Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-22
M0RnODS IN POLITICS
Control Exercised by the
Church in Utah.
DECIDED ELECTIONS
EFFORTS OF THE LIBERALS DE-
scRIBED By JUDGE POWERS.
Resumption of the smoot Inquiry Be
fore the Senate Committee on
Privileges and Elections.
DECIDED ELECTIONS

The first witness today in the Smoot case
before the Senate committee on privileges
and elections was Judge O. w. Powers, who
was appointed by President Cleveland in
1885 as an associate justice Of the supreme
| court of Utah. At that time prosecutions
under the Edmunds act were just begin
ming. and during his incuTbency, he said,
| there had been about lUO persons prosecuted
for polygamy and polygamous cohabitation,
among them being Lorenzo Snow then one
| of the twelve apostles, who afterward was
elected president Of the church. Mr.. Snow
was convicted and sentenced.
Judge Powers said he had examined per-
sons who applied for naturalization. In
| regard to an application by one Neil Han
son, Judge Powers said he was informed
by Hanson that he would obey the laws Of
the church rather than laws of the land IL
they should run counter of each other"
The application for citizenship was denied
In regard to prosecutions, Judge Powers
said most Of them had been for polygamous
cohabitation. Few prosecutions were had
for polygamy, he said, as there was then
no marriage law and marriages were secret,
and polygamy, therefore, was hard to
prove.
Church Control in Politics.
Judge Powers reviewed the political history
Of Utah to show the close relation of the
Mormon Church with political affairs, also
the intimate association of the church with
the local and municipal governments. He
| showed that the church controlled in civil
as well as ecclesiastical affairs In one
case 1t was shown that a man was dis
ciplined and was summoned by Abraham
| 0. Smoot, president of the high council of
the Utah Stake of Zion. It was not shown
that any relationship existed between Sem
ator Smooth and the man mentioned.
N poIo 70
that the prophet Joseph Smith had de-
clared his brother Hiram had received a
revelation that the people should vote the
democratic ticket
Judge Powers spoke of the organization
by the MOrmons of the peoples party, and
said that until 1870 there had never been
any opposition to it's candidates. In 1870
the liberal party was organized by Gen.
tiles, but the Mormon party dominated the
elections. All 0fathe delegates to Congress
elected were, Mormons except one
In 1886 the. liberals, or Gentiles decided
upon new plan. The Mormons all claimed
to be democrats Accordingly the liberals
nominated a. man a democrat. but he
was defeated by the Mormons.
In 1883 the. younger Mormons organized
what was known as 'sage brush democ-
racy." but sfhe peoples, or regular Nor
mon, party was again successful.
In 1889 the Young Mems Liberal Club Of
Salt Lake was organized for the purpose Of
carrying Salt Lake City. It's general plan
followed theqiines of the thorough organi-
zation of the Mormon Church. 1t carried
Salt Lake by Al. the first time the Mormon
Church had ever been defeated in SAT-
Lake. Then Den c.. Robbins, Mormon,
| issued a declaration against church inter-
ference. -sA S'1
| documents Quoted.
| The witness read from documents to show
1 the method OF church leaders in support of
| Cannon, the peoples party or Mormon can
didate. Cannon and Apostle Smith were
quoted as admonshing the Afornons to
vote for the man God wants.
| Another interference of the church with
| the political freedom of members was shown
| by the witness by the reading of the official
| records of the church in connection with the
| communication of j. D. Jones on charge
| of apostasy.
| Mr.. Jones was a member of the Loyal
| Legion of Utah and was given the privilege
| of resigning from the legion or from the
| church. Mr.. Jones represented to the
| church that the object of the Loyal Legion
| is to support the national laws and it
| should mot be regarded as out Of harmony
! with the church. Nevertheless. according
| to records read, the hand of fellowship
| was withdrawn and Jones was summoned
| by Abraham o. Smoot. president Of the
| high counsel of the Utah Stake of Zion, to
| show cause why the decision should not be
enforced. The decision was ordered TO
stand.
Efforts Of the Liberals.
| Judge Powers spoke ensertainingly Of
| the political campaigns and the efforts Of
| the liberals, with drum corps and street
| meetings to reach the persons who were
| dominated by the Mormons. and finally OF
| a division along party lines in 1891.
| At that time, he said, some men who had
| always been democrats suddenly changed
/ to become republicans. and Mormon news
! papers Of one party likewise changed to the
/ other.
Chairman Burrows asked the witness how
| he accounted for the sudden changes, and
| he said:
were set apart. the sheep were separated
from the goats
| In reply to other questions he said it was
\ we'll understood that this division was in
| order that the church could control the'elec-
| tions
| The committee adjourned until z pm,
! with Judge Powers still on the stand.
The Afternoon Session.
| Judge Powers at the afternoon session
continued his review of political affairs
| in Utah. speaking specifically of the
| Thatcher and Roberts cases when these
| men were charged with 'disobeying the
| rules of the church by accepting a nominal
ton for ONCE without first taking counsel OF
| the church." The witness quoted num-
| Der of ofacials of the church In their cam
| paign against Thatcher and Roberts, be-
cause Of their acceptance Of nominations
without the consent Of high church au-
| thorities
| Patriarch Cannon Testifes.
| At the afternoon session of the Senate
committee on privileges and elections yes
| terday Angus NJ. Cannon was called to the
stand. He has lived In Salt Lake since 1848.
| but had been blessed in the Mormon
Church when he was Ave years old
Mr. Cannon is seventy years old, and now
holds the position of patriarch in the Nor
mon Church, 5haying been designated for
| that positionsby President Joseph F. Smith
about two weeks ago. Patriarchs, the wit
ness said rank next to the twelve apostles
In dignity. Mr.. Cannon said that for twen-
| ty-eight years he had been president OF the
Salt Lake Stake Of Zion.
The testimony was Of a personal character.
dealing withsthe conviction of the witness
on charges of1polygamous cohabitation, and
was dragged from him under protest that
| he be protected from any peril or liability
| to prosecution for what he revealed. When
assured that his plural marriages. under the
statute of limitations. could not be used as
| evidence against him he answered most Of