Reed Smoot was a businessman, politician, and devout member of his church. He spent thirty years serving in the United States Senate. He brought the talents of political-mindedness, support of public lands, and religious dedication to the table.
In Short
Smoot was born in Salt Lake City during the Civil War. He married Alpha May Eldredge in 1884, and they had six children together. He became an apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1900. His political work and religious service influenced the citizens of Utah and the United States and people around the world.
More of the Story
Before he was a senator, Reed Smoot ran several Utah-based businesses and served fellow members of the LDS church. He ran for United States Senate in 1902 as a Republican and won a seat.
His election caused debate about his place in the federal government. Senators questioned whether Smoot cared more about his church or his country. They feared he would represent the interest of the LDS church rather than those of all his fellow citizens. Others did not like that members of the LDS church practiced polygamy, which was the act of one man marrying more than one wife. The church officially ended polygamy in 1890, but leaders continued to allow polygamous marriages until 1911.
Smoot was placed on trial so that United States senators could decide if their concerns about him were valid. Much of the country, including President Theodore Roosevelt, followed the case. The case ended with Smoot taking his seat in the Senate. Eventually, he became respected for his hard work.
Smoot, the United States Senator
Smoot served in the Senate until 1932. He chaired the Senate Finance Committee and the Public Lands Committee. Smoot voted for land conservation measures that gave the president and Forest Service more power to protect forest lands. He also supported the creation of the National Park Service and the Zion and Bryce National Parks in Utah. Another measure he helped pass required people who made money from mining or generating electricity on public lands to pay a fee (called royalties) to the United States government.
He also focused on preventing businesses from other countries from selling too many products in the United States. His goal was to help United States businesses to make more money. He helped to write a law that placed a heavy tax—or tariff—on goods coming into the United States from other countries. This law was called the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.
The Consequences of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act
When businesses in other countries learned of the higher taxes placed on their goods, they responded by putting high tariffs on American goods. Taxing American goods meant that other countries did not buy as many American-made goods. The Smoot-Hawley Act also increased the cost of some products making it harder for people to buy them. Some economists say that the Smooth-Hawley Tariff was one reason that America experienced the Great Depression.
Smoot was not reelected in 1932. Most people thought that electing new senators would help end the Great Depression. Smoot remained a member of the quorum of twelve apostles for the LDS church until he died in 1941.
How He Made a Difference
Smoot’s political career helped bring more attention to the state of Utah and the LDS church. His efforts to conserve public lands and how to use natural resources well influenced many decisions about land use in Utah. His dedication to government shaped how people thought about public lands and the global economy for years to come.
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