The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-18
A FIT ILLUSTRATION.

1t Is said that there IS an analogy
drawn In some circles In Washington
between persons who were engaged In
the old-time Norman declaration of In
dependence by the church leaders and
their warfare upon Johnston's army,
and the case of Confederates who made
war upon the Federal forces from 1860
to 1855 And 1t is pleaded in behalf OF
Smoot that he should not be objected to
on account OF that old Mormon hos
tiljty and warfare. any more than Con-
federatcs who were in the southern
armies are now objected to, that as the
Confederates are fully restored, so
should Mormons be fully acquitted Of
present liability for their former an
tagonism. to the point of warfare. And
1t is said that this view finds some ac-
ccptance. q few in high places consld-
ering 1T a logical analogy, and agreeing
that the two cases and lines Of argu-
ment are parallel. even II tho worst
possible construction should be placed
upon that ancient Mormon rebellion.
But the analogy fails utterly when
we come to examine into 1t, and no
possible benefit can come to Apostle
Smoot by reason Of It; but rather, 1t
serves to bring into more particular
notice a phase OF the case that II seems
hard for those to see who do not come
In immediate contact with the heart
Of Utah." an acquaintance with
which utterly dissipates the apparent
resemblance between the two cases,
and destroys the point sought to be
made In this analogy In favor Of Sen
ator Smoot
Let us suppose that during the resist
ence of the Confederate Government d
man should have asked admission 10
the Senate from 0et US say) Alabama,
not as from any loyal sentiment, but
simply as an emissary from the Gov
ernmept set up against the Nation and
representing that hostile organization;
Would such q man have been admitted
as q Senator? If we suppose that Con-
federate Government to be still in ex-
istence. would an emissary from 1t be
now admitted to the Senator To ask
the question is to answer 1t. There Is
recognition of former Confederates
because they no longer appear as Con-
federates but as loyal citizens. repre-
senting loyal constituencies and loyal
States.
But here Is precisely the difference
between that condition and the Utah
condition. The alien and hostile Gov
ernment Is in full existence In Utah to-
day It claims and receives the gu
preme allegiance over any allegiance
due to State or Nation. 1t Is a tenn
poral government, controlling It's ciu-
zens more completely and more inti-
mately than any other temporal gov
ernment In the world undertakes to do.
1t demands and receives an obedience
and submission undreamed of else
| where a civil official here no more
thinks of enforcing the law without the
consent of the church temporal govern
ment's voice than he would think or
| defying God Almighty. A citizen or
Brigham City just the other day re-
joced that he was "a citizen OF the
Kingdom of the living God" And that
he considered this literally. without
question. That Is the general sentiment
of all the Saints: they have kingly
temporal government of their own, su-
perior TO all mere man made govern
ments." 1t Is a vital, present. and
overwhelming fact; and they consider
| that disobedence TO this temporal gov
| ernment would also be disobedience to
God.
| It is this habit OF mind which caused
a Logan newspaper just last week to
deny the opposition of the hierarchic
| temporal rulers, to education, urging
| In their behalf that more than half the
| taxes Of Cache county were spent on
education. But II the friendllness OF
the hierarchs to education Is to be
| proved by the expenditure of the pub
lie taxes, there is no escaping the
conclusion that the hierarchs must and
| do have the control Of those taxes.
SO that. there can be no benefit to
| Snoot in pleading that those who were
members Of a defunct hostile civil gov
| ernment are now under no disability.
| For, the hostile civil government to
which he owes and renders his para
mount allegiance Is not defunct; 1t Is a
present living, dominant power. And Its
full adherents have neither thought nor
care about any other sort Of govern
| them,