The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-16
IN MORMONDOM.
Utah Harrassed by Old Question Of
Church and State.
moaMoNs' MEDDLING IN POLITICS
Likely to Start an Anti State
hood Campaign.

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. IS. -Wilford
Woodruff president of the Mormon
church, has made written statement con-
corning the recent priesthood meeting
There was not, according 10 his recollec-
ton, one word said about Democrats, he-
publicans or politics. President Wood
ruff says:
"I consider the right Of every man.
woman and child on earth 20 ENJOY thelr
religion let that religion be what 1t may
for that Is between themselves ana their
Creator So say with regard TO politics.
Every man has right 10 enjoy his poiin-
cal belief unmolested. There Is not DEM
ocrat in Utah who can truthfully say that
] ever asked him to vote Republican
ticket. Neither can any Republican say
/ ever asked him TO vote "a Democratic
ticket. A part of my own family are lie
publicans and part are Democrats"
The Democratic state committee was In
session all day Monday and Monday even
ing, and announced that but one feeling
prevailed In regard TO taking action on the
alleged interference of the high officials
OF the Mormon church in political affairs,
and that was that heroic measures must
be taken and the question of political
liberties of the people of Utah, irrespective
of party. settled once and for all. Ii was
decided to recall the state convention at
an early date to consider the proposition
OF withdrawing the Democratic ticket and
substituting therefor an anti-statehood
ticket, or taking some other decisive step
In regard to church interference In politics.
"Not Upon Politics."
Joseph #. Smith, one of President Wood
rue's chief counselors, says: MY re-
marks made at the priesthood meeting
are not susceptible of the meaning which
individuals in both political parties have
placed upon them. was speaking upon
church discipline, not upon politics mt all y
The feeling Is moro bitter than at any
time since the discussion commenced. The
op,nion is general that II Thatcher and
Roberts can hold out against the Mormon
church that powerful body will be dis
rupted and Utah can then enter the Union
free and untrammelled. On the other
hand. should the church triumph, 10 Is
claimed that the Democratic ticket would
be- withdrawn, many of the prominent
Mormon members of the party would
secede and statehood would probably be
defeated
The remarks which led up to this crisis
were uttered, 1t is said, by Joseph f.
Smith OF the Mormon church, at the re'
cent priesthood meeting. They were to
the effect that numerous men high In the
councils of the church, and particularly
Messrs. Thatcher and Roberts, candidates
on the Democratic ticket for the scnat,
and congress- had accepted nomination.
for political offices without consulting
with the president Of the church, which
was contrary to the rules OF the church
George Q. Cannon was reported to hav'
endorsed Mr.. smiths remarks.
The words of the church authorities ar
taken as a command that those who have
gone into politics without the advice ano
consent Of the church must retire from
that field.
The declaration was reviewed with great
alarm by Gentiles and the progressive
Young Mormons who feared return tc
the old conditions which prevailed when
the Mormon church authorities ruled with
rod Of iron.
Strong and bitter anti-statehood talk
was Immediately indulged in by those
who hitherto have favored statehood the
most strongly. Judge Powers, chairman
of the Democratic state committee, called
n "
with the avowed purpose of dissolving the
Democratic party and forming an anti
statehood party, which has been carried
out. Powers is strongly supported, IL 4:
said, by the Gentle Republicans and the
progressive element of the Mormons, ir
respective of party.
1t is believed that fight Is on with the
church, and II the latter does not receds
absolutely from the position, anti-state
hood movement will be at once inaugu
rated.
At Logan, Sunday, at the close of th,
Mormon Sunday school, Bishop Carson
called the teachers together, and referrin,
20 the criticism made by a church officia
on Thatcher and j. ]. Rawlins, who sc
cured the passage OF the statehood bill
said that from this the people would kno,
whom to vote against.