The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-06

from MILFORD Woodruff, George Q. Can
non ard Joseph f. Smith, constituting
the first presidency OF the Mormon
church, and appears under the heading
of An Explanation to the Public"
It reads as follows:
There have been many communications
of late in the newspapers concerning
Colonel Isaac TrumDO and his affairs.
Charges have been made, amanating from
various sources that there has been some
financial connection between himself and
the hurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. II has been repeatedly stated
in years past, and the story has been re-
NtVed Of late, that Colonel Trumbo has
had large amounts of money in his hands
and under his control belonging to the
Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints; that he has been its agent in the
expenditure of funds for the accomplish
ment of certain ends that were desired TO
be achieved.
We have remained silent upon this sub
lect. 1t is well known that from time TO
time charges are made and circulated con-
corning Us and our affairs, which We
deem it unnecessary to notice. 1t would
be occupying too much of our time to be
contradicting stories which are put in
circulation by one and another for their
own purposes. This feeling has restrained
US in the past in relation to Colonel Trum-
DO and his connection with US and our
affairs. But it seems to be proper now,
and Just 10 ourselves. as well as common
justice to him, that We should say some
thing in relation to the association that
has existed between Colonel Isaac Trum-
DO and ourselves as the representative of
the Church OF Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
First of all, we wish to state most en-
phatically that Colonel Trumbo has not
had property of ours in his possession for
such purposes as alleged He has neither
been our financial agent. nor had any con-
troll of our property. We have not en-
trusted him with amounts of money to
eXpend for US for any such purposes.
In the time of our deep distress. when
bitterness and hatred were manifested
against US il almost every public quar-
ter. Colonel Isaac Trumbo came to Utah,
and showed interest in our affairs. Some
of his own relatives were involved in
cases that We're then before the courts.
One prominent connection of his was con-
signed to the penitentiary, on the COM
mon charge THAI was in vogue against so
many prominent Latter-day Saints. The
colonies sympathies. it seems. were
aroused at least in behalf of his kinsfOlk
This caused him to take interest in the
whole question; and this interest absorbed
him to such an extent that he withdrew
from profitable business that he had at
the time in san Francisco, and devoted
himself almost exclusively TO the labor
of correcting the false impressions which
prevailed and TO the enlistment of the
press in the correction of thu many false
hoods and aspersiOns which We're in cir
and afterwards, on a wider field.
using his influence with leading n,en of
Isaac Trumbo is q man of extraordinary
energy. When he undertakes anything
that he thinks ought to be DONE he is I'M
turing In his efforts TO accomplish 1t.
These characteristics were wonderfully IL
lustrated in the labCrs which he took upon
himself in behalf Of the maligned ard
Latter-day Saints Being
q man Of means. he was able to travel
from place TO place. and especially to visit
and sustain himself at Washington. We
can never forget his activity in visiting
public opinion through the press. No man
could have displayed greater zeal and dis
than he did in the labOrs
that he took upon himself. We felt that /
he was inspired; for. not being a member +
Of our religious organization. and having
no financial ends IL accomplish that
would be remunerative 10 him, there was
nOthlng 10 lnclte him 10 these eXtraOrdln- .
airy eXsruOns except Il purely philanthropy :
lc desire TO defend an oppressed and I'M .
popular people and to roll back the tide
Of calumny and evil that threatened TO
lverwheim them. We felt thankful many .
times for the kind providence which .
raised him up. for he seemed TO come to .
our aid at = time when man in his posi-
ton and with his interchangeable energy .
was especially needed.
When the Mormon people were threat .
ened with disfranchsement. Colonel .
IrumbO spent considerable time in Wash f.
ngton. eXerting himself to the utmost Of .
his ability TO defeat that infamous meas
lre. And while there were other agencies ,
also at work tfor every one that had any
influence IN the community realized how
necessary il was that this measure should /
be defea ted, still Colonel Isaac TrumDO +
was the means Of bringing powerful in +
iuences TO bear against the enactment of
hat villainOus bill. In the defeat OF Elat
legislation. every member Of
)ur church mad cause to be deeply CRATE
nj To the Lord and to the instruments
bringing it TO naught
With the same zeal and devotedness. he /
worked unt.ringly to obtain the amnesty;
md also afterwards in securing the re-
urn OF the personal property To the
church. and in preparing the way for the
'etErn of the real estate.
lie threw himself into the accomplish
nent of all these ends with an energy
md Wilderness Of soul that won him many
rlends and crowned his labors ana the
abors Of those who worked with him
With success.
Colonel TrumbO was most fortunate in
Winning the respect and admiration of
influential men in the nation. BY his
representations OF the condition of things
n the then territory of Utah, and his en-
husiastc defense of the Mormon people, I
le aroused the active interest and sym
'athies of very many of them. This was
notably the case with General James s Z
iarkson- This gentleman was deeply
moved by all that he learned, and he en-
cred with his whole soul and great in
uence. with Colonel TrumbO into the
hort 10 make the true character of the
eople known to the nation and to re-
move the widespread and deep-rooted
re1udices which existed so generally at
hat time against the Mormon people 1t
you'd be invidious. perhaps to attempt
o give names OF other leading and in
uential public men who. by the powerful
ppeals which We're made to them, were
Induced TO examine what was known as
he Mormon question from a different
tandpoint to that which they had oc-
upied; but their names are cherished in
rateful remembrance by the men of
tab. and their deeds viii be preserved
! the history of the people. All the in
uence which be had gained by personal
Colonel Trumbo used to
lake the people of Utah better known to
he nation at large. and towards prepar-
X the way for the admission of Utah
s q state. It is not necessary for us to
o into details concerning his labors in
mis- direction; it is sufficient to say that
robably no single agency contributed so !
luch to making Utah 4 state as the la
ors of Colonel Isaac Trumbo and his
Immediate friends.
MILFORD WOODRUFF,
GEORGE .. CANNON,
JOSEPH =. SMITH.
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