The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-22
NATIONAL POLITICS IN STATE OF UTAH.

candidate. and issued what he called his
declaration of independence" Apostle
John Henry Smith visited that council
district, said he was there in his ca
paeity as an apostle, ana told them 70
vote for the Peoples ticket
Witness read from the report OF Gov
Arthur L. Thomas or Utah (nOW post
master of Salt Lake City to the Secre
tary OF the Interior in 1859. quoting the
language Of Apostle George @ Cannon
In the campaign III Davis county. where
there We're two candidates, both Nor
mons. for the same Office In 1881 Nor
mons who advocated obedience 10 the
laws OF Congress anu objected to church
Interference got out Of harmony with
the church leaders.
A Mormon Excommunicated.
Witness then took up the case of Jo-
seph Dan Jones. OF Provo. Utah. in
1ssi. reading from original papers which
ne has Kept in his possession. Core
spondence was read between Jones and
J. Z. Booth, Bishop OF Provo ward, the
latter nov a district judge in Utah The
bjshor called upon Jones to choose be-
tween the church and the principles OF
the Loyal League" TO which Jones
belonged
Jones replied, telling Booth 10 erase
his name from the church reeor1z. X
hts actions did not meet with approval
JClfeS W AZ lHGTeupOn C1l3G 10 appear
berore- the council TO show cause why
the decision of the bishops cQurt or
E10yO. withdrawing the hand or fellow
ship from him, should not be sustained
THIS citation was signed by Abraham
o. SmOOt Jones was then excom-
mUnicated for apOstasy.
Witness told Senator McComas there
was TO appeal from this decision, as
Jones seemed TO be satisfied. In answer
to O. query from Mr. Tayler, witness said
the Loyal League had no other reason
for existence than 10 inculcate o5edi-
ence TO the laws OF the State rather
than those OF the church
Brigham Young was not member or
the council, but the meetings were orten
held IN his Office He organized the po-
lice force. Bishops of the ecclesiastical
wards OF the city were given power 10
collect the land taxes, and Brigham
Young borrowed from the city treasury
many thousands of dollars-at one time
SO 600: again, $500 and Sl.VD- Iners
was conducted a city saloon, billiard
hall. bathing establishment, and dis
tillery.
A city official received the tithing-the
10 per cent which good MorInonS are sx-
rected TO pay into the church. Wlt-
ness then continued;
Church Ran the State.
..There was really no separation OK
church and state. Almost every man
over twenty-one years of age in the
fee There must be 50 600 or 10000
church officials in Utah. In the cam
paign of 1889 the Liberals We're very ac-
tive Sometimes we had TO hold meet
ings in the street because halls could
not be secured. Mormons stood on tne
opposite side of the street. but few par
In the fail of 1883 witness was chair
man of the Liberal party. and Franklin
8. Richards. now at the Smoot hearings
as counsel for the Mormon church. Was
the Chairman OF the Peoples party.
Both put forth most strenuous eAeT-
tions in the campaign, The Laoerais
elected the mayor ana ali the otner
CITY officials by $40 majority
Talk of dividing on party lines then
became more pronounced. continued
witness. but many of the Mormons
were foreigners, unacquainted VIII the
were taught TO look up TO their cnqrcn
leaders They had impressed upon thsal mean
the propriety or Following lhsn ills. nie
leaders. of not questioning anytnhS
said TO them by those believed 70 De IN
spireG They had very little idea OF tne
| fundamental principles OF governments
/ here. They had been taught 70 vote the
Peoples ticket. and vote IL straisnI
''There was a convention at ogden IN
1883 10 elect national delegate. Inc
| Mormon Church had not been doing
/ much in politics then, but almost over.
night there sprang up Democrats al
/ over the State There was a contest
and the Liberals won out by only
small margin.
Leaders Disbanded Party.
There was great deal of talk that
at the time the Peoples Party dissand-
ed il was done at the direction u the
| leaders of that party. who were r.iSo
leaders of the church. There was q
meeting a. the Gardo house. sometimes
called. the Amelia palace having been
built by Brigham Young for his favor
ite wife. Joseph F. Smith. now head
/ OF the Mormon Church. said at the
| Gardo house as reported on May ~.
| 1886. in the Salt Lake Tribune, that
i men in high authority. who were ad-
vocates Of the Republican party. should
I go out and be active, while others
should keep quiet. Men who were
| known to be Democrats. would come OUT
as Republicans and act according 10
the direction Of the church leaders
/ Witness then told of the nomination
in 1852 of Joseph l.. Rawlins as Delegate
! 10 Congress and the campaign that 1ol-
lowed.
Witness went into the details of how
/ the Mormon vote was swung from one
party 10 another. when Chairman Bur
! rows interrupted 10 inqulre;
| How do you account for that change.
| or had YOU any theory about IT.
| The witness replied.
II account for IL on the ground that
a part Of them had been set apart to
be Republicans and a part OF them 10
be Democrats-the sheep from ths
goats"