Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-12
PRESIDENT wooDRUFF.
Interesting Interview With the Head of
the NIor1,,on ChnrcI,

Interesting Interview With the Head of
the Mormon Church.
SALT LAKE CITY, February 11th. =
President Woodruff, the head of the Nor
mon Church, to-day gave the Associated
Press the only statement he has ever made
upon the political fight which has just
ended here. His interview was as follows,
and can be understood as the feeling of
every Mormon in the Territory:
President Woodruff, would like to get
your views as to the political campaign
here and the questions at issue?"
well, sir, l consider this something
more than a mere question of what shall
compose the city government, and what
party they belong to. There is deep. laid
scheme to deprive the Mormon people OF
all political rights and privileges, so that
the minority here shall control the Terri
tory. They cannot do this by fair means,
so they resort to foul. By misrepreSenta-
ton and taking advantage of popular
prejudice against the Mormons, founded
chiefly in ignorance, they succeeded in
securing the disfranchisement of the older
settlers who had made the country, and
then of all the women. These not giving
these schemers a majority they have sought
other means. The Edmunds-Tucker Act
has helped them somewhat, but the test
oath provides that it can be taken by
the majority at least as well as by their
opponents. Now they want every Mormon
deprived of his right to vote and hold Of
fee, no matter how good and law-abiding
citizen he may be.
AT the Ogden election year ago
large number of the names of resident
of trin ho CITY ion,
lists and hundreds of non-residents were
imported, and the election was carried by
the Liberals by open fraud. Since then,
by fictitious valuations, the assessments of
property have been raised from three to
FIVE times the former amounts of taxes.
Vice has fiourished. officials salaries have
been raised, public Improvements have not
advanced, and the change is deplored by
the best people of both parties.
Boasts were made after the Ogden cleo
ton that Salt Lake would be the next point
of attack, and that it would be carried by
similar means. The result proves that the
boast was not made in vain. l consider
that the election has been gained here by
striking from the registration lists hun
dreds of legally qualified citizens, and by
the votes of hordes of newcomers not law
ful citizens.
"In regard to the action OF the Registrars,
their sitting as a court to Judge of their
own acts and the whole course pursued. is
part of the scheme to capture the city at
all hazards.
Il view it with profound regret, as
prostitution of law and official power that
should ssdden every lover of fair play and
the welfare of his country"
"What effect will this change have upon
the Church and the Peoples party ?"
"Oh as to that, / cannot see that the
Church will be in any wav affected. AS an
organization it is entirely separate and
apart from political matters. The members
of the Church belong to the Peoples party,
and they will naturally feel that they have
been robbed of their rights at the polls.
But presume that will not effect their po
litical views or status. The Church was
not in the campaign, and the result will
have no bearing upon it at all, that l can
see"
what will be the future policy of the
church,"
$50 far as I know, it will be to preach
the gospel to all the world, instruct its
members in their religious duties, and
move forward to its divinely ordained des-
tination, as the actual, living Church OF
Christ"
SIS there any probability of the Mormon
Church or its people removing to Mexico
or elsewhere?n
None that know Of / do not see any
necessity of such a removal. Indlyidual
members may go where they choose, to
better their condition, but there Is net, nor