all wrong and like several other carJit petbaggers who had similar ambitions Indications that the municipal eleche has fled. If it be a fact that he of the Trlb tion this year will be patricularly has quit the mangement . - 5 Cents As a result of the fire in the Central Block, Truth offices have been moved to Room 5, (second floor), Western . Newspaper Union Building, 241 South West 'Temple street. warm and itneresting are beginning to appear. About this season two years ago similar word went out regarding the suppression of gambling as was put forth ten days ago. Since the former municipal election gambling has been permitted, notwithstanding the constant clamor of a large section of the community for the fulfillment of the law, both in regard to gambling and Sunday liquor selling. There has been a constant hubbub between the regulatlonists and the total and the administration has not had the courage to take either course. It has been a period of and trying to carry water on both shoulders. From now till next election both sides will vie with each other in efforts to make political capital out of the saloonmen and the gamblers. . sup-pressioni- sts shilly-shal- lying Some surprise was expressed at the C. E. Alsignature of len being on the petition for the unSmoot It was seating of Senator-elegenerally understood that Mr. Allen was a supporter of Smoot during the campaign. Numbers of very reputable people say that Mr. Allen frequently expressed himself as favoring Smoot for the senate. In view of that fact it would be interesting to know why Mr. Allen changed his mind. ct In case it should happen that Mr. Smoot will be denied a seat in the senate it is said that Governor Wells will be heir to the place. The plan spoken, of is that the governor will resign his position as governor of the state and Secretary of State Hammond would take the vacant place and then appoiut Mr. Wells to tne vacant senatorship. J. M. Whitaker, who has attempts to secure the nomination for county clerk is again out for the place. It will be nearly two years before the next county election comes around, but Mr. Whitaker evidently believes in being in time. It Is not known to which party he will appeal for. support. He is rather undecided in. his political convictions. . made-severa- O l : .The choice of the Press club of A. president was good in every respect. Mr. Mackenzie Is ; . G. Mackenzie foi a thorough newspaper man, very popular .with his associates and under his guidance the prosperity of the club is assured. |