Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-08
THE cmuncn AND POLITICS.

KARL ~ MNf'f+iN
General SUPPLEMENTARY
THE CuuHCu AND POLITICS
The rcbukc administered ~ rrcsl-
dent Joseph y. Smith. In the Taber-
naclc on Friday afternoon. TO the au-
thor and promulrerH n the falsehool
that the mormon" church controlled
tho last November election. has stirred
M quite a hurry. Everybody ao-
urainted With the situation knows that
hIs remarks are true. The church had
no more to DO with choosing or cicc'ing
the Representative to Congress from
Utah, than with the election " a mem
her from New York.
The Dessert News has taken the same
position on this subject ever since II
has been ariia,-d The official at.
terancc of President joseph " Smith
foriinss and establishes H. The pa
per that started the Misrepresentation
concerning u. and The preachers who
have echoed the libel throughout the
land. know that the church dld not
intsrfev with the election last fall. and
that the Mormon" people were divided
at the polls. quite ~ much a. any other
citizens. and with a ylgor Of division
that showed sometimes morr force
than discretion. Tho contention that
has arisen on political arairr was dep
recated BY President Smith. and ought
not TO prrvall among those who are
inembcrr u the same religious body.
Hut II demonstrates the faiachood "
the eharre that they were directed
and controlled BY the Church Authori-
ties.
The attitude ~ the chief originator
Of that false rrport nov revcfbefating
Throughout the land. IA both amusing
and disgusting. II endorses the state.
ment that the gentleman elected was
not Church candidate. And then Il
Foes on TO try, and mako II appear
that hIs nomination was brought about
BY Church leaders. urging the matter
A. fellrionlsts," and that he was elect
I'd BY members Of the Mormon Church"
The fact that one supporter Of the
gentleman was an Apostle u the
churh. IL put forward az the only
evidence u these charges. Il Ia fun
n, TO no,e these decentralization:
u Il rvoltinr 10 rad the ~
Iteration Of pnlpable falschoods
after they arr 80 clearly exposed
The author Of the Misrepresentation
persis'enily irnorcA ono undeniabls
fact. While II Ia true that one Apostle
advocated the election Of the success.
ful candidate. hut did not take tho
stump In hlr behalf. another Apostle
not only supported tho opposing candl.
dAie, but accompanied him through.
out the state and made speechc- In IA
NoF Of the latiers election. privately
~ well A. publicly. Thus the Church
cut no ngure In the contest. for both
Gentlemen simply exercised their right.
a. American citizens. and openly dis.
SHOWED any Church influence or author.
ny IN the matter. why proclaim to the
world that the Representative to Con.
rfei. was elected by the members OF
the Mormon church" when there was
Just as much effort on tho part Of MON,
pers Of the Mormon" Church 10 dc.
ieat himf Why persist In such an AZ.
teftion. when the non. Mormon" vet.
inE districts polled heavy majorliies In
his fasori Why ray Anything about the
religious status OF Mormon" voter,
and be dumb about the Church mem.
bsnhip Of Methodist, baptist. Eplseo-
paiiAn and other Church peoplo who
voted at the same timcf pld tho sun.
pof'err Of the successful candidate vote
~ 'Mormons." or a. clilzensP II a,
me former, how about the "Mormon.r
who voted against hlmf Ana ana m.
hormons" who supported "Gentlesp
on The same iIelet elee, them also a,
'Mormons"f
u u not about time 10 drop this felsl.
heatlon " fact. and contention oye, ,
81 Nhl'h lhffr Il NJ real pfaHt7
Does It deceive anybody except people
AZ a distance who do not know Inc
truth Does II do any good 10 the stn,,
OF TO any one but the preachers Who
Of ~ '''' ou'
We have nothing to say a. To IN,
wisdom or policy, or expedloncy of
isaalng Church dignliarics actively en-.
tasins In political contests. That 4. n
matter for their own discretion. We
snnpb stand W for the rlshts OF elti-
.sns 10 do that II they choose. whether
,hey belong To one party or to another
ana we deny the righi Of any psr.on
OF PAPER 10 Interfere With their politl.
cal liberty, or Ia abuse them FOR its ev.
sielaf' And II Is shameful 10 so psryer,
,a.u and disior, tho truth. az to pub.
nsh abroad that Church has elected n
.anu'aAle' becauso some OF ~ MON
' "s's, acting only az American citizens.
'"'ss 10 support him At the polls.