The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-07
WHY NOT MAKE ACCOUNTING?

This repeated protestation that the
tithing accounts are all right, that the
revenues derived from the tithes are
properly applied, and that the church
leaders are not stealing the money for
their own uses and purposes, must sure
ly be getting tiresome to the Mormon
people, as it is TO the public. In fact,
the Saints must be getting ashamed
of the attitude Of their leaders in this
matter; for there is not only not the
least necessity for such protests, but IN
the absence of the obviously right and
satisfactory accounting that should set
the whole matter right these continual
protests are suspicious. If everything
is so honest and right, why should a
straightforward, business-like public ac-
counting for the tithes be so strenuously
fought against and so constantly de.
nied7
What sense is there in protesting that
the tithe accounts are all right with
out showing that they are2 What
would the officers of a bank think of
a cashier who should ask them TO be
content with his assurance that the
funds and accounts Of the bank were
all right without asking him to make
an accounting and show up the mon
ey? What would court say to re.
ceiver who should assure the Judge that
all was well with his trust, and expect
that word To be taken in place of Il
financial balance sheetl
If IT is true that the church leaders
use; if it is true that the tithes arc
used precisely as the church laws and
the intent of the donors require. why
should the bare statement of Joseph
j.. Smith or any other man be held con-
elusive in the matter? Why should a
blind, blanket endorsement of the ac-
curacy and good condition of the 9TH.
ing funds and accounts, made by an OK
parte committee named by those who
seem TO be Interested in keeping Sc
crct the details of tithing receipts and
expenditures, be accepted as covering
the requirements Of the case7 The
contributors TO that fund are entitled
to the fair complete showing that
recipient and custodian OF other peo-
ple's money is glad to make. provided
he is an honest man,
Joseph T. Smith claims that not
cent of the tithing fund is used for the
pay or the expense Of any church off
cial; that profitable investments made
long ago furnish the revenue necessary
for that purpose. This is a very am
biguous way TO put it. What were
those Investments Where did the
money come from that was put into
theml Was it tithe money, or church
money of any kind! 1T appears as a
matter of fact to have been church
funds, invested in sugar factories and
other forms of business, which contra
diets the oft-repeated declaration that
the church is not in commercialism.
And, in the ultimate analysis, this !
statement of Smith 8 that the support
of the high church authorities does not |
come out of the tithes is misleading, as /
the usual prlestly declaration is common |
~ found to be. 1t was either intention.
"'| iiiSiS""inG' VI c'Se 'o!nlLn considers /
that, tho church chiefs having had the |
use of this money so long, it is now
theirs, and does not belong any more to
the church.
Even the little that the church
leaders permit to get out on their iinan
cial management and use of the peo.
pie IS money, proves the most selfish
and rotten misrepresentation of funds.