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Show A PROBLEM TOR ROOSEVELT. There in a mystery in the political situation in Utah that Colonel Roosevelt Roose-velt on h clear up if he will. J ho would devote a few moments of his time at Ogden this afternoon to throwing throw-ing light upon this dark problem he would confer a great favor upon the Diibllc of this State. We refer to his altered relations with Anostle Smool, It will be remembered that when the proposition was on of sending Apostle Smoot to tho U. S. Senate, there was 'at first a decided opinion on tho part of Colonel Roosevelt that tho mixing of ceclcsiaaticism with politics, which would bo involved in the selection of nn apostle of tho Mormon church to be a Senator would havo a bad effoct upon tho country, and would tend to accentuate the meddlesomeness of cc-clesiasticism cc-clesiasticism in politics and public affairs, af-fairs, then and theretofore altogether too much in evidence. Accordingly, President Roosevelt pent a message through Senator Kcarns to the people of Utah counseling them against tho sending of. Apoatla Smoot to tho Senate Sen-ate and pointing out tho undesirabllity of such oloction. There waa no indication of Colonel RooseTelt's change of opinion in this matter until ho visited this citv in 1903. But from that time onward he was known as not only a- staunch supporter sup-porter of the claims of Senator Smoot for a Senatorial position, but was impervious im-pervious to any argument or even approach ap-proach from the opposition, when the contest against Smoot retaining his scat was brought. This later attitude of Colonel Roosovelt, combined with the dilatory dila-tory tactics of the Senators in prolonging tho hearings .ind postponing post-poning tho decision of the wso, gave (then) President Roosevelt the opportunity, which ho availed himself of, to turn the case into n partisan political po-litical question. This was tho salvation salva-tion of Apostle Smoot so f-ar as his claim for a. scat in the Senato was con-corned, con-corned, and ao when the vote caino most of the Republican Sonators voted to retain Smoot in the Senate, aud the Democrats as a body voted against him. This lining up of tho case upon political partisanship w.03 unquestionably unquestion-ably tho work of Colonel Roosevelt; it waa the salvation of Eldor Smoot; and it was assumed that Apostle Smoot would be grateful accordingly, and would always be found supporting Colonel Roosevelt whenever ho made a demand upon the public for recognition. But all at once- it was found that Smoot was one of tho bitterest and most vindictive opponents of Colonel Roosovelt, nnd that he recognized no obligation on his part toward the third-term third-term candidate. Undoubtedly it was Smoot.'s direction that held the "Utah delegation so firmly for President Taft. Without his concurrence it would have been Impossiblo to pass tho resolution pledging lh0 dologation to President Taft's support. Recently, the apostle's Friday made, -as chairman of tho bogus Republican State Convention, one of the most malignant attacks upon Roosovelt Rooso-velt that has been made in this campaign. cam-paign. A good many pcopl0 in Utah wondered at tho sudden and complete change, and were astonished to boo Apostle Smoot throw off all obligations of gratitudo and turn his back upon Colonel Roosevelt and his man make so scurrilous an assault upon him. Now the' question is, what made this chango? Colonel Roosovelt undoubtedly can tell the story if he. will. Every one in Utah would be glad to henr from him on this point when he speaks in Ogden today. While Tho 'jribune is supporting President Taft for re-election, belicvinjr him to be a good Chief Executive, an honest man, and a loyal American, it must be a matter of more or less sur-prise sur-prise to many people of this and surrounding sur-rounding States to note the virulent op-position op-position of (he Deseret .News and other so-called Mormon newspapers against Colonel Roosevelt. If any class of people resU tmrlnP ligations to any candidate for President in this campaign, it is the class comprising compris-ing tho politicians of the dominant church in this State. lr any local political po-litical workers have reason to show gratitude for flavors and support, they arc the Federal officials of this State who were appointed to offlce by Theodore Theo-dore Roosevelt, and continuo in office because President Taft has overlooked over-looked them. And if any man in the world has a right to feel" gTateful and show appreciation for political services ser-vices rendered and personal benefits extended, then Reed Smoot should feel bound to Colonel Roosovelt. When almost all the churches and church workers of the country, all the women of the East and the nowspa-pers nowspa-pers and lecturers, and the men and women of Utah who were opposod to an Apostle of tho Mormon church sitting sit-ting as a member of the National Sen-ale, Sen-ale, when a large majority of that body were known to be hostile to his admission, it was Theodore -Roosevelt, aa President of the United States, who defied public sentiment, ignored a flood of protesting petitions, braved the scorn of influentlal'men and newspapers, news-papers, got his personal friends and intimates on the committee in charge of the case and whipped the Semite into linn fo that Reed Smoot retained his scat. It waa shown that Smoot was a member of a quorum which had sustained sus-tained polygamies in ecclesiastical office, that he had participated in raectingi, where the practice had been, justified and advocated, that he was representing a sectarian organization organi-zation in a political body, that he waa acting for a church instead of a State, vet Thcodori" Kooseielt h'"1 M ii-n! (through thick and thin, ciml. nj i Smoot to acquiro a power and- influence in-fluence which are now being used against him in his race for the Presi dency. .Nor would ic savor so much of ingratitude in-gratitude were it not for the venom which the Senator and those in his employ and control inject into his opposition op-position to the Colonel's candidacy. For months past both before the Chicago Chi-cago convention aud since, tho Smoot organ has assailed the ex-President with marked bitterness and billingsgate. billings-gate. There ban been nothing too low to ascribe to his motives, no epithet too mean to apply to his personality. Of all the newspapers in the Unitod States opposing Mr. Roosevelt for tho Presidency, nono has approached in vindictive virulence tho oditorinl animosity of tho organ in this city which is owned by Smoot and his friends, managed by his henchmen and lovingly rcforrod to In Washington ns "my paper" whenever the Senator refers re-fers to it. It would seem that th0 observance of ordinary decenev, in tho absence of all sense of gratitude or obligation, would rcquiro that tho Smoot sheet mako respectful reference to the ox-Preaident ox-Preaident under tho circumstances, even though it feels called upon to fight him. The Tribuno is opposed to Colonol Roosevelt on principle, but it doesn't beliovo in resorting to such low-down methods to prejudice tho public against a candidate for the high offico of President of tho United States. But will tho Colonel colvo the puzr.ling riddle? |