Show LOCAL COMMENT ON NEW PHASE OF SMOOT CASE Varying Opinions Expressed on Presidents Action f GOVERNOR DECLINES TO TALK Mayor Thompson Believes President Pre-sident Did Right Thing tt i Citizens From All Walks of Life Z Speak Concerning Presidents ii f Attitude The interview with Senator Kearns published In yesterdays papers giving the attitude of President Roosevelt on Apostle Reed Smoots candidacy was more widely discussed In Salt Luke yesterday yes-terday than all other subjects combined com-bined I Opinions varied Apostle Smoot said he had nothing to say until he had considered the matter further and conferred con-ferred with his friends Following are a few expressions of the views of people In all walks of life and of all shades of political belief GOY WELLS Gov Wells was asked for an expression expres-sion of opinion The Governor absolutely absolute-ly refused to be Interviewed and started to walk away JSut Governor insisted the report TI l as Chief Executive of the State you inust see that the pcopic of the State will especially look for some expression of opinion from you on a matter of so great moment to Utah The Governor politely but firmly commenced to close the door of his private pri-vate olllcs Just a moment Governor persisted the Interviewer fencing for time and then us a forlorn hope as a last tempting tempt-ing bait Now in the event of the Presidents statement discounting Smoots candidacy candi-dacy would It not advance your own Senatorial aspirations p The Governors faceassumed abroad smile He hesitated a moment as If to say something but did not I can only repeat my former answer an-swer said he pleasantly And the ie porter was left on the unexofiutlve side of the door MAYOR THOMPSON Mayor Ezra Thompson think the President did exactly right Of course his openS expression of opinion Ih the matter l is rather extraordinary but the occasion fully Justifies his attitude Mr Smoot as a high ofliclal of the church fhould npt aspire to such an otllce and It would be a great injury to theState if he were elected SECRETARY HAMMOND Secretary of Slate Hammond at first begged to be excused but on being pressed he expressed himself carefully and conservatively on the subject What do you think of outside interference Inter-ference In regard to the choice of a Senator was the first question To this Mr Hammond replied lOr think that the members elected to the Legislature of Utah are entirely qualified to elect a United States Senator Sen-ator and they should do so without outside out-side Interference I have great confidence confi-dence In President Roosevelt and would riot desire to be understood as criticis ing him without knowing pnder what circumstances and representations he expressed his opinion What effect do you believe the statement state-ment will have on Smoots chances of election 1 was the next question The secretary considered for a long time before be-fore making an answer He was evidently evi-dently unwilling to say anything on this phase of the situation At length flow > weighing his words he an Id Coming at this late date when the members of the Legislature have probably prob-ably made up their minds as to whom they Intend to support I really dont think the Presidents statement will have any material effect on the election elec-tion of a United States Senator CHAIRMAN ANDERSON James H Anderson chairman of the Republican State committee expressed himself as follows1 or dont think the President has been correctly represented in being charged with endeavoring to dictate the election of a United States Senator from Utah I feel Hint a gnat Injustice has been done President Roosevelt I want to know exactly what he said before I pass my judgment I have a high regard re-gard for him having a personal acquaintance ac-quaintance with him T believe the Legislature of Utah will elect a Senator I Independent or outside of arbitrary interference I in-terference It Is a plain duty which they owe the people who elected them EXCONGRESSMAN ICING William II King Why there Is little to lie said The Republicans all through the last campaign went up and down the State pleading with the people tp Etnnd In with the Administration They won the election on that plea Now Is the time for them to stand In with the Administration Really I think It a smooth move on the part of Roosevelt I to catch the antiMormon vote throughout through-out the country 1I S Attorney Prank Pierce In my opin ion the statement attributed to the President will have no effect The man for the Spnate has already probably lcn picked out An to outside interference inter-ference it is probably not wise for the resident to interfere with