Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-02-17
PRESIDENT wOODRUFrs VIEWS.

:. porter, who was in this city FEY
,, days ago, Is published IN the caster
or papers:
ID SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. u.-PresI
m dent Woodruff, the head OF the Nor
!, mon church, today gave to the Asso
cia'e ed Press the only statement he hai
ever made upon the political hgh
which has Just ended here. His inter
II view, which is as follows. can be un.
D derstood as the feeling OF every Nor
e mon in the Territory:
: president Woodruff. would like
e TO get your views as to the political
t campaign here and the questions a;
2 issue T"
swell, sir, I consider this as some
thing more than a mere question Of
9 what men shall compose the city gov
eminent and what party they belong
to. There is a deep-laid scheme to de-
prive the Mormon people Of all po-
litical right and privileges So that the
minority here may obtain control Of
the Territory. They cannot do this by
fair means, so they resort to foul.
"By misrepresentation and taking
advantage of popular prejudice against
the Mormon, founded chiefly in ig-
norance, they succeeded in securing
the Acknowledgement OF the older set
tiers who made the cou ntry, and then
of all the women. This not giving
these schemers' q majority, they have
sought other means. The Eim1nds-
Tucker act has helped them some
what, but the test oath it provides can
be taken by a majority at least as well
as by their opponents.
Now they want every Mormon DE-
prived Of the right to vote and hold
Office, no matter how good aud law
abiding q citizen he may be. At the
Ogden election a year ago, large num-
bers Of the names Of resident voters
were stricken from the registration
lists, hundreds Of non-residents were
imported and the election was carried
by the Liberals by open fraud, and
since then, by fictitious valuation, the
assessments OF properly have been
| raised from three to five times the for
mer amounts OF taxes vice has -four
ished, official salaries have been
raised. Public improvements have
not advanced and the change is de-
plored by the best people OF both par
ties.
"Boasts were made after the Ogden
election, tina; Salt Lake would be the
next point OF attack, and that it would
be carried by similar means. The re-
suit has proved the boast not to have |
been made in vain.
81 consider the election has been |
gained here by striking from the re-
gistration Isis hundreds Of legally |
qualified citizens and by the votes OF
hordes Of new corners not lawful Cit
zens.
al regard the action OF the registrars,
their sitting as a court to judge OF their
own acts, and the whole course pur-
sued. as part Of the scheme to capture
the. city at all hazards. view it with
profound regret as prostitution OF law
and official power that. should sadden
every lover OF fair play and welfare OF
his country"
"what effect will this change have
upon the Church and the Peoples
Party?'i
''oh, as TO that 1 cannot see that the
Church will in any way be affected c.
an organization. Il is entirely separ-
ate and apart from political matters;
members Of the Church belong TO the
Peoples Party, and they will natur-
ally feel that they have been robbed Of
their rights at the polls. But I pre-
sumo that it viii not affect their polit-
ical views or status.
THE Church was not in tia. cam
paign and the result will have no bear
ing upon it at all that can see."
what Will be the future policy Of
the Church,"
$50 far as I know, Il will be to
preach the Gospel 10 all the world; in
struct It's members in their religious
duties, and move forward TO its divini-
ty-ordained destiny as the actual Iiv-
ing Church OF Christ"
as there any probability of the
Mormon Church or people removing
to Mexico or elsewheref"
None that i know of. / do not see
any necessity OF such removal. Indi-
vidual members may go where they
choose to better their condition, but {
there is not nor has there been any
contemplation Of any such exodus as (
you ask about"
what Is the Mormon idea Of its
rule as the kingdom Of God!"
II Is this: we hold that this Church !
was set up and organized by com v
nand OF the Almighty; that it has the 4
tight to formulate and maintain rules 4
81 church discipline applying to It's 4
'wn members; that the extent of IFS
punitive powers is the excommuuic,- ;
ion fthe transgressor; that it has no a
'ower to punish anyone by depriva- L
ion OF life. liberty or property or pes. d
onal injury in any form; that gov p
rnments should not regulate the e
hureh, nor the church seek 10 control ~
he state; that all men should be polit- IN
ally free and equal, free to vote as M
icy please and TO sdstsin what poll Ia,
es they please, so that they do not Jt
fringe upon the rights Of others. -
I'VE believe this Church will pre-
arc the way for the coming OF Chris, a
reign as King. and that this Church in
Ill then develop into the Kingdom OF or
cd, which all Christians pray will vo
me; that the will OF God NAV be ha
me on earth as il is in heaven. We IS
iieve in the full and free agency Of
an, and that when tina: kingdom is W,
abolished there will be perfect lib All
y on Garth. civil, political and re- he
,ious." an
Then you do not feel gloomy as 10 no
ultimate result Of this electionYp tn'
uuHa
No. 1 believe taxes will be raised w
It there will be such a loosenes, Of
itraint imposed upon immortality bes
d such striking contrast formed jus
der Liberal rule that order, honor, vii
messy and consistent progress Of the son
under the Peoples regime, that as yen yen
Ogden, the more respectable people -.
Ill classes W Il soon desire q return Gle,
former methods. The plotters doy
inst the majority will probably be ma
ooidened to pursue their plans for ih'
destruction OF republican gov 70
ment in the Territory, but should FIJI
oeiie'e that congress or cur
country will proceed TO such un- hus
stitutional and infamous extrem- mes