| Show CHICAGO BAPTIST WRITERS WRITER'S VIEWS JEWS Tho The following vory very Interesting argument appears In Iii Inthe Inthe the Standard a famous Baptist weekly publication of Chicago on February 2 It I will wf bo be foun found Interesting to tore residents re of Utah whether or not they be members of or ortho tho the Baptist church I am glad to ro see sec In tho the Stan Standard or a leco recognition of the fact act that the United States senators who oppose tho tIm unseating of or Senator Smoot are arc able ablo to give a reason for their position There Is probably no constitutional lawyer Jawer In fir tho the country with a n professional reputation to maintain who would a assert sert that the tho framers of 0 the time constitution havo have tho thu power to toa Intended either house of oC congress to a add to to or tl take o awa away auay from the definitely enumerated qualifications for membership and no one has hns ever denied that Mr lr Smoot po possesses esse the these e qualifications Equal Equally clear is It that time the power powel of ot discipline given givel iven to each house hOlso over Its Is members was isas Intended ed solely to apply to 10 their conduct con as members during dimming their term of oC membership member member- ship 1111 thel In making each ench house ju judge e of the the election electon qualifications and returns of Its fR own tho the power a assigned was clearly clearl and simply Imly merely a judicial power limited to ascertaining whether definite defnie constitutional with In an and legal lesal had been complied wih other It was vas Intended e that the membership of the two houses hou e should be he be with wih the tho exception of o a n few fc definitely definitely Iely expressed qualifications as us to age residence and citizenship Just what the constituents in each locality chose to male make it f and not at all 01 what tho the central government gov gov- or 01 either house nt at an any given time might prefer to have havE It I. I The TIm difference between these two Ideas of ofa ofa a n legislative e assembly Is just the time difference between a genuinely representative body an and the th Russian douma as the time czar wants to make I. I H IL Now I have ha just enough h 08 re regard r for or the time sanctity of oC an official oath Interpreted strictly according ln to Its Is Intent to cause me nrc to apprehend far less danger an e from om an m occasional Mormon In congress than from such a general looseness of Interpretation of I their oath of or omco ollice as us would permit a majuri majority of tho the senate to dummy deny eny Mr h Smoot his seat on the ground of or dl disqualifications neither named or Implied in tim the tho constitution con con- or 01 a admit his original ri right lt to nH membership und and then expel him on err the tho ground of or some offense not riot committed com corn muted during his term of chico olee It Is well known that than In the time Brigham Roberts cae case In the house of representatives es many members readily a admitted In III att lint tat their votes were based eu on what they conceived to be an nn overwhelming popular demand lemand an and not at all 01 on their conviction as ns to lo the le legal al right of or 1 Mr Roberts to retain his seat sent There is little reason to doubt that Representative Littlefield whose conscience character and le legal al ability no one cnn can seriously question really represented the large majority in his speech on the Roberts case though so few ha had the courage to vote vole with wih him Now none of us has to lo go far to see In iii what di direction cl on this habit hahl of elastic Interpretation of or official oaths oath In lii answer to tu public sentiment real or alleged may lead The refusal o of so many executive officers to enforce liquor laws Ia's and other oilier wholesome legal restraints because of an alleged public sentiment is a case clearly In point We Ve fall to secure an effective sentiment for tor punishing this official oath breaking In the Interest of social disorder disorder dis dis- ls- ls order and crime simply because wo we are aio continually supporting sup slip porting similar evasions evasion of sworn obligation In the in interest interest in- in terest of or some ome en end which we conceive to be ho good No Now I am a little afraid that my oJ old ft lend Bruce Kinney with whose feelings an and convictions against as such I ful fully agree will wi sigh and wonder how I have allowed myself to come under un er Mormon in influence influence In- In fluence Just as a goo good brother in West cst Virginia once rushed rushe into print with wih a lament that I hn had fallen alien falen under the Influence of the po pope po because I objected to the circulation circulation cir cir- dc- dc In a Baptist paper of or certain statements about Catholics that were absurdly l false falso on their face All AJ 1 I asked aske for in that case was wa truth which I believe beleve to be a n necessary ry ingredient of ot good goo Baptist doctrine or practice an and all al I ask for In this case is a firm firm nn regard for Cor the sworn obligation to lo support Infinite definite an and unambiguous constitutional provisions and nOI this way of or regarding an oath I believe to be at nt the very bottom of patriotic statesmanship and soun sound civic morality The ship of or state slate has not reached the lie pass where It need throw overboard wise provisions of its Is constitution in order to avoid sinking sinkIng sinking sink sink- ing In the gulf guJt of Mormonism l W W. Yo H. H JOI JOHNSON SON Granvie Ohio |
