The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-12
TITHE OBLIGATION Confessed


mon people were permitted to excr-
else one of the rights that belong TO
all men in civilization. They were
given an opportunity to say whether
or not they would approve OF certain
expenditure from the funds which they
contribute to the church That was
a good precedent TO establish, and it
should be carried TO a logical concm-
sion. In that event the contributing
mass would be able to designate the
channels through which their funds
should flow, and the purposes to which
the money should be put, even to the
utmost detail.
The care, control, and expenditure of
general funds, whether of n religious,
social, fraternal or commercial organi-
zation, is matter of business pure
and simple; and in the disposition
of such funds none but business
methods should be permitted to apply
| BY their action In submitting TO
the people for their approval one
contemplated expenditure. the leaders
of the Mormon church have admitted
that the mass has always the right Of
assent or dissent in all such business
matters, They are entitled to excr-
else that prcrogative in the matter
| of church investments in L. C.. NJ I
stock; also as to expenditures in
sugar concerns; likewise with refer
ence to moneys put into the establish
ment of banking houses; similarly in
the case of wagon and implement
companies; also in reference to funds
used in railroads, pleasure resorts,
salt companies, dramatic associations,
knitting works, publishing houses,
newspapers, mining corporations. lands,
buildings, livestock, and the numerous
other industries and institutions in
which the church is concerned in a
purely business way.
OF course ii could not be expected
that in all instances the people could
be consulted with reference to pro.
posed expenditures; but those Off
| Gals of the church to whom is en-
trusted the custody Of the general
contributions ought at leaet, IN prac-
teal business affairs, to report their
acts after their corsummation. There
would certainly be more satisfaction to
the mass if this were done. and even
people who do not belong TO that
organization would be convinced that
the fiduciary Office was being honestly
administered
II is a well known fact that if the
ordinary unofficial member of the
Mormon church were asked for infor-
nation, as TO the financial position
of the church funds in any of the
institutions named heretofore. he could
not furnish even the largest detail
All that he would be able to say is
that he knew the church was interested
in so-and-so, but to what extent, what
profits were derived, or to what use
the income was put, he would he as
ignorant as a rank outsider-and pos
sibly more so.
To any reasoning mind this is not
only unfair to the people Of the church,
but it is positively dishonest to tho
general public, Every citizen is in
terestcd in the industrial welfare of
the community, and the manipulation
of large sums of money annually is
matter of public concern. Citizens
have the right to know if possibly
a large number of their fellows are
being defraudcd by some illegiti-
mate means. The only way in which
the public suspicion of probable dis
honesty can be abated is for the Gus.
todians of funds, publicly and generally
contributed, to make report of their
ardship-at least to the contribu.
tors themselves.
The report which was made by the
church auditing committee is in itself
a confession of the fairness and cor.
rectness of The Tribune IS attitude
in this matter. If truth be ad-
mitted in any degree, it should be
accepted in its entirety. The neces.
sity for report of any kind is proof
of the necessity for a report comprc-
hensive in detail No mere state
ment that "every ything is O. X" is
sutficient-it does not fill the bill.
Suppose that the auditor of a city,
county or n State should say, AT the
end of the year: 81 have examined
the accounts of the treasurer and
find them to be correct. Does any
sane man igamine that such a report
would be accepted by the public7 Not
by any means There would be the
immediate cry: Where are the
fgures1 Let us sec how this money
has been expended; how much there is
of 1T: where il came from and where
it goes to- That is business, and that
ls the sort of treatment that should
be accorded TO the financial affairs Of
the Mormon church.
A request from the Mormon people |
that the business OF the church be I
dealt with in business way would !
not only result in lust treatment for !
themselves, but would be benefit to
the whole community.