The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-26
THE sLANDERER-IN CHIEF.

community's reputation III the
world is very largely fixed by inc
known attitude Of its public men. The
Tribune has been repeatedly accused
of slandering Utah, because IL mas neen
calling attention to certain offensive
practices in high ecclcslastlcal ll1e here'
and because it has been insistlng IhaC
the offending against law and decehcy
must cease. But when the Descret News
makes these charges against The Trib-
une. the church organ is thoroughly
aware of the fact that II utterly mis-
represents the aim of this paper, ana
that in doing so it engages itself In the
despicable occupation Of attempting 10
cover up infractions OF law, whose eX-
istence has done more to inlure The
State than all else combined
At one time the Mormon church at
| TEMPTED the experiment OF sending
polvgamist to the National House OF
Representatives. That, in itself, was an
insult to this State, and one which had
the effect of giving to this community
a reputation OF such unsavory character
that it required years Of the utmost et-
fort on the part of progressionlsts here
To overcome it. The House of Repre-
sentatives refused TO seat Mr.. Roberts,
and indicated in this action that 1T was
not disposed to tolerate individuals OF
this class as members of that body. 1t
was plain notice TO the hlerarchs thac
polygamy was not to be countenanced
i'm the United States-that it was a
practice which was opposed TO the CIV
iliZed sentiment of this country, The
lower house of Congress gave ample
demonstration of its opinion that polyg"
amy was destructive of man S moral
reputation; and if this effect were cred
tied to it for the man, how much more
harmful must it be when the obnoxious
practice is reported to be generally
extant among the religious leaders OF n
community! But that is precisely. the
brand which Joseph +, Smith has set
upon this State of Utah, as shown by
his testimony at Washington. When
asked if any Of his fellow-ofhcials had
objected to Mr. Roberts as holding a
high place in the Mormon church, on
account Of the fact that he was polyg
amist, Smith brazenly rGtorted why
should they9' When further pressed
for answer, he replied thus:
Let me say 10 you, then. Mr. Senator
that B H. Roberts is in the same status
that l am myself. and I could not object
to him with any degree OF consistency
myself, and do not think any other man
in the priesthood or connected with the
presiding authorities could do so any
more than ] could myself.
How is that for a boost for the
State of Utah? Clean state of affairs
that, as described by a man who claims
to be the personal representative of tho
Almighty in the earth! Smith could
not have said worse if he had told the
country that here was a nest of counter
feiters, each member of the gang pro
tecting the other because he was ''iI
the same status. - The Smith testi
mony was simply to the effect that thu
, principal men in this community were
law breakers, and that none could
, criticise his fellow, or object to hi
occupation of official place, because al
, were equally guilty.
Is that not SANDER Of the State
: Is it not injurious TO Utah for tn,
{ Deseret News to continue in its polio,
1 Of hiding this condition of lawlessness
{ to the encouragement Of further Law
: breaking? The result of the News :
D effort was exposed in the recent pro
7 nouncement of the first presidency O
}, the Mormon church. In that document
!, instead OF being able to say that tn,
q laws of this State were being faith
t fully obeyed by the Mormon people
q these men were obliged to comics
q that there have been new cases o
b plural marriage within the church, add
ing the insulting expression of wonder
/ lment that there had not been more O.