115 years ago today - Mar 30, 1908

B. H. Roberts publishes an open letter open letter to Richard R. Lyman, a Democrat, future apostle, and son of Apostle Francis M. Lyman, expressing his opposition to the reelection of Apostle Reed Smoot as U. S. Senator. He says that Smoot's reelection would rekindle animosity against the church and that there were many others who could fill the position. Even though Roberts had once run for Congress himself (Congress did not allow him to take his seat due to his being a polygamist), he was now convinced that high church officials ought not to run for public office because of the bitterness against the church and anti-Mormonism it engendered. Smoot's reelection, he said, would cause another setback for the church.