The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-17
A MORMON HIT
Victory Of Church in an Import
ant Struggle.
POL YGAMY AND THE LAW
Enforcement of Edict That Church
Must be Supreme - New
State Constitution.

in the eyes of the churches
that so long fought the practice, but
have given notice that only those who
are faithful to the DEGREES of the priest
hood can hope TO become powerful in
Utah. Both the solemn promises on
which statehood was granted have been
thrown back mockingly to the Ameri-
can people With franchise, prestige
and property restored, the so-called
Latter Day Saints have established
their hierarchy in the midst of the Re-
public, and are preparing to enter up
on their promised heritage of the gov
ernments of all the world.
A high church leader who still prac-
tees polygamy and who upholds the
right of the priesthood TO dictate in
politics has been elected by the men
and women of Utah, with half chal-
lenge for the House of Representatives
to unseat him. The nation, in fact, is
called upon to face the Mormon prob
lem again, and this time with the bel
| ligerent people intrenched behind all OF
| the safeguards which the Constitution
| has thrown about the State.
The problem is not merely moral
one which we can leave to the other
churches, nor local one which we can
shift to the people OF the West, but is
national in all the sense of the word.
Already Uta.h's two seats in the United
States Senate are at the disposal OF the
Mormon Church leaders. Idaho has
| learned that it cOnnot fill its seats In
the same body without giving reeogni-
ton to these same spiritual potentates
Wyoming, in it's fiercest contest, has
found the Mormon legislators holding
the balance of power in the State.
Nevada on the west and Colorado or
the east of Utah are being slowly in
vaded by an army of this people, which
is creeping surely to their furtheres
boundaries and which in the neal
future must make itself of the creates
Importance. Arizona and New Mexico
future states, do not hesitate to adml
that the Mormon priesthood can gov
arn the fortunes of the parties withil
their confines.
Governmental control is no new am
saints They were told when they wer
mere handful, hunted from State t
State, that one day they should rul
America and from its capital eXten
their dominions throughout the worl
as the viceregentS of God on eartI
Joseph Smith, their prophet, in 1874
set himself up for the presidency, an
eontended that he had right as th
mouthpiece of God to give the law
the people of the United States. Propf
cts who have followed him have tol
Their followers that power for them
not far distant and that they shout
prepare themselves for the respons
bility. Polygamy itself, in the do
trines of the church, is founded on Il
idea that the people shall multip
quickly in order that they may specs
lily extend their dominion.
In the election of B. H. Roberts tt
Mormon idea of power, and Of the co
tfnuance of polygamy as well, finds
expression, for he has been the cent
of the greatest fight ever waged in Il
sect. He is not a politician. He h
been missionary, a president OF ell
ers in the church, and in late years
chief writer on theological matters.
fact. he was sent in 1894 to explain t
Mormon faith TO the congress OF re
gions at the worlds exposition in CT
: cago.
He found an opportunity to ent
m politics seven years ago. The Norm
presidency, yielding at last to nation
pressure, solemnly declared that the
should never be an attempt to uni
the church and state in Utah, and tn
the Mormons should be absolutely u
trammeled in their political actic
High leaders of the sect plunged IN
politics at once, and Mr.. Roberts, w
held himself as a Democrat, exec
when the interests of the Mormo
;. seemed TO conflict with such an
legiance, espoused the cause OF I'll
party.
But he was to learn that the pre-
dency's promise was not made in go
faith and to be the instrument where
the lesson that the priesthood was 81
in control was to be impressed 7
Me- only on the Mormons of Utah, but
- the GentileS.
4 Mr.. Roberts was the Democratic &C
y didate for Congress in the first ST;
~ election, in 1895. He had been chos
by his party because even then th'
had been church interference" and
had stood out against several Of
powerful priests who had used tn
influence in favor of the Republica
and had shown a determination not
= bow TO ecclesiastical orders by opp
H. ing woman suffrage, the pet meas1
iu' OF the Mormon presidency. Nom1na
on the same ticket was Moses That
er. an apostle, regularly named
NO candidate for the United States 5
ate. He was also noted for his in