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Show DEMOCRATIC SMOOTISM. ''If tho church is not in politics what was ho howliug about? And if the church is in politics why doc3 ho deny the facts? Tt all sounded to mo like an attempt of Roborts to boost for tho Smoot campaign whilo saving his own Democratic face. " In that succinct vtny an observer disposed dis-posed of tho Saltair oration of President Presi-dent .Brigham H. Roberts of tho Mormon Mor-mon hicrarch'. President Roberts is permitted to go upon tho Btump at tho present tlmo whenever his peculiar antics an-tics can bo of advantago lo the church, and bo is. withdrawn from the platform and political activity whenever the church thinks he has gone far enough, In this particular caso Smootism needed certain Democratic certification and while Smoot himself or his machine received no particular compliment from Mr. Roberts, Smootism, meaning tho church rule in politics in Utah, was approved by tho highest ecclesiastical opinion which tho aclivo Democracy-of Utah can deliver. This kind of indorsement is far bettor bet-tor than any Republican certification could bo for Smootism. When a Democratic Dem-ocratic hiorarch appears before tho public and says that he is read' lo fight all comers in defense of his proposi-.tion proposi-.tion that tho church is not. in politics, and when that same Democratic hierarchy hie-rarchy takes out his opposition to Smootism in a denunciation of Pussy Jimmio Anderson, Apostle Reed. Smoot may very gratifj-ingly wait in the back room at church headquarters for : tho Democratic hierarch to return and receive re-ceive tho caress of the priesthood and the plaudit, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into , tho joy of Smootism!'' President Brigham IT. Roberta has been callod a forceful man. Never was his strength better exemplified than in his Saltair address; for all tho Republicans in tho Smoot machino in Utah could not have rendered bo great a Bcrvico to Smootism Smoot-ism aa President Roberts rendered on that occasion. And tho opening words of this article, ar-ticle, .quoted fronl an intelligent commentator com-mentator upon public affairs here, exactly ex-actly suit tho occasion. If tho Mormon church is not in politics there was no ncod for Roberts to- discuss tho proposition; propo-sition; and the only logical reason which can bo given for his attention lo tho subject is that ho desired to give to Smootism a clean bill of health 80 far as church influence is concerned. Tho Smootites are already publishing tho Roberts certificate broadcast. And while they quote President B. H. Roberta Rob-erta to tho effect that the church iB out of politics, tho Smootites are using the church in politica to tho full extent of its power. Vorily it is a fact that Smoot has two political quorums ono Republican and comparatively useful, and tho other Democratic and superlatively super-latively helpful. Tho Republicans only work for Smoot for what thero is in it; but -for all-around self-sacrificing devotion, devo-tion, for help in an emergency, for leading lead-ing a forlorn hope, for pulling him out of tho quicksand, "for everything that is servilo if not altruistic, Smoot pro-fors pro-fors his Democratic quorum with President Pres-ident BrigharaH. Roberts as its spokesman. spokes-man. Nor does President Roborts '3 apparently uncomplimentary attitude ' toward Rood Smoot personally detract from Smoot 's approval. Tho main thing with tho apostlo is to have Smootism indorsed by the Democracy; and this was successfully accomplished when Roborts cerlifiod on his Democratic word that the church was not in politics. poli-tics. Apostlo Smoot only chuckles at what might appear as a slighting remark re-mark concerning himself from tho lips of Roberts; for Apostle Smoot knows that Roberts dare not go too far and that Roberts would take back every innuendo against Smoot if the priesthood priest-hood roquired that servility from him. Roberts is not only a member of tho 'hierarclry, but ho is its pajd employee and representative. Apostle Smoot being be-ing his superior, is his employer. According Ac-cording to tho modern lexicography of the church Roberts is a hireling of Smoot-and merely says, what Smoot wantB him to say. What business had President Brigham Brig-ham H. Roberts to talk about independence indepen-dence -in political -Hc-has nono. After a battle with his church for what ho callod his rights as an American citizen,, citi-zen,, ha bowed tho'kneo before tho church, ho gavo up all individuality in ppliUcs,-he consented to tho rule which mado of htm an ccclosiastical creature, with no freedom to engage in political activities except by tho direction of his church; and so proud was ho of his newly acquired chains, self-riveted, th'at ho clanked them boastingly bofore n. congregation of tlio Mormon people in Logan, It is cmiuently becoming that if the church is to bo defended and Smootism supported by the falsehood that Smootism Smoot-ism 13 not tho church's expression in politics President Brigham H. Roberts, Rob-erts, who was whipped into political servility by his church, should, be the Ananias to publicly promulgate tho lie. |