Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-03
How Some Men Vent Their Spleen
To Revenge Disappointed
Ambitions,
FACTS ABOUT FRANK ]. CANNON
Leaves Footsteps Of His Father and
Turns Traitor to a Noble
Cause

weekly published at Rexburg, Ida, by
Ezra Christensen. has the following
editorial IN IT'S issue Of Feb. 20, which,
by special request, the News repro
duces at this time;
From the day OF Pansanias, the
Spartan general, VINO offered to sell
the results OF his glorious victory at
Plntnea to the Persian king, and be-
tray his country, that he might be-
come its ruler, to the dark days Of the
Revolutionary war, when Benedict Ar
mold sold himsel! and his great name
for British gold, mankind have detest-
ed and abhorred the very name trail
tor" That tern carries with il a stlg-
ma that no repentance or regrets can
wash out. It Is the capstone of wicked
ness. All other crimes may have some
Justification; this can have none. When
Judas, upon whom Christ had bestowed
honors and confidence, betrayed his
Master and gave him into the hands
OF his enemies, he shut himself out
forever from all sympathy and FOR
giveness; he committed an act which
has made his name eXecrated and IN
famous throughout the ages. No gem
grafton or people have ever forgiven
him for that awful deed. None ever
WILL He stands forever condemned
and abhorred by mankind.
The Mormon" Church and It's lead
ers have suffered and been misrepre-
scented more through traitors and apos-
tates than through any other source.
From the very beginning of It's history
IL has had 10 contend with treaChery
from within its ranks. Joseph Smith
suffered death at the instigatiOn and
assistance Of traitors. Those whom he
had loved and trusted plotted against
his life and brought about his murder.
And from that day 10 this the Church
has been msrepresented and falsely
| accused by this class of people,
To-day II has no greater enemy than
| Frank j. Cannon a man raised I'm the
| Church with every opportunity Of
| knowing from his childhood how false
| are the statements that he is making
| from day to day in the columns OF the
| Salt Lake Tribune, His father Travelled
| over sea and land to establish "Mor-
monsm" in the nations of the earth
| lie gave the best years of his life to
| promulgate the doctrines that his son IL
| trying to destroy. lie wrote and spoke
| the truths Of "Mormonism" for over
so years. While yet boy he left his
| home and without purse or scrip he
| succeeded In establishing the Gospel I'm
the Sandwich Islands, No voice was
ever more eloquent in defense OF the
Church and its doctrine than his,
| no pen was ever more gifted.
| Frank ]. Cannon knows this. lie
knows that his father was n good man,
and sought the welfare Of mankind. He
knows that nothing has ever been
taught him by the church but what
was eleyating and enobllng. lie knows,
too, that the leaders OF the church to-
day are good men who seek only to
| bless and establish righteousness and
! happiness wherever they minister,
lie speaks Of hierarchy that con-
trolls the life, thought and votes OF
| all Latter-day Saints. lie knows the
Church does nothing Of the kind, and
never has attempted to do so. He ac-
cuses the leaders Of breaking the laws
| OF God and man, and classes them with
criminals who ought TO be In the peni-
tertiary because of their moral con-
duct Perhaps he remembers the time
when his own moral character was
called into question, and It was neces-
sary for him, at the time when he
|
| commend ahead of him. signed by his
bishop and other Church leaders, And
how, Notwithstanding this certificate
| of endorsement, he failed Of election,
because the people were free TO vote
as they plased, Does II not sound "A
| little inconsistent for him to whine
about a Church influence which he
tried so hard to secure for HIMSELF Ia
II not also little strange that he
should call I'm question the morality OF
men whom he once begged TO certify 10
his own morality
He also makes light of the ordinances
OF the Church and the powers Of the
Priesthood. Yet two years ago,
when he was sick nigh unto death,
he sent for the men he now condemns,
and asked that they administer to him,
stating that II anyone needed a bless
ing and favor from God he did.
What has the Church or its leaders
done since the time when he asked
blessings, and favors from H. that he
should have turned against IT with
such vlndictive hatred? why, nothing,
Its doctrine and principles and leaders
are lust as good now as they have ever
been. But he has changed The love
ne once manifested for his father and
his fathers people, has turned "a
hatred. The patriot has become the
traitor. And for what? That he
might do others good, or bring hap
piness to his fellows2 That he might
win the confidence and love OF
good men? Is he using his great talents
against the leaders Of the Church that
the members may become more up
right. virtuous or better citi2ens2 Not
al ali: he does not expect this, What
then is his motive? Why, simply this
TO crafty and feed a hatred which has
been engendered by political disap-
pointments. And, perhaps, like Judas
Of old, for money And what VIII II
bring him Ia retun2 VIII II bring
love confidence and the esteem OF
good men and women? When he Is
old lettering beneath the weight OF
years. viii he be able TO stand amonf
any people, as his father did among
The natives Of the Sandwich Islands !
few months before his death, and re-
ceive their blessings and almost theli
worship. because Of the light ana truth
that he has brought them2 No never
such "a day viii never come TO him
not one OF the editorials that he has
written against the Mormon people
win ever bring him one atom OF hap