The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-17
WHERE THE TROUBLE is.

| ris, OF tho Commercial Club, TO deny at
any time hereafter that he Is a prophet
seer. and revelator. His opening re-
marks at the banquet in the clubrooms
on Tuesday evening show conclusively
that he knows what is coming, and
that he is a practicer OF the old High
land maxim, that II is n good thing TO
return the compliment OF a blow by
striking FIRST.
AS every one knows. whatever handl-
| cap Utah or Salt Lake City is lnboring
under. that handicap is the condition
| imposed here by the Mormon hierarchy
the system which they have enforced
| whereby they deny for themselves, and
| inculcate like denial upon their iol-
lowers, that the laws of the country
and of the State are binding upon them
/ unless they choose to recognize these
| laws. their claim to being peculiar
people, withdrawn from all others and
| holding all the rest Of the people OF the
| world as outsiders" their incubation
| and practice of polygamy; the theory
| which they enforce in rigorous prac-
tIce that the priestly rule which they
have established must be temporal as
| well rs spiritual; that the leaders have
an equal right in debating In all the
worldly affairs of the people as In their
religious affairs; their constant practice
OF controlling both political parties and
overawing the civil governments of the
State, of the counties and cities. when
ever any question of the interests OF
the hierarchy comes up. All these
things make up whatever menace there
is in the minds of the American people
TO The glory and prosperity and ad-
vancement of Utah and OF the munich
palitles therein
If any man ever objects to coming
TO Utah. what is the ground of his OBJ
lection? Inevitably and always, be-
cause of this hierarchic rule; no man
ever objects to coming here or bringing
his money here for investment on any
other ground whatever. On the con-
trary, tho rich resources OF this State
wide, varied and magnificent as they
are-naturally attract every man OF
money and enterprise. and In every
case he is favorably disposed toward
investment. and those seeking homes
arc favorable to the natural outlook
here. If there Is any objection what
ever 1t is always as stated, and never
because of any adverse opinion as 10
the advantages offered Of location and
investment I'm Utah.
In view of these facts the remarks
of Mr.. Fisher Harris anticipated in the
most conclusive way certain remarks
of the evening, and furnished a COM
plete answer thereto.
Elder Brigham H. Roberts, for in
stance, has just found out. apparently,
that there are honest men throughout
the sects in Utah and among adherents
fact that we have been living under
peculiar conditions hero which have In
a measure, kept us apart from tho
rest OF the country. Now, who is 1t
that inaugurated those peculiar" con-
ditions. and this separation? Can there
be the slightest doubt that 1t was the
eccleslasticism which Mr.. Roberts rep
resents, himself a prominent ecclesiast
in the church which enforces this class
distinction, which has constantly kept
IL up, which reiterates 1t interninably
In all of its meetings. which proclalms
with apparent pride that this is pc
culiar people," that they must keep
themselves apart from the Gentiles,
and that they must do Gods work in
their own way and to the exclusion of
all others not OF their faith? Is 1t not
true that within three months, In a
prominent gathering of a great. wide
spread society of the Saints, one of
their leading speakers was especially
vehement against the marriages OF
the Saints" with the Gentiles"2 Is 1t
not true that President Joseph F.
Smith, In a speech at st, George in 1904,
vauntcd the fact that he had never sold
an inch OF land to the enemies" of
this people-mcaning thereby that
every one not among his followers he
counted as an enemy? The evidence
ana the CONTINUOUS history Is conclusive
TO the point that whatever line of
cleavage there is in this respect In Utah
was made by the men among whom
Mr.. Roberts is shining light; and 1t is
they who arc clamorous to keep it up.
1t is also true, without the least ques-
ton. that all those people have to do TO
affiliate with their fellow-citizens in
general is to break down the barriers
which they themselves have built up
cease their defiance of law; come into
conformity with American sentiments
and usage, and make OF themselves in
fact free and untrammelcd Americans.
Since 1t Is a fact that it is the Nor
mon leaders alone who have always
maintained this wall of division; since
It is they. and they only, who keep 1t
up; and since 1t Is true that they are