The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-12

In q bishop OF the cnurCh was
dcposcd from his Offices In the church be- |
cause he promised 10 obey the laws
against polygamy.
was accommodated for belonging TO an
organization for tho enforcement OF the
laws and opposing the interference of tho
church in Pg6lG P6lon Gffo15s o1Sa, was degraded
In the church for refusing 10 obey his hle
leader.
doing business in Salt Lake City were
expelled from the Mormon church be-
cause they persisted in engaging In NIL
ming operations contrary to the command
of the authorities OF the church.
In another instance the church authori-
ties interfered In the matter OF the estab-
llshmont of electric-light plant.
In 1903 two members OF the Mormon
church who built a dancing pavilion In
opposition to the counsel OF the churcn
excOmmunication, and finally compro-
missed tho matter by turning over TO the
church officials the management OF the
pavilion and % per cent OF the net earn
ings,
In another case there was general un-
derstandinE that the church, by It's au-
thoritIes directed the location OF a rail-
road station. In 1859 four members or
the Mormon Church were eNcommuni-
Gated for apostscy In desiring ito open
UP mines against the teachings OF the
In another and recent instance. occur
ring as lato as tho early part OF lS3s q
fetal position for writing letter TO
newspaper critIclsing Mr.. Smoot and his
political ambitions.
In another instance, occurring in 1887, a
Mormon official was deposed from his Of
fetal tion TO the church for dlstriout-
ing at a school election a ticket dlnerent
from that prescribed by the church au-
In the year 1906 a teacher in the Nor
mon Church was cut OF from the church
for apostasy the ostensible foundation
for being CTitlclBnl
head of the church for his polygamous
practices the real ground being that the
accused had persisted in engaging In tho
manufacture of salt. against the interests
Of tho president OF the church and some
of his associates.
In what lis known as the Birdsall case
the officials of the Mormon Church as
sumed jurisdiction Of a controversy con-
oernlng the title TO real estate, and not
only directed conveyance OF the title
to tract OF land, but went further and
enforced its decree by spiritual penalties.
AS has already been stated no member
of tho Mormon Church with possibly
single oxccption) has ever been disciplined
for polygamy OF polygamous cohebitation
In defiance of the law md OF tie man
ifesto; but an OBSCURE ana fceoie
woman was accommodated from the
church and driven to the verge of insan-
ity for refusing to obey the dictates OF
the church leaders and relinqush the
title TO a piece OF land in favor OF ono
who had no shadow OF legal title thereto,
As was testified by one OF the witnesses
for tho protestant3:
Whenever q dsreSards tho teachings
and instructions couneels OF the leaders
OF tho church no has tho spirit OF epostasy.
a forcible illustration of the domination
OF tho leaders OF the Mormon Church
over the secular anairs OF the people
Is furnished by the fact that while ma
jority of these leaders have for years
been living In polygamous relations, In
defiance OF law, no one dares TO attempt
TO bring them to justice for fear OF the
consequences which would be visited by
the church on the one who should make
the complaint. And whenever ono has
for polygamous eohabitetion against any
member Of the church tho officers OF the
law have refused to prosecute, or those
who were prosecuted and convicted have
been released after the infilction Of a
merely nominal punishment,
The control which the governing body
OF the Mormon Church exercises over the
secular affairs OF the State of Utah is
we'll illustrated by the fact that for many
years past what are known as religion
classes have been taught in connection
with the public schools OF that State. In
these classes the youth Of Utah are In
etructed In the doctrines of the Mormon
Church by teachers in the public schools,
supported by State taxation. the course
OF study being prescribed by officials of
the church. This course OF study In
cludes the lives OF noted Mormone whose
IN their having taken multiplicity OF
wives and in thoir continuance In the
crime of polygamous cohabitation.
The teaching OF the doctrines, faith,
and practice Of the Mormon Church In
tho public schools OF Utah. under the di-
rection OF the high priesthood OF the
eral law governing the use of school
houses as expounded by the courts OF
this country. but is also expressly forbid
den by the constitution OF the State OF
Utan, which provides, In article ], section
4, as follows:
No public money or property shall bo ap-
propriatcd for or applied to any religious
support OF any ecclesiastical establishment.
(Schoheld VS.. School Dist, n Conn. 4s9;
Spencer VS.. Joint School Dist. is Kan. z59,
School District vs. Arnold, q VIE, 66T)
Such teaching Is also prohibited by a
statute OF tho State of Utah, which de-
clares that No atheistic. inhdel. secta-
rian, religious, or UNCONVENTIONAL doc
the district schools of this State (Re-
vised Statutes OF Utah. sec. 1s4S)
The conduct Of the ruling authorities of
the Mormon Church in directing the
teaching of religion classes" in the
echolhouses OF Utah affords a fair illus
tration of the contempt with which the
restrictions which stand in the way Of
their desires, or of their own interests or
what they conceive to be the interests OF
the church of which they are the head
have been discontinued since their exist
ence was revealed by this investigation
serves TO emphaSlzo the truth that the
Mormon Church dominates the affairs of
the State of Utah In educational matters
as we'll as In other respects.
Political Domination of the Mormon
Church.
But II is in political affairs that the
domination of the first presidency and
twelve apostles of the Mormon Church Ia
most efficacious and most injurious to the
interests OF the State. The constitution
OF the State of Utah provides There
shall be no union OF church and State.
nor shall any church dominate the State
and interfere with It's functions (VoL
], p. S) Notwithstanding this plain pro-
vision of the constitution OF Utah the
proof offered on the investigation demon
strates beyond the possibility OF doubt
that the hierarchy at the head OF the
Mormon Church has for years past
formed a perfect union between the Nor
mon Church and the State OF Utah, and
that tho church through Its head domi-
mates the AFFAIRS OF. the State in things
both great and small. Even before state
hood was an accomplished fact. and while
the State was in process of formation,
and afterwards. during the sessions OF
the first and succeeding Legislatures, II