Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-06-16

I uiZcd Is this fact that IN state cone
I ventcn held IN Idaho IN the year 1904
one Of the leading Morm0ns made the
proposition that IN case a certain reso-
/ luton should BE- withdrawn he would
go 10 Utah and ask the president or
! the Mormon ChuFh 90 cease interier-
/ ing IN Idaho politics Thus u appears
/ that the Mormon Church dominates
| the affairs OF the state Of Idaho 20 an
! extent only less than 20 does the
| affairs OF the State Of Utah. AS an
| Illustration OF this fact, 10 was shown
/ that bin In which the Mormon
/ Church was vitality interested was
passed by the legislature OF Idaho short
/ Is after the visit OF one az the apostles
| OF the Mormon Church, who came there
Tor the purpose Of procuring such leg
/ islation.
A striking illustration Of the power Of
/ the Mormon Church in Utah iu matters
/ Of legislation appears in the history OF
what IL known as the Evans bill
which was passed by both houses of the
legislature Of Utah In 1901 in order 70
prevent prosecutions for polygamous
cohabitatlon. This bin was favored by
the president OF the Mormon Church
and by a majority OF the apostles and
/ was passed by q MORMON legislature
| II was vetoed hy @ Mormon governor
J the principal reason for tht veto being
that the attempted legislation would
I bring about am amendment 90 the Con-
stitution n the United States under
. which those guilty of the crime NJ poly
g1mous CohahlfaU0u would De- prosecu-
ted and punished In the federal courts
Perhaps one 90 The most instructive
instances of the exercise of The power
0f the Mormon Church 90 political ar
. fairs was IN tha matter referred 10 IN
. the protest al thc case of Moses That
. cher I'm that case the testimony taken
before the committee leaves no doubt
that not tnr fr1m The time when the
leaders Of The Mormon Church re-
qurad their followers i1 divide between
the two parties. 10 WAS ordered by the
. Mormon leaders that those officials ot
/ the church Wao desired 90 engage IN
politics iu behalf Of one ~ the politi-
cal parties should go out and influence
I the people ~ the Mormon Church IN
favor OF that party while those who
were of the contrary opinion should
remain 40 home and not attempt 90 iu-
hueuce The members Of that church 90
adopt their way of thinking. MT That
cher saw dt Go disobey This edlct and
not only to become "a candidate Tor the
United states senate, but 90 90 out
among the pe0pl and endeaNor t0 win
converts to the party Of which he was q
member For this oNanse against The
political diJtatI1u NJ the first Uresi-
dency and twelve apostles, Mr.. That
cher was deposed from his position as
an apostle. deprived oi all his offices
IN the Mormon Church, denied the
/ privileges which are accorded to every
Mormon en- good standing and the
whole influence 81 the leaders ~ the
Mormon church was put forth 90 COM
pass bis defeat.
As was well said by Mr. Thatcher
az the time OF this occurrence. this
action on the part 90 the ruling author
flies OF the Church transformed the
Mormon Church into great political
machine the steering apparatus ot
which Was IN the hands Of the T. or 10
men al the head. An this occurred be-
cause Mr. Thatcher refused 20 take
counsCl'-that u.s. To- follow the dictates
Of the Mormon Church as 90 Who
should become candidates Tor office and
who should not become SUCH
Specific directions given by the
heads Of the Mormon Church 90 those
under them seem 10 have varied ac-
coriing 90 circumstances Several years
ago. and before the admission Of Utah
On 10 the Union as state % would
appear that the apostles of the Nor
mon Church would convey 60 the menu
. hers Of that Church instructions con-
corning their political action openly
ana In public addresses The people
would be told from the pulpits Of the
Mormon Church what ticket they ought
10 support.
As late az 1899 bishop Of the Nor
mon Church called togethed a number
OF the members Of that Church who
belonged 90 "a party opposing the party
Of the bishop. and told those whom De
had thus called together that he had
received a message from the first presi-
dency % the efcct that the candidate
| OF the party 30 which the bishop be-
longed should De elected 10 Congress
! In the same year and az the same
election the president Of the Mormon
| Church took occasion 90 write a letter
20 the bishops of his Church Indoors
Ing the candidacy Of "a certain gentle
man FOR representative o. Congress. In
1875 one o. The apostles OF the Mormon
I Church On letter 90 one OF the iirst
presidents OF seventies virtually adyo-
Gated the election 81 a certain condi-
date for a seat in the United States
senate.
m 1909 AN apostle of the Mormon
| Church went through one 9f The coun-
Ties 0f Idaho telling ihe Mormon vot-
Cs That DO was Oh, NN Of he Church
that they should vote 20 certain ticket
Ir later years the method of dumln-
alton bv the Mormon Church 10 polite
gai affairs has been. go "a g.e1t extent