The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-02-12
THE MORMON VIEW OF 1T
Old Woodruff Talks BY Press Wire for
the First Time.
HARD LINES FOR HIERARCHY
He Thinks Taxes VIII be Higher But
He Proposes to Go Right Ahead
Preaching the Gospel His
View OF the Election.

statement hr has ever made upon th, pa
liticai fight which has just ended here.
His interview, a. follows. can br under
stood as tho feeling of every Mormon in
the territory:
''Prcsideut Woo,ir,Iir,'' said :. reporter.
81 would lk" to- get your views a. To- the I
political campaign here and questions al /
ISSUE"
''Well. sir, consider this a. something |
more than "A mere question as tn
what ncu shall compose Ill"
city government and what party
they belong tn. There IL - deep laid
scheme Ia deprive the Mormon people "f
all political rights and privileges so that
the minority here may obtain control nf
the territory. They cannot do this 10y fair
means, they resort tn foul. by mis-
representation and taking a,ivautag" of
popular prejudice against Mormon-,
founded chiefly in Ignorance, they sue
cecded in securing the disfrauchiscmcnt
of the Older settlers who made th" couu-
try. and th"u of all th" women. This not
giving th"-" scheners "a majority.
they hav" sought other means.
The Edmuu'is-Tuck"r act has helped
them somewhat but III" test oath
il provides can he taken by th" majority
al least as well as 10y their opponents.
Now they want every Mormon deprived
of the right Ia vote and hold office. no
matter how good and iaw-abiding a citizen
h.. may Ina. At the Ogden election "A year
ago large numbers of names of resident
voters wcrr stricken from the registration
lists. Hundreds of noii-r'-i,lcnts wcr''
imported aud the election was carried 10y
open fraud. Since then. 10y fictitious val
| uations. the assessments of property have
| been raised from three to- Nv" times the
| former amounts of taxes. Vice has
nourishCd. official salaries have been
raised. public improvements hav" not adj
vauccd and til" chang" il d"plor"d by the
| best pcop" Of both parti"s.'
| "Boast- wcr,, made after the Ogden
| election that Salt LAX. would b. III" next
| point of attack and that il would b.'
| ried 10y similar means. The result has
| proved the boasts not Ia have been mad"
| i'm vain. ! consider that the election her"
| has been gained 10y striking from the reg
! istra,tinu list hundreds Of legally qualified
citizens and 10y the votes of hundreds al
newcomers. not lawful "itiS"ns. regard
the action of the registers. their sitting
| "a a court To- iulg, of their own acts aud
the whole course pursued a. a part "f the
| scheme To captnr" th. city at all hazards.
| I view IL with profound regret a. "a prosti-
tuition of law aud official power ilIat
should saslsicn every lover of fair play and
| of the welfare of his country"
"What effect will this change har. upon
the church and the peoples party -
| "oh, as to- that cannot 81" that the
church will in any way bc affected. A. an
organization II il under s"partt" and
apart from political matters. M"mhcrs of
y the church belong To- the peoples party.
and they will naturally feel that they
have been robbed "f their rights at the
\
their political views. Tie church WAS not
in tin. campaign and Tia. result will have
n" bearing upon !, "a, all that ! can see.
| church,
$50 far as know il will bc To- preach
the gospel to all the world. to instruct its
members in their religious duties and
move forward to its divin"ly ordained d"s-
tiny "a III" actual living church 81
Christ.
ais there any probability of tlr" Mormon
church ar n.."p'" removing t" M">i"" 81
Non. that ! know Of. I ,lo not s." any
necessity for such removal. Individual
m"Inh"rs may 60 wh"r" they "ii""S" I,
. better their condition, hut there - not
nor has never been. any concentration 81
any .,, snch sx3.ius as y"n ask ah@i,t. ., At,
, | to the kingdom of God ."
''lt il this: We hold that this church Wa
: set up and organized 10y command of Al
= mighty God that il has ia" right IT, form
D | ulate and maintain th" rules of church
a discipline applying only To- it, own m"nl
: beers that the extent of it, puritiV" pow
: er- j. the "xcornmuuication oi th" trans
!. gressor: that u has no power To- puni-i
II any one 10y deprivation OF lie. iibcrty %
: personal property. or personal injury ~
; any form: that governments should no
u regulate the church. nor the church s'ci
|, Il, control the state: that all men shoul,
l bc politically fire.. and equal free 10 vo,
r they please and sustain what polite
i they please. so that they 81" net 'nfring
upon tine rights of others. We b"li.v,
this church will prepar" th" way for tn
coming II Christ u reign a. King, am
y kingdom of God. winch all Christians prs
:. will come; that the will of God may b
don. on earth a. IL il in heaven. w. bs
= li.va in the full and free. agency 81 man
~ and that " hen that kingdom IL s.~tabli-h.-
" there will be perfect liberty on earth. civil
l. political and religious.
a ''Th.n you don't feel gloomy as to Tia
n | ultimate result 81 this election ~
e "No: l believe th. taxes will bc rai~e'
~ that there will he such "a loo-'
L. ness Of restraint imposed upon in
Ia morality. and such striI
l. ing contrast formed under liberal rtIl" I
~ order. To that honor. honesty and col
ie si-t.nt progress of the city under Ill
peoples regime. that. a. ia Ogden. tt
more respectable people of all class.
will soon desire a return to former met
l. o.~. The plotters against the majori'
will probably be .Iubollcu.d To- p,Ir~t
W their plan for the destruction of rcpri
licau government in the territory. but
al should be sorry To- believe that cot
le | rre-- or the country will procc.
ld io such unconstitutional aud iuflnot
h. | .xtr..mitiss as thos. that will bs. propose
al In any event. th..r. is power superior
ct | all men who " i'll overr,l. all things ia
at | ,,ppp"u for the good of those who SER
h. | Him
President Woodruff aI,;tparsat - b.s