The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1894-09-27
ATTITUDE OF TIL:
CHURCH.
Prcsid mt WooIrnff Cl'arly Tx
plains his Position.

plains his PuSltlOn.
Toe remarks Of President Wiliord
Woodruff at the Provo Tabernacle SUI
day afternoon, synopsis of which WI
published in the Tribune Of yesterday,
were read with great interest hy the
public In order that they may create
no Misunderstanding. aud to remove
any possible Misrepresentation, The Trib.
unc on lay addressed Tie following to
President Woodruff:
"Salt Lake City, Sept. "a, 1898
"Wilford Woodruff, President of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter. Day
Saints dear SIR Heretofore The
Tribune has reported you and others in
authority In your church us giving ut
terance 10 the sentiment that the Nor.
mon people ought to devide upon Ma
tional party lines according to the po-
ltical sentiments which each man might
entertain, without interference in any
way from officials OF your church in that
matter. Frequently has that utternnce
been given, and the public has come to
rely upon it rs fixed and final. Now,
however, this feeling Of safety from
church interference in politi,s has been
disturbed, and fresh source of unrest
init oduced by report which appeared
in The Tribune this morning OF your re-
marks yesterday at Provo. The report
was made by man in complete sym.
pathy with yourself go far rs church af.
fairs go, and who, il is certain. would
refuse TO misreport you in any way.
Subsequent inquiry develops that he is
confident in the accuracy Of his report OF
your remarks as he understood them
The portion of that report which causes
uneasiness is the following.
at is generally thought the first pres
idency should have nothing to say out
politics." he continued. Ipicked up
paper this morning saying that We had
no business to NEEDLE in politics. We
have right to lead the people in spirit
ual and temporal affairs. We have the
same rights of leadership that Brigham
Young had, and that tho Prophet Joseph
Smith had In temporal affairs? Yes
In political aflairs7 Yes. We have .
right to advise both Democrats and Re
publicans to lead pure campaign. We
have right to say TO the people that
they must be pure in politics as well as
in temporal affairs. We have thousands
OF children growing TO manhood in Zion
would like to see them brought up under
proper influences. and not under the
influence OF ouch campaign as we hal
two years ago"
"The purpose OF this inquiry is to as
certain with exactness,
First, whether your remarks were
precisely as reported, and, il not, where
in they depart from precision.
"SecoDd, II the remarks were as re
ported, then in what sense do you wish
it understood: whether as claim {,
control the political actions of you
people absolutely, or only as citizen 3,
advise the right.
Third, the claim is apparently made
in your remarks that the church author
tiles claim the right to direct the peopl
in their business and politics, and, il
general their temporal affairs, as well a
spiritual, Undesirable TO know whethe
this claim Is really made aud insisted
upon at the time. and is to be in the
future, while the public has been led +
believe that claim thing OF the past
Most respectfully,
TRIBUNE PUBLISHING Co.
PRESIDENT WOODRUFFS REPLY
President Woodruffreplled 70 the abov
queries as follows:
salt Lake Tribune Gentleman :
Answering the first question in You