Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-05-04

derment among the adherents of his
church whether the statements he made
under oath when testifying before the
senate committee or privileges an(
elections in Washington are to be be.
lieved, or whether his public statements
on the platform in the tabernacle, as the
self-styled representative Of God on
earth, are to be given credence.
When testifying in behalf of Senator
Reed Smoot, Joseph F. Smith declared
under oath that he had never received a
revelation. 1t is a cardinal principle
of the Mormon faith that the head OF
the church is in constant receipt of com
munications direct from God. When he
repudiated having received these mes
sages the devout among the Mormons
began to wonder if it were possible that
he could be all that he was supposed
to be.
Admits He Lied.
The mutterings became so general
and so insistent that the president of
the church felt constrained, on March
IS last, to explain to the members of
his flock that he had testified to an I'M
truth in Washington, the reason for it
being that the senator's, whom he desig-
mated as his "inquisitors," were trying
to lead him into a trap Instead of
quieting the incipient rebellion against
him, this admitted untruth has only in
creased the dissatisfaction.
On top of his admission his chief
mouthpiece, Apostle C. w. Penrose, has
been shown by parallel statements made
under oath also to have been guilty of
telling an untruth. Penrose. who is a
polygamist, has made various conflict
ing statements under oath as to his
marital relations.
All these things are going on within
the church, while from without come
other attacks which are worrying the
leaders. The war is going on in politics
and finance, and in these fields of prac-
teal effort on the part of the Mormon
hierarchy lie their most vulnerable
In the field OF finance, it is alleged. an
effort was made to execute a grab of
a franchise for nearly a century for light
and street railway privileges in Salt Lake
City. The action aroused such opposi-
ton that the prime movers did not dare
to carry out their original intentions.
At the same time, although no election
is imminent at present, the growth of
among both Mormons and Cen
tiles in Utah against the political activ-
ity of the church has been so great that
the hierarchy is fearful of the next is
sue. The anti-church sentiment has
been crystallized in the American party
Of Utah.
Entrenched behind the wall of state
hood, which was obtained by false pre-
lenses on the part of the Mormon
the hierarchy is bidding def
ance to the nation at large and to it's OPP
ponents within the state. 1t has taken
The position that all the world outside
Utah should mind it's own business
ind that the inhabitants of Utah must
De forced to do the hierarchy's bidding
be crushed.
This position has aroused resentment
IN the part of the Gentiles, and espe-
those who have large invested !
and who feel that the develop
nent Of the enormous material re-
sources of the state is being handi-
'apped. They are determined to fight
matter out now, aided by the people
# the United States, with the intention
IT settling the issue once and for ever.
Active Leaders i'll Fight.
The active leaders in the fight typify
he two elements which have Joined
ands. One is Thomas Keains, a Gen
lie who retired from the United States
enate March 4 last. The other is Frank
I. Cannon, also a former member of the
United States senate, a man who as a
Iormon has always stood for independ-
nee of thought and of political and
ommercial action on the part of the
TENDERS of the church.
Opposed to these elements are the
Iormons and Gentiles who are sharing
18th President Smith the profits of the
hurch's present commercialism and
in politics. The two present
LENDERS Of the United States senate
ON Utah are types. Reed Smoot, apos-
g and one of the financial advisers Of
oseDh II. Smith, was elected * me time