The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-02-23
The DEFENSE OF KELLY.

Is A HEATED and somewhat devious
defense Of President Kelly of Brig
ham City fame. the Deseret News asks
for information which The Herald is
delighted to give.
1t viii be remembered that the peo-
pie of Brigham city charge President
Kelly with using his ecclesiastical posi-
ton to break up the business Of a Iegi-
innate undertaking, the Box Elder
Academy Of Music; they also charge
that he projected his church Office into
the municipal affairs Of Brigham city
in an attempt to prevent the consum-
nation Of a project for a municipal
electric light and power plant. In con-
nection with this latter interference, it
is alleged that President Kelly was
booked for a present of stock in the
private power company which opposed
the municipal enterprise
Ia the friendliest possible fashion,
The Herald suggested that it would be
wise for President Kelly to MARBLE
softly just now because the Smoot
senatorial committee is about 10 begin
business and the enemies of Senator
Smoot are looking for just such ma
terial as Kelly is furnishing.
During the course Of its defense of
Kelly. the News says:
what would a congressional commimt-
see. threatened by The Herald. have 10
do with looking into Mr. Kelly's record2
Aside from the fact that the commit
zee is threatened" by the United states
Senate, and not by The Herald, the
query is most natural And by way Of
enlightenment for an obtuse neishbeT,
the answer is forthcoming:
The committee would have a good
deal 10 do with looking into Mr..
KeTy's record" Tt would like TO know
why Kelly was promoted TO the stake
presidency Immediately after pleading
guilty TO polygamous practices in 1899,
II the Mormon church is keeping The
promises made to secure statehood.
The committee would likely want to
know If President Kelly is upheld by
the church authorities in his poly
gamous practices. Moreover, Mr..
Keily's intrusion Of his ecclesiastical
authority into civil affairs is likely TO
provoke the liveliest kind Of interest
among the members of the Burrows
committee Threatened" by the United
States Senate.
Commenting on The Hersld's state
ment that Kelly was arrested in 1899
for pOlygamy, the Deseret News says
this is "a direct faisehood Of The
Herald's own manufacture as the rec
ord viii show" President Kelly was
arrested in 1899 for what is commonly
known as polygamy, namely, unlawful
rehabilitation. He pleaded guilty, was
fined S25, and six months later was ar
rested again on the same charge. Kelly
is of the type that has given founda-
ton for all the wild charges Of uni
veTsaI pOlygamy in Utah made and be-
Iieved outside the state. If the Deseret
News cares TO defend him as an abused
and much-maIigned good citizen, it is
welcome to the task.
On this question of a municipal cleo
trio plant. KeIly's defender says:
Ii is clear from the statement Of Jus
tee that President Kelly. who was ac-
cused Of arbitrarily interfering i'm Wa
ter case, simply acted as an arbitrator
at the urgent request of q number of
citizens. and responded by effeCting a
compromise between the disputants
The stenOgraphic report of a speech
made by one OF KelIy's counseIors
hardly 5ustifies so mild a statement of
Keily's part. Arbitrators are not US
uaIly supposed to force themselves into
a controversy, nor are they supposed
10 hold stock, free stock given by one
of the parties TO the arbitration: OF If
they do. few people would cali it an
arbitration.
There Is ample evidence to show that
The men who opposed Kelly in civil
and business matters were made to suf-
fer business loss, degradation from
church offices, and the loss of standing
among their associates. This, be it
observed, was not for any violation Of
religious obligations but for advocating
municipal electric light plant and for
daring to start an academy Of music
against Kelly's wishes.
Tho Herald submits again that
Kelly's course is placing the Mormon
church in a false position. that he is
furnishing ammunition to the enemies
Of Senator Smoot, that ne is possessed
u a record which makes him particu-
Iarly vulnerable Tor investigation by
the senate committee, and that he
ought to sing very softly at this par
tlcular juncture.