Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-29
OUTRAGEOUS AND ABSURD

On Sunday afternoon, just before the
close Of the Tabernacle services, Presi-
dent Angus NJ. Cannon gave out no.
tlce which had been handed to him In
writing with the request that he would
call the attention of the ward Bishops
10 its contents. 1t was signed by
well-known citizen, and was to the eff
feet that miners out Of work could OBJ.
tain employment at wages from s2bo
TO $500 per day, and board at seventy
ave cents day, by applying at the
Office OF the Utah Fuel company.
President Cannon was rather doubt
full at first about making the announce
ment, but thinking that there might
be men familiar with mining who were
out OF work and would be glad to get
employment. he did az requested, and
drew the attention Of the Bishops pres
ent to the similar notice which It was
alleged had been sent to them. He
made no comment, urged no one 10 re-
spond to the offer, uttered no address
on any subject, but simply gave out the
notice Just as he would for any ordi-
nary request, such as q public gather
ing, or call for physician, or an
appointment OF any kind.
On Monday the Salt Lake Tribune
had sensational article with hve
heads and the following monstrcus
distortion OF facts;
"The Mormon Church has taken sides
IN the strike situation and VII ienq
That the Church e with the Utah Fuel
company and the enemy Of organized
labor was brought out at the servioss
in the tabernacle yesterday afternoon
when the presiding officer, President
Angus M. Cannon, made an appeal Tor
men to take the places Of the strikinS
miners in the coal mines % carbon
The utter falsehood and absurd and
malicious deductions thereffom con-
tained In that brief paragraph, are
fully In accord with the course OF the
Tribune in the worst days Of Its viru-
lent attacks upon the Mormon"
Church. The large congregation as
sembled on Sunday, or those who paid
attention to the simple notice given
out. know very we'll that no appeal
was made, nor any mention OF strikes
or strikers. And every rational per-
son who thinks will see the absurdity
Of the conclusion that, the Mormon
Church has taken sides In the strike
situation" based on the announcement
that men out OF work could obtain en-
ployment.
The mendaclty OF the Tribune has
been the occasion Of piece OF arrant
tomfoolery on the part OF o profess
sional agitator and seml-frenzied at
torney--par Mobile fratrum--to rush
into print with appeals for the unseat-
ing of Senator smootl Because a notice
was given out by gentleman connect
ed with the Mormon" Church, for the
benefit OF the unemployed the whole
Church is to be held zip as having OPP
emily declared war on organized labor
and as commencing fight to annihi-
late union labor In Utah" and there
1ure DenulOI WIN Wds eitNe'u W t"N
votes Of hts party In this State, ought
to be unseatedl The logic Of this rea-
soning is worthy OF the Tribune Itself.
Whatever may be thought OF the adj
visibility, or otherwise, OF making the
announcement sent to the stand by a
citizen, who requested the notice the
idea that "the Mormon Church" was
responsible for It, when neither the
Church nor It's authorities knew any
thing about II, Is so grotesque and IT.
rational that even our anti" Mormon
contemporaries ought TO perceive III
folly. And the terribly strained eff
fort TO connect II with the movement
against Senator Smoot is but one more
bit OF evidence OF the mistaken zeal OF
the petitioners and lack Of foundation
for their assertions and deductions
They are all Of piece, and are exhibit
tions Of the tendency OF mankind to Joir
in an outburst of popular fury without
reason and without investigation.
Now, our friends associated with la
Dor unions should not go OFF In a tan
gent, urged wide OF the ma,s by the
false statements Of newspaper or the
folly OF men who live by labor agita-
lions. The Mormon" Church has made