The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-23
"POLICEMAN'S CLUB" F"

We have heard that In certain select
unfair for The Tribune to have printed
| the forthcoming revelation" or "inspi-
| ration" or what not concerning the
| tithes and the rebuilding OF Jackson
| County, Missouri, before President
Smith had indicated his sovereign Will
| ingncss to allow the world TO know "tho
mind and the Will of the Lord" IL
| was supposed to be exclusive news
| among the hierarchs; and the courtters
| around the throne TO cali il lese- ma1este
| 10 al ticipate the prophets purposes.
| President Smith wanted TO deliver MINI
! self of this momentous matter In u
| sceInly and decorous manner. And
| row his plans are knocked all askew
Another specific criticism Of the
course of The Tribune Is made by one
| Of the most prominent men OF the
| church. who says that the leaders will
never yield while the 'policeman's
club" Is over their heads, and that this
paper Cnly delays the work Of reform
| by constantly demanding reform and
| by necessarily publishing in advance
| the prospective doings and utterances
| OF the hierarchy. 1t Is his opinion tha
| II the authorities of the church can be
| let alcne by the world, they VIII work
cut all the necessary changes with sat
isfaction to themselves and with entire
peace end harmony among the people.
A good answer to the complaint is to
cite all thinking people of the COM
| munity to the situation which existed
at the time the protest was fled in the
Senate of the United States against the
seating OF Reed Smoot The leaders OF
the church were making no effort at re-
form; they were betraylng their com
munity Into pIofounder depths of dark
ness; they were unconscionable in their
defiance OF the Government; and they
were practicing polygamy, political
control sectarian domination of tho
schools. uIholy church commercialsn.
Before the American party came into
over the church political machine was
the chief agency in the moral ruin OF
this community by partnership with
the evil elements Of society which were
youth to destruction and the working
nan to despair and there was not
within the ranks Of the church favor
ties one man who dared to whisper
that a reform was necessary.
Only the msistence from without,
cnly tho "policeman's club which the
United Stetes holds over the communi
", could have moved the priests Of the
church along any line OF progress.
They have never yielded except under
that "policemans club" The reforms
may move slowly because the hie
rarchy does not care TO accept tho suc-
gestions of the American party and
Tho Tribune. and the sentiment of this
| country; but they do move, and that
| is more than they would do II the
American partys work were TO end. IL
The Tribune were to cease from the
conflict, and If the scntimentality OF
the Nation were to be subdued in ac-
cordance With the Mormon chiefs de-
| sire.
SO far s the premature publication
| OF the prophets thus saith the Lord"
concerning Jackson County is con-
| oerned, this paper received the infor-
| nation on as good authority as there
| is In the Mormon church, and made the
| announcement accordingly. There are
| thousands Of Mormons who get their
| knowledge of inside movement in the
church from The Tribune, and It was
| desirable TO advise them In advance Of
| the kind OF proposition upon which
| they might some time be asked to vote
| Except fer what they learn in The
| Tribune they would come TO conference
| and be directed TO sustain motion"
| at an instant's notice without any op-
| portunity for present debate and with
out having had any chance for pre-
| vious consideration. case in point Is
that OF the exclusion of Apostles TAYLOR
and Cowley. Those Mormons who had
read The Tribune had been advised for
the full period Of year that President
Joseph F. Smith was contemplating
the sacrifice OF these two men at tho
behest of Smoot 10 preserve the
apostle-Senator. Therefore The Trib-
unes readers who attended conference
had ar advantage over those who
merely read the church organ. Our peo-
! rle knew what was coming.
II is therefore incumbent upon The
| Tribune for the sake of community
progress to fight for the reforms and
for the sake of community information
TO publish the plans and prospective
actions OF the prophets, seers, and rev.