| Show a v TL LIT OPPOSES SMOOTS CANDIDACY I 1 fil I 1 T this 11 14 1 H iland AND IN UTAH POL iriCh TI it would be I 1 to send BD an apostle of 0 tie tle clutch cl to the bulted states be ute ate the general topic of discussion throughout utah is the position taken by president roosevelt Koo sevelt regarding the selection of a senator from utah to succeed senator rawlins the dents attitude in this matter was wae made c thursday through sena tor for kearns who when asked tor for an expression upon the selection of a sue suc cessor to senator said I 1 have refrained from any espres elon blon upon this subject up to this time but it appears to me I 1 should give to the members of the utah legislature and others in the state directly inter ested such information as has come to me here and which may not be known to them I 1 feel it in my line of duty as their representative in the united states senate about the middle of last month I 1 was called into consultation here by some distinguished republicans among them senator hanna of ohio chairman of the republican national committee later the subject of the discussion of that conference was broached to me by president roose velt and when I 1 went to salt lake city to spend the holidays with my family I 1 bore a message from dent roosevelt and chairman hanna to mr air reed smoot I 1 would not at that time or at any other time disclose the contents of that message which I 1 laid before mr air smoot had it not been that I 1 was requested to do so in this public manner by president roosa reese velt this afern afternoon oon in order that the utah legislature and the citizens of the state generally may be fully ad of the opinion of these gentlemen the message was to the effect that there was no objection to mr smoot personally or his religious faith but that the election of an apostle would arouse opposition and inject an unfortunate question into na lional politics and create unfavorable comment it was stated that the mem bers of the mormon church being in the majority in the legislature would natum naturally natu rilly lly desire and were fully en titled to select one of their choice and it was urged that some one other than an apostle be chosen this afternoon president roosevelt requested me to state in the manner I 1 am now stating it that he very much hoped no apostle would be elected he ile based his expresion and interest on the alm belief that the selection of any apostle would arouse a bitter feel ing and do irretrievable injury to the best interests of utah president rooseve i said f I 1 am deeply interested in the future of utah in its material up building as well as the future and best interests of the republican party the election to the united states senate ol 01 0 an apostle would work great harm to the it would be very unwise it boull certainly lead to contentions and strife and bitterness here it if not in utah and would unquestionably be a misfortune to those who are inter ested in all that goes to make the state of utah prosperous and great I 1 have every confidence in the wisdom of th the e majority members of th the e utah legisla ture and I 1 feel sure it if they un understand der stand the gravity of the situation as it ap pears to me and as I 1 have heard it ex pressed by members of the senate they will refrain from any action which will not result in good for the future of utah and her people I 1 de sire you to place me on record as kindly but firmly advising against the election of any apostle to a united states |
