River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-05-11

QC1IuCAk kAG CulOAO AN0 va AAo
church whether the statements he made
under oath when testifying before the
senate committee on privileges and
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
- last, to explain to the members of
his flock that he had testified to an un-
truth in Washington, the reason for it
being that the senators, 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
points.
In the field of finance, it is alleged, an
effort was made to execute 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
feeling among both Mormons and Gen.
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
church, the hierarchy is bidding def
ance to the nation at large and to its OPP
ponents within the state. 1t has taken
the position that all the world outside
Utah should mind its own business"
and that the inhabitants of Utah must
be forced to do the hierarchy's bidding
or be crushed.
This position has aroused resentment
on the part of the Gentiles, and espe-
cially those who have large invested
capital and who feel that the develop
ment Of the enormous material re-
sources of the state is being handi-
capped. They are determined to fight
the matter out now, aided by the people
of the United States, with the intention
of settling the issue once and for ever.
Active Leaders in Fight.
The active leaders in the fight typify
the two elements which have joined
hands. One is Thomas Kearns, Gen.
tile who retired from the United States
senate March last The other is Frank
]. Cannon, also former member of the
United States senate, a man who as a
Mormon has always stood for independ-
ence of thought and of political and
commercial action on the part of the
members of the church.
Opposed to these elements are the
Mormons and Gentiles who are sharing
with President Smith the profits of the
church's present commercialism and
activity in politics. The two present
members of the United States senate
from Utah are types. Reed Smoot, apos-
tie and one of the financial advisers Of
Joseph F. Smith, was elected some time