The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-10-28
BEARING FALSE WITNESS.

The Salt Lake Tribune has waged and is still
carrying on bitter personal attack on the presi-
dent of the Mormon church, for political reasons.
This information adds nothing to the knowledge of
our readers in this city or state, already familiar
with the causes and motives. The statement is
made to enlighten our readers elsewhere, so they
may properly comprehend the object underlying a
Logan GUtah) dispatch which appeared in the Trib-
me of Wednesday. It is a report Cor alleged
report) of what took place at the devotional exer-
cises of the faculty and students of the B. Y col
lege in Logan. Joseph F. Smith, president of the
Mormon church, was there, so was Major Richard
w. Young. The Logan correspondent then pro-
ceeds:
The entrance of the prophet it is alleged, the
signal for small ovation, after which the en-
bodying the Prophet Joseph's first prayer was sung
Then came the address of Dick Young, in which he
praised the self-sacrifces of the Catholic priest who
gave up important and useful station and went to
the colony of lepers in the Hawaiian islands giving
up his life for them in self-denying service. From
this Major Young pointed lesson and urged the stu
dents to lead lives of unselfsh usefulness.
The prophet following Mr. Young is alleged to
have emphatically disagreed with the major as to the
dsinerestedness of the priest, who he affirmed to
such pure benevolent character had been held
for the emulation of the students but diseased,
treacherous person, who glad find place of
asylum. among the epers.
Mr. Howell followed in few words. but did not
attempt to settle the point in dispute between his
predecessors in the programme banquet and re-
ceptoE in honor of the prophet given this even
ing, followed by the regulation dance,
1t will be observed that the reporter used the
word alleged" to qualify his statement, thereby
indicating that the information was based upon
hearsay. Newspaper writer's can say and do say
many mean things about persons under the license
which this word alleged is presumed to give. al
though It's use for that purpose is condemned by
conscientious men in the newspaper business every
where.
Notwithstanding the suspicious character of the
report, its publication aroused indignation against
the president of the Mormon church There was a
possibility even probability some thought, that
the language was Joseph Smiths Against the
eulogy of Mormon bishop CNajor Young), against
the testimony of so brilliant n-Catholic as
Robert Louis Stephenson who resided the islands
and was an eyewitness, this church president had
raised doubt, they said against the character of
the beloved and lamented Father Damien. Not only
doubt, but assaed the priest in the coarsest Ian
guage.
The country knows the mistakes of Joseph F.
Smith but Catholics here have always lived in
peace with their Mormon neighbors. 1t seemed i'm
probable at this time especially that the president
of the Mormon church would invite the resentment
Of the Catholic people through such language at
tributed to him in daily newspaper and the only
one to print such report. If he did, however, this
paper was ready with demand for explanation
and proofs.
Tn response President Smith sent the following
Office of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salt Lake City Utah, Oct. 26, 1905.
Editor of The Intermountan Catholic:
Dear Sir: j am in receipt of your communication
OF Yesterday with its enclosed clipping from the Salt
Ialo Tribune respecting address delivered by me
az Logan on Tuesday last. The occasion was not
public in the sense that the public either invited
or expected but the regular devotional exercise
OF the faculty and students of the Brigham Young
college Father Damens life and character had been
adverted by previous speaker and, the spur of
the moment, stated that it is understood among
many people of the Hawaiian islands that Father
Damien himself infected with leprosy before he
exiled himself the eper settlement; and, to be
frank stated further that my belief was
quite generally believed among people with whom I
had ccnversed in the islands, that the disease con-
tracted only through mprudence inheritance did
\ not pretend to speak from my own knowledge, but
stafed what had from various sources on
the occasions of my visits to the islands II
have wronged the memory of the priest referred to-