Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-08
THE LOGIC OF 1T!

As specimen OF anti-"Mormon" To-
Ric we quote from an editorial In the
Seattle Post lntellgenoer, 1t is de.
signed to show why Senator Smoot
should be denied permission to sit IN
the United States Senate. The argu-
ment CD Is based on the recent testi-
mony before a Senate committee of a
self-confessed breaker, whose
evidence was contradcted by another
witness on the same side Of the case.
The first OF the two swore that he
had taken an obligation, frequently re-
ferred to improperly In the inyestlga.
tion as an "oath," which he was bound
not to reveal. that he would covenant
and pray, and never cease to pray God
to avenge the blood Of the prophets on
this nation" The other witness swore
that the words "this nation" were not
in the obligation. But, allowing the
first testimony to stand. here Is what
the Seattle paper deduces from It:
1.-THE text OF that oath shows concu-
"
the Mormon Church Is q State within a
State. and Is opposed, vitality, to the
government OF the United States recog-
nizing in its adherents no obligation
OF citizenship TO this country, but de-
manding OF them, rather. hatred of
the country, which Is restrained from
taking the form OF overt treason mere
ly because of the inability of the
Church TO try conclusions with the
government by force As n member OF
reasonable organization, bound by
an oath OF blood vengeance against the
government of tho United States as a
member of an olgarchy which defles
the laws Of the United states and UNI
dertakes to carry on secret govern
ment OF its own, the DEGREES of which
are moro binding on its members than
the laws which are violated by these
DEGREES, Reed Smoot is not entitled to
sit in the Senate of the United States
There's reasoning for you, with a VEN
geanoe! II person who believes that
there have been prophets unjustly slain
in this land whose blood. like that OF
Abel, calls from the ground for venge-
ance, and In accord with "the souls un-
der the altar referred to In the New
Testament, namely Revelation vi. SO,
he prays to God for retributlon upon the
guilty. that proves him to be "a MEM
Der OF reasonable organization, does
It? And II number OF such petition.
ers to the Divine Ruler join In the
prayer and they are members OF a
church, that constitutes the church a
state within a State, Ell? Leaving the
matter in the hands OF Deity. who has
proclaimed Vengeance is mine. I
will repay. saith the Lord,' is being
'bound by an oath Of blood vengeance"
is It? Could anything be more conclu-
elve? The Post-Intelligencer, which
evidently Is not posted" on the ques-
tion which il attempts to solve. and
does not prove itself much of an "in-
telligencer' in relation to 1t, goes fur
Their than its own peculiar logic, and
intlmates that proof Of it's irrational
conclusions Is not really necessary"
but rashly jumps at them ana lands
In the mire Of nonsense and folly.
All the talk about hatred OF coun.
try" covert treason" secret govern
ment Of It's own" and the rest of II, Is
merely the echo of n cry raised by vio-
lators OF sacred promises who are filed
with enmity and malice who contradict
each other under oath, and whose un-
trustworthy endeavors to besmirch that
which they often declared to be divine
and holy, are repeated by venomous
maligners ana uniformed writer's and
preachers, 10 the spread OF msnfor-
nation and the fermenting OF malicious
prejudice
For the Information OF our Washing
ton contemporary. We viii state that the
Mormon people have demonstrated IN
numerous ways; In peace and in war;
when surrounded by hosts Of their fell
low citizens and when Isolated IN dis.
tant DESERT lands; when within the
domain uf the United States and when
Bettlil uIon the soil Of Mexico; when
living as parts Of sovereign States and
when organizing new commonwealth
Cnion when suffering cxpatriation and
when rejoicing over freedom from mobs
and pill.ge and murder; under all con-
ditions ana trials. that they love their
country are devoted to It's institutions
are ready &C. fight for its flag and to
maintain us Constitution, and that they
contend only against injustice, tyranny
and oppression and are fully as loyal
as their de'ractors can possibly be.
whose patriotism is chiefly In the noise
they make with their mouths.
But returning 10 the logic Of tho Seat
lie paper must We not he charmed with
the reasoning which deduces so much
from such petty premises, Because a
fully dIscrcdited witness aftirms that
the "Moimons' promise to pray to God
% avenge thc blood Of the prophets
therefore duly elected Senator agains,