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Show "The good women of the National W. C. T. U. have entered a light against Smoot of Utah. Anybody may scratch the face or pull the hair of poor Smoot. The temperance women have sent a message to the Utah Legislature, expressing their disapproval of Smoot on two grounds: First, not because he belongs to the Mormon Church, but Is the candidate of the church, and second, because ho does belong to the Church and Is under un-der Its Intluence. In other words, the good women object to him doubly for the simple reason that he is a' Mormon. Mor-mon. Of course the constitution of of tho United States says there shal bo no discrimination against a man because of his religious belief, but who cares anything, any more, about the Constitution of the United StatesV A. set of principals that can be annulled in ono part of tho country's coun-try's possessions can be annulled In another can't it? Rut in making the plea that Smoot should not go to the senate because he Is under the control of the Chinch the women arc establishing a precarious pre-carious precedent. Tills argument may lisc up to haunt them some timo when they seek, in the future, as they have done in the past, to secure tho election of some other man under the control of some othci church. And, by the way, if you arc not fully Informed about the Mormon Church, creed and work, you aie not qualliled to condemn It. All churches look pretty much alike in the great common com-mon sense of the American people, and a blow of this sort at one church Is in effect a blow at them all. Besides, Be-sides, if we are to exclude from tho senate all who are under control of some organized intluence or other, that august body would bo left without with-out a quorum. "The influences that control most senators are far more dangerous than that of any church can evor be Imagined Im-agined to be. It Is not a mere demagogic dem-agogic cry to say that trusts, combines com-bines and corporations control a sure majority of tho senate. Look behind almost any senator who is permitted to become a prominent ligure in Con. gross, and jou will llnd a corporation or two standing back of him and controlling con-trolling him. It would not be polite to mention names; that would bo coming too near home. Nor Is It necessary. The fact is known to all who are interested in public affairs. To these vital facts the good women are blind. Rut they can seo when a man Is under tholnlluencoof a church, and, since it is not their church, they think It too uttaily awful for anything. any-thing. Tho common senso of the people of the United States and of the Leglslatuio of Utah Is not apt to bo greatly influenced by tills distinctively feminine piotest. Chinch iows and rivalries aio rather too common to dlstuib the general seicnlty. The sane longing of the public is that there might bo less senators under corporation control and more under control of chinches or other moral influences. "Kansas City Woild. |