Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-11-24
MlniStexS
Oppose Smoot.
Inoeigh cAgast The "Glormon" Apostles Candidacy for
The United States Senate and Resolve That HIS Elec-
lion Would be a Nattonal Calamity and an Insult 10
American CHizensbp-7ert Of Remarkable document

: copal bishop claims no such authority
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The election Of Apostle Reed Smoot
for the United States Senate would
virtually be the election of the will OF
the Mormon First Presidency ana
Twelve Apostle to that body. AS a con-
sistent member OF the Mormon
apostolate Apostle Smoot cannot make
an important move without getting
permission or taking counsel Of the
quorum of Mormon" High Priests TO
which he belongs by virtue of his
apostolic vows, he must act first as
Mormon" Apostle; and second or
third as a citizen Of Utah and patriotic
American.
We protest against the proposed
election OF Apostle Smoot to the Unit
ed States Senate because the majority
OF the Mormon" ap0stolate TO which
he belongs and with which he works
In harmony. are living in polygamous
relation In violations of covenants
made TO the people OF the United
States, rs well as In violation of the
criminal statutes Of Utah The two or
three Apostles who may be living
homogeneous lives, are obliged to de-
fend the righteousness Of the polygam-
Gus system OF marriage, and to wink
at the lawbreaking polygamous rela-
ton of their fellow Apostles. The
Mormon" apOstolate stands, as one
man, before this community, as d.
rectly or indirectly encouraging or con-
niving at, the continuance of polygam-
tIpanUhnIf
mon Church, The vigorous and rigor-
GUS execution. Ike the Edmunds-Tuck
err law, In this state would drive the
President OF the Mormon" Church
and the majority Of his Apostles into
exile or throw them In prison within
IL months; and Apostle Smoot dare not
oppose such polygamous conditions,
We also protest against the proposed
election Of Apostle Smoot to the Uni
ted States senate, that In so doing we
may protest against the manifest ten
dency OF certain leaders In the eccle-
siastical management OF the Nor
mon" Church to look upon civil Office
as an ecclesiastical perqusite and to
use ecclesiastical opportunities In
working Tor political preferment More
over, il is an open secret here N Utah
that in this pursuit OF civil prefer
ment these ambitious Church leaders,
are in the habit of using the mandates
of ecclesiastical authority as a substi-
tute for legitimate political argument.
We protest against the tendency Of
high Mormon authorities to insist on
having a plurality Of high official po-
sitlon; an apostleship and senatorship
for example, we do not believe that &C.
cesiastical and political timber, is so
scarce In the Mormon" Church and
the State of Utah that II Is necessary
to try to make an Apostle and United
States senator out Of the same stick.
We object to being represented in the
United States senate by man who is
chiefly Mormon Apostle, man on
whose time, talents, devotion and vote
the quorum OF Apostles to which he be-
longs, has a registered first mortgage.
In brief, we protest against the cleo
ton Of Apostle Smoot to the United
States senate not because he is a MEM
her or a minor official in the Mormon
Church, but because he Is one of the
quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who,
with the First Presidency, rule their
people with a rod Of iron.
And inasmuch as the purpose Of this
resolution has been TO show that Apos-
tie Reed Smoot is bound by prior ties
to an organization within the republic,
and as a senator would be a represen-
tatiye first Of that organization and
second only, Of the commonwealth, we
deem II timely TO recall the historic pc.
siton of our nation upon the entire sep
aration OF the Church and state; and
point to the fact that Mr.. Smoot, as an
Apostle of the Church TO which his
pledges compel prior allegiance, would,
in the United States senate stand as
anomalous in its history, the represen-
tatlve of sect whose avowed hope
and aim is the increasing extension Of
that Church's temporal sway,
Which protest We respectfully submit
to our fellow citizens OF this state and
the United States,
Done by order of the Ministerial AS
ISOLATION of Utah. this 23rd day OF
November, 1902.
RICHARD WAKE. prest.