The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-19
Continued from Yesterday


substantial accuracy. L would add in
this connection one or two incidents.
Mr. Dubois-TO be entirely accurate,
will state what I said: That the Nor
mon first presidency issued a statement
recently that no Mormon holding
high ecclesiastical position should be-
come a candidate for high political Of
fee without the consent of the first
presidency. That is the statement.
Mr.. Spooner-The senator does not go
to the extent Of saying that no Mormon
can become a candidate for political
Office if prohibited by the first presi-
dency?
Mr.. Dubeis-I was speaking of their
order, which refers to those high in
authority in the church. The practice
is for any Mormon who wants to be
candidate for sheriff or county office,
or on the state ticket or anything like
that, TO do so.
Mr.. Spooner-What I want to get at,
if I can, from the senators who live in
the vicinage, so to speak, is the the ex-
tent OF power which may be exercised,
if the hierarchy chooses to exercise it,
upon the action, political and other
wise. of members of the church.
Mr.. Hale-Let me ask the senator
Mr. Rawlins-If the senator from
Maine will permit me, | should like to
answer the question propounded by the
senator from Wisconsin.
Immediately upon the admission of
Utah into the Union the question rose
which is the subject-matter of the in
quiFy of the senator from Wisconsin.
One of the parties nominated in a po-
litical convention in the ordinary way
men holding positions in the Mormon
church fer political offices. In the
progress of the campaign, during a
Mormon conference, it was proclaimed
to the Mormon people that those can
didateS had not received the permission
of their religious associates to become
candidates for these offices, and there
fore their conduct was not approved in
that respect. This. promulgated in the
midst of a political campaign, it was
thought had material effect upon the
election. These men were defeated.
/ ThereupOn the men who had continued
! to be candidates were arraigned.
Mr.. Hale-They were what?
Mr.. Rawlins-They were arraigned
before the authorities of the church
Mr.. Hale-The men who did not re-
gard the order?
Mr.. Rawlins-They did not regard
the order. They were arraigned before
the authorities of the church. charged
with misconduct. Thereupon a mani
festO, as it was called, was issued by
/ the Mormon church and proclaimed to
! the Mormon people, upon which the
/ Mormon people were invited to vote
I their approval. That was. that no per-
son in the Mormon priesthood and &C.
! cupying an important position in the
/ Mormon church, should aspire to pO-
4 litical Office without first having OBJ
] tanned the consent of his religious
+ leaders. That manifesto was adopted
/ in conference and in the different Local
! church organizations throughout the
state.
The party called a recOnvened con-
/ vention to protest against this doctrine
/ on the idea that if it were submitted
/ to by the Mormon people, il would re-
suit in this-and I think it has so re-
suited: That any Mormon nominated
| without first obtaining the permission
of the church leaders to become a can
| didate has the disapprOvaI of the
/ church organization as such, while any
| Mormon occupying a prominent posi-
! ton who conforms to that rule and OBJ
| tains the consent of the authorities Of
the church, goes TO the Mormon people
with the benediction of the Mormon
/ church, and among a large number 81
( that people it would be sufficiently pc.
/ tent to induce them to cast their suf-
frage for that candidate.
Mr.. Hale-While the other man rests
under the frOwn of the church. Now
I submit, Mr.. President, that no state
! ment can be stronger than this as u
the interpOsitiOn of this church power
The approval Of a church sets a mar
free in the race the American either
embarks in for the favor of his fellows
but if his candidacy is not approved
he rests under the froWn of the church
and he can obtain no Office. Does thu
senator know any other church abOu
which that is true?
Mr.. Rawlins-No: 1 do not
Mr.. Hale-NO; do not think he does
| Mr.. Rawlins-I want to state in this
connection that a vigorous protest was
made at the time against this NANTES
1 to, this idea that a member of the
Mormon church could not aspire to Gf-
fee without obtaining the consent 81
the church leaders. 1t was protested
against for the very reasons l suggest
Not only did the nom Mormons profess
against it, but many of the Mormon:
protested against it and they met II
convention and adopted resolutions
protesting against it.
Mr.. Warren-Mr. President
MIR. Rawiins-But, of course, Mr.
President
The President pro tempore-Does th'
senator from Utah yield to the senate
from Wyoming?
Mr.. Rawlns-In one moment. O
course, Mr.. President, the Mormon PEG
pie in a way have been compelled t.
acquiesce. in it, for this reason: Any
one opposing it after its adoption as
church organization was subject L
accommodation in the church. Yer,
many MOrmons, younger MOrmons AM
Older MormOns, too, in that respect
dislike il and are protesting against il
but are not willing to carry their pro
test to the extent Of suffering such eX
communication.
Now, in Utah no Mormon-and, o
course. the large proportion OF on
population are members of the churc
feels that the road to political pre-
feTment is open to him except upon tina
condition. Very many of the best Nor
| mons. therefore. viii not aspire to pc
liticaI office. because while they &C
quiesce they do not desire to submit
= this sort of interference of the elIurc
in affairs of state.
Mr. SpoOner-WiIl the senator pern1i
me to ask him another questiOn-Onf
J for information?
Mr. RawlinS-C Certainly.
Mr. SpOoner-Has the full scope c
J. the power of the Mormon church owe
its members. so far as the senate
knows come to the knowledge Of til
public?
Mr. Rawlins-T think it has been dis
cussed many many times in the publ
press. and also, I suppose, in the hall
! of congress.
Mr.. SpOoner-DOes the senator knoI
whether the members of the MormO
church take an oath or not?
Mr.. Rawlins-That is a field of in