The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-03-16
THE DEPRAVED NEWS.

Probably in all its Infamous career
the Deseret News never excelIed in
| downright degradation its attack upon
| Rev. y. Z. Clemenson, who is reported
to have charged in the East that Apos-
| tie Reed Smoot was and Is a polyRa-
mist, which attack appeared in Its edi-
torial columns on the evening of March
fourteenth
incidentally the News abuses The
Tribune. but its mendacity concerning
this paper may pass with this COM
ment. The etory alleged TO have been
related TO a New York paper by Mr..
Clemenson was telegraphed as a special
to the Salt Lake City newspapers. The
Tribune refused to use It. as It has re-
fused many times before during the
past two years to print charges to the
same effect made by other citizens of
this State. The Tribune has never ac-
cused Reed Smoot of having more than
one wife. We do not know Further
more. IL he were In polygamy IL would
be practically impossible to prove the
fact. II there were a plural wife In
the case and she had her child in her
arms. sitting in the witness chair be-
fore the committee at Washington, she
would probably answer as did another
devoted and sacrificed woman in this
case-that she had child but no hus-
band The attempt Of the News TO di-
rect the responsibility for the Clemen-
son story to The Salt Lake Tribune,
when this paper would not even publish
the matter. although other journals
here were not so scruDulous. demon
strates that the editor OF the church
organ has not recovered from his hy
drophobia. What The Tribune has
charged, what The Tribune has proved
by the testimony. by the public utter
ance and by the public vote Of Apostle
Reed Smoot is that he is responsible
for polygamy, that he upholds, sus-
tains, adulates and teaches the divine
authority of the men who do practice
it.
Now as to the attack on Mr.. Clemen-
son. The News cannot refrain from
assailing him because Of his exposure
of the frightful conditions In College
Ward, in Cache Valley. where man,
known by the church authorities TO
have attempted outrage upon httc
girls. was protected by these same
church officials, and the News Vitupe-
rates Clemenson and protects the un-
speakable flend by saying that the lat
ter had made "all possible reparation'
In his power. The News says that Mr.
Clemenson has been 'nosing into peo-
pies private affairs and that he has
been stirring up unsaVory odors," and
intimates that MI, Clemenson is want
ed in Logan, the county seat OF cache,
on a criminal charge for impersonating
a county official in his effort to dig up
the details of this awful case OF de-
pravity, II the people of the United
States could know the tone of the Des-
eret News In its editorial of the four
teenth they would be horrified beyond
expression. No charge that could ever
be made against the Mormon press and
the Mormon hierarchy would ever after
be doubted by them. The depth to
which the Deseret News has descended
in this matter Is beyond anything ever
before seen in a public journal of any
character According to the News II is
peoples private affairs II beast
clothed In human form pursues and at
tacks young girls. not once alone but
repeatedly, and after he has been
warned again and again, 1t Is "all pos
sible reparation' according TO the
News. for him to confess TO his eccle-
siastical superlors and promise not TO
offend again-unti the next time. And.
finally, according TO the News, the cor
respondent of n public journal known
in the community as a man of moral
character who for weeks urged the
county officials to restrain the wild
beast who was at large In a college
town, Is to be arraigned on a criminal
charge-a false charge Of impersonat-
ing an officer.
Judge OF the News, you decent people
of this community-consider this organ
edited by a man who processes to be an
apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. and
owned by n man who processes to be
the audible voice of God to humanity
The vilest crimes In the world are
peoples private affairs" and the man
who attempts TO secure justice is a
criminal,