elections In my Slut t As the report comes from hlBh sources I cannot but believe that It has been correctly stated j tteprescntallve James 13 Wllaon of wncaich I think President Roosevelt went n little outof his place He may DC all right about It being unwise and r likely to make trouble If Mr Smoot iK l elected but I dont believe the President Presi-dent should specially mention any one religion the Mormon religion for instance in-stance any more than the Catholic or Protestant I expect to vote for Smoot and will do It unless he withdraws J W N Wliltecotton of Provo If the policy were followed out It would lead to the downfall of the Republic I um a Democrat and a Gentile but I am for Smoot S S Attorney Frank B StephensWell slrIf I were In the Legislature I would be tempted to vote for Mr Smoot even though I am a Democrat If for no other reason than simply to vindicate the principle of home ruleS rule-S s Orson F Hewlett was opposed to the candidacy of Apostle Smoot all the way through the campaign but if I were In the Legislature now I would vote for him for the Senate Thats the way I feel about it c E W Wilson The Presidents attitude atti-tude suits me exactly If Mr Smoot were elected he ought to be thrown out of the Senate and I belieVe he would be While he Is not a polygamist as Roberts was the Senate could find cause against him on account of his apostolic office or for tljnt matter they need not give any reason at all The Senate Is the sole Judge of the qualifications for office of its members and has the power to unseat any one It I chooses S Noble Warrum do not blame President Presi-dent Roosevelt for his attitude In the I matter but I do not believe it will affect I af-fect the situation here After all ht has said on the subject Mr Smoot cannot can-not very well back down S S a Representative D H Morris of Washington Wash-ington I belong to the order of five in the lower house this year and what I may think doesnt matter Its up to the Republican members a Senator Hardin Bennlon of Ulntah Of course the responsibility for the situation sit-uation is wholly on the Republicans and there Is little for Democrats to say At the same time I am just independent enough to say that If I had been for Smoot for the Senate before this explosion ex-plosion at Washington I would be for him yet I would resent the Interference Interfer-ence of President Roosevelt In local affairs af-fairs S 4 5 Representative A L Hamlln of Salt Lake This is a matter fork Apostle Smoot and President Roosevelt to settle between themselves not the Utah Legislature Leg-islature Jf any member was for Smoot before I dont see why he should not be for him now Just the same S 5 5 Representative W J Cahoon of Salt LakeI had a very frank talk with Mr Smoot the other day and told him just why I was opposed to his election I told him I thought it would riot be for the best Interest of the State the Republican Iarty or the Mormon church S S v Thomas Hull Speakerelect of the House of Representatives Have so high an opinion of President Roosevelt that I Intend to withhold judgment until un-til I have ascertained more of the facts In the case O V S Representative Spry of Tooelc I do not approve of the Presidents position It Is Intermeddling Inour local affairs and IrIl has anyeffect all It will strengthen some who have been weak kneed heretofore fo e i Senator E M Allison Presidentelect of the State SenateI do not care to discuss the matter before giving It more careful consideration It is 1 not true that I came out In favor of Mr Smoot today s S 5 Senator George W Lawrence consider con-sider this Interference of President Roosevelts an unwarranted Intrusion I Into local politics 1 i > S S D H Peer Jrrhe President as reported In the morning papers expresses ex-presses no opposition to a Mormon for the position I > of United States Senator and under the present circumstances I consider Reed Smoot the logical candidate can-didate S i S Judge Thurman of Provo I amsur prised at the Interference of President Roosevelt Smcots candidacy has been virtually accepted by the State Why should the President Interfere As a Democrat I resent the Intrusion of the President into Slate affairs S S S John W BurtonI consider the alleged al-leged statement of the President to Senator Sen-ator Kearns as to whom the Legislature should elect United Stales Senator as an outrageous and unconstitutional interference in-terference with the rights of the State It Is a matter for the Senate to decide who shall be Senators W P OMeara am for Reed Smoot for Senator S Oo Rev r W Plnkerton am very much surprised at the action of President Presi-dent Roosevelt in taking a hand