The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-13
ANACONDA News,
rs A GIGANTIC HUMBUG
Apostle Grant So Pronouncss
the Roberts Agitation.
mo RM0N LEADER TALKS
One OF the Twelve Apostles OF the
Mormon Church, With Eleven
Elders, Holds Church Con-
ference in Anaconda,
mo RMoN LEADER TALKS

One of the - apostles and II of the
elders of the Mormon church, on a
proselyting tour, conducted what is
termed as conference" of the church
in Dewey hall yesterday, holding three
sessions.
AT the head of the party is Apostle
Heoer j. Grant of Salt Lake, one Ct
the most prominent men in the church,
q man born in Mormonism and having
plural wives. Tall, slender, straight,
with long beard, strong features and
archlng eyebrows, he gives one an i'm
preston of great intellectual strength.
AS he warns to his subject, as he cid
IN discussing Mormonism in his several
lectures yesterday, he becomes almost
carried away by the religious enthus-
,asm That is upon him and speaks with
terVld eloquence in glorification of the
church in which is bound up his heart
and soul.
What do you think Of the agitation
that has been aroused over the election
OF Congressman Roberts Of Utah?" was
asked the apostle yesterday after the
afternoon session.
1T is gigantic humbug," was the
reply. AS told Pat Lannan of the
salt Lake Tribune. you have your re-
porters write lie and then base your
tered it broadcast that the Mormon
church is responsible for the candidacy
and election of Roberts, while nothing
is further from the facts. The Mormon
church had nothing to do with his can
didacy or election. AS matter of fact,
John Henry Smith, one of the IL apos-
ties, took the stump against him. Per
sonally am democrat, but there are
many in the church who are republic
cans. We divide on political lines the
n1n a M nf hnr n Ar,I f,1r
Their, many of our people voted against
Roberts, believing his candidacy to be
unwise, fearing that the Tribune would
start the very agitation that 1t did.
The Salt Lake Tribune is RESPONSE
BILE for stirring up that agitation. In
doing SO it's course is far from consist
ent, for when Mr.. Roberts was can
didate in previous campaign, and mad
the same three wives he has now, the
Tribune supported him vigorously. AT
that time Mr.. Roberts became a can
didate against the express wishes of the
church authorities. Hailing him as one
who had broken away from the church
authority, the Tribune lent him its sup
port.
Il was a delegate in the convention
that nominated MIR. Roberts, but had
no part in putting him forward. In fact,
all l said about him in the convention
was to James H. Moyle, chairman of
the democratic state committee, who
:
Moyle that l understood Roberts was
to be a candidate and asked who would
place him in nomination. Il will said
4 Mr.. Moyle. I am glad to hear that
said T. you will make good speech
That was all there was to it.
The next morning the Tribune came
out and said that I had been fitting
from seat to seat'-that was the word
they used, 'fiitting'-forwarding the
candidacy of Roberts and using all the
ri nj nrit of 70 nj tn J1vhi hn
delegates into line to vote for him. The
statement was absolutely false.
TT has ever been the general opinion
and belief in Utah that those who had
lowed to support and maintain them, as
Congressman Roberts has supported
and maintained his. Senator Rollins
himself, who, when the enabling act
was passed. was the Utah delegate in
congress, has told me that was the idea
of those who drafted the enabling act.
The law under which the warrant has
been issued for Mr.. Roberts arrest is
an old relic of the territorial statutes
s9that was carried into the state statutes,
but has never been enforced In fact.
few knew it was there. When an at
tempt was made in the legislature to
pass such an act, the republicans killed
There is no moral sentiment in Utah
against supporting plural wives. In
fact. it would be a crime for man to
cast them off. I have more than one
wife and would not consider for mo-
ment casting any of them off. I am
child of polygamy. but were my father to
fail in his duty to my mother l would
apply to the legislature to have my
name changed, believing that he had
proven no true husband and father"
Another prominent Mormon in the
party is Elder F. S. Bramwell of Bak-
er, Idaho, president of the Northwest
ern states mission. This mission
said the elder yesterday, includes the
state of Montana, Idaho, Washington
and Oregon and the province of Mani
toba. It contains about 1900 members
of the church Of Jesus Christ of Lat
ter Day Saints, and in it's field We have
$50 travelling elders. several of whom
are here to-day.
1T is our custom to have meeting
every years in each conference To-
day we are meeting in the Anaconda
conference. Next Sunday we will meet
in the Butte conference, where we hope
to have President Joseph H. Smith and
Apostle M. F. Cowley present with us.
After that Apostle Cowley and I will
go on an extended tour through Idaho,
Washington and Oregon, holding con-
ferenCes. AS
I'm Anaconda we have about go men,
bers of the church, with H. Short in
charge. The number is growing as 1t Is
throughout the mission
The elder, when asked regarding the
Roberts case, replied in much the same
spirit as Apostle Grant had, but from
a different standpoint the elder being
republican. LAS a matter of fact
said the elder 1.-The candidacy of Mr.
Roberts was not by any means support
ed by the church. He received his larg-
est majorities in Gentle mining camps.
Judge Powers, a prominent Gentle,
took the stump in his interests
The leaders of the church present at
the conference yesterday were as fol-
lows: Apostle Heber j. Grant of Salt
Lake, Elder F. S. Bramwell, president
of the Northwestern States mission.
Elder H. A. Bramwell, his brother, of !
Lewisville, Idaho, president of the Ana |
conda conference; Elder C. Willardson
of Ephriam, Utah, president of the Butte |
conference; Elder Horace Ensign of |
Salt Lake; Elder Charles Dixon of Pro- |
70. Utah; Elder Hiram Monson of
Franklin, Idaho; Elder Andrew King of |
Logan, Utah; Elder John Welsh, ST. of |