The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-04-19
PROVO CITY. APRIL 19, 1894
STRANGERS WITHIN OUR GATES,

STRANGERS WITHIN OUR GATES.
Sunday last President Smoot OF the
Utah Stake of Zion, speaking as
churchman, to churchmen, said lit
would be unwlse to take council Of
strangers within our gates" So it
would in the sense meant by President
Snloot. Surely no gentle or outsider
Of any rank, either in church policy
or management would dare to obtrude
his views upon the Mormon church.
That would be unwise, unjust and in
bad taste. Yet some have done it and
the rebuke of the venerable president OF
this stake had warrant. He did not
mean that citizens Of other religious
views were to be excluded from the
counsels of their neighbors and friends
asIto the policies of government in which
they are interested as the men are of
the dominant church of the territory.
It is morally impossible for the presi
dent of the stake to take, adopt or
urge a policy as narrow and contempt
!ble as that would be. But his rebuke
to those forward strangers who would
interfere in the conduct Of the church
OF the stake needed and had richly
earned the rebuke of the venerable
gentleman. The effort of a cotempor-
ary to point this rebCke at the editor Of
THE DISPATCH is as himsy and as
false as it is possible for anything to
be. President Smoot has never thought
of such a thing and we know he will
never have cause to rebuke our inter
ference in chuIch matters, but If he
really did mean to shut US off from
political interference or from giving
political advice or from trying to build
up the democracy Of the county and of
the territory, not he, with all of his
great ability and lofty character
could do that. But we know that
nothing was farther from his intention
than the purpose ascribed to him by
the paper alluded to. So that he will
not be compelled to make defense to
us OF to anyone else.
Religious belief. like political senti.
ments are as free as Air in this land.
No man may dictate in either case to
the p pie. and the weak and NAL
evolent effort to fasten falsehood of
this outrageous nature upon President
Smoot will be-has proven miserable
failure-must ever be such, indeed.
We have no brighter, clearer headed or
more progressive man in the territory
than President Smoot, no one
of our citizens is more beloved
by the outsiders" or possesses more of |
their confidence and esteem than does
President Smoot. He has ever been
cordial, courteous, tolerant, hospitable
and considerate, like the true old-time
southerner that he is. This attempt to
stir up strife, to plant bad blood and
return the territory to the old-time
conditions of hate and prejudice will
prove most dismal and deserved fail |
ure. President Smoot himself will |
doubtless be astonished when his at
tention is called to the false light into |
which be is thrown by this pitiful eff.
fort to misinterpret what he really did
mean by his brief speech Sunday last
in the tabernacle.
We know President Smoot and his
true sentiments well and we know that
the construction thus sought to be
placed upon the remarks he did make
IN the occasion referred to, is false en-
lirely and foreign to the every instinct
If this elevated and fair-minded gen
leman. The paper referred to is hard
pushed for ammunition to war with
THE DISPATCH. Its struggles are
ain. Its condition moribunF, and
IrownIng papers are like drowning
nen, catch at every straw floating
within their reach. It. reads arioht
he handwriting on the wall, and the !
LIBERAL and remunerative patronage of
HE DISPATCH is proof positive of the
old upon the affections of the people
7hich it has secured by its frank, hon 5
st and candid course.