In thls election and am inclined to doubt the wisdom of It However I have only lived In Utah a short time am not a voter and hardly feel qualified to give an opinion upon the subject I am opposed op-posed to thC candidacy of Apostle Smoot not because he Is a Mormon but because l he Is the candidate of the Mormon church In saying that he Is the candidate of the Mormon church I speak advisedly because In order to become a candidate for the Senate he was obliged to obtain the consent of the authorities of he Mormon church and I am opposed to any mans seeking political honors because of lila position In a church be he Mormon Catholic or Methodist Jesse W FocIt Is the best policy to send Mr Smoot to the Senate as was intended when the State was carried by the Republicans We can then find out where we arc at Mr Smoot qhould < not he handicapped on account of his church position M H Walker It Is a matter over which the President should have no dictation It Is stepping beyond his exalted nosltlon S S MnJ W A Stanton Under the pn sent s-ent conditions I believe the sentiments of the President are correct He takes the proper view of the matter Rev John Rlchelsen am glad that President Roosevelt has signed In Continued on PaGe 11 I COMMENT ON SMOOT t Continued from Page 1 I spirit at least the protest sent out Pome time ago by the Ministerial association asso-ciation The protest has gained In power pow-er immensely since Mr Roosevelt has backed IU and where it was read bone b-one it will now he read by hundreds nnd where there was no sentiment before be-fore there will be plenty now Roosevelt Roose-velt Is not a man to back clown or bluff and he would not have Interfered unless un-less he knew that the Administration would have a white elephant on Its hands If I Smoot was sent to Washington Washing-ton He has put himself on record very strongly has announced that Smoot if elected will be persona non grata and that If he disregards It here he will surely meet It In Washington Alex Rogers President Roosevelt has I nothing to do with It I II W P Jennings dont see what possible pos-sible objection can be rained against olr Smoot C A 4 Col E W Tatlock T dont think Mr Roosevelt said it If he did he < was imprudent im-prudent T am opposed to concentration concentra-tion of power Utah can manage Us own affairs use F J 3 > conard I am for Smoot first last and all the timeD time-D I Rev Clarence T Brown I am very much Interested In what President l Roosevelt has to Fay about the election of Apostle Smoot to the Senate T think his expressions represent the sentiment of the country nnd I hope it will have such an influence upon a majority of the members of the legislature of Utah that the election of Mr Smoot will be Impossible 3 a a Rev Dr Paden of the First Presbyterian Presby-terian church and Dr Leillch supcrln tondent oC Methodist < missions were both seen but neither wished to be quote In thc matter 4 0 I C d Rev D A BrownPresident Roosevelt Roose-velt Is the same fearless man whether on the boar hunt or on the hunt to be In accord with the pulse of public sentiment sen-timent I take It he has violated no principle or precept of the States sovereignty sov-ereignty lie has only advised And may not the executive of a great institution insti-tution counsel concerning the Interests of which he Is at the head Recently the name spirit of fearlessness was manifested In our Chief Executive in calling to account the differing factions of the coal strike Did he do it otll daily No of course not simply as awls a-wls and thoughtful man at the head of a great nation about to be Imperiled In her Industrial life The whole nation na-tion said at that time Well lone The applause was universal leaping the bounds of our nation Een the monarchial spirit of Europe applauded the feat us one of the most democratic strokes in the history of the world Now what has the President done in the candidacy of Mr Smoot Only this He has seen the inevitable struggle that would result simply as the Roberts case didthe unseating of the aspirant Asa As-a man thoughtful and farsighted seeIng see-Ing the oncoming struggle he has 1 sent most wise and judicious counsel He hasnt commanded has said T gently but forcibly urge I take It that the nation will see the spirit of the man and will applaud him In voicing once again the great popular sentiment that we In Utah have been unconscious of and yet which has nevertheless been threading the thought oC the country I take It a hint to the wise will be sufficient and In consequence of the Presidents timely advice the State Legislature will not dare toelect a high official In the Morhion church as our next Senator |