The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-09

| talk and act politics when a Democrat
shall not have that right
I He declares in no uncertain terms
/ that the talk about discipline" is fool
lsh-he says II is ''as the cacklng of
/ geese"
No knowledge of mission"
so far as I know" said Mr.. Rob-
erts, Il VIII remain in Salt Lake indef-
| initely. l have heard and read the
gossip that l am TO be sent by the
church to some foreign land. First,
hear 1t is Mexico, and then / hear it
/ is England. l have heard of no de
eisiOn on the part of the church au-
thorities to appoint me to work else
where.
You will understand that am one
of that portion of the church Organi-
cation called the seventies. That body
mas to do with missionary work. much
OF IL in foreign countries. l hold that
the church is greater than any man,
and If l were appointed TO carry on
| the work of the church elsewhere [
would respond to the call. There is
certain work outlined for the body
with which | am more closely connect
ed and if, in pursuance of the duties
required to carry on that work, it be-
comes necessary that any man should
60 hence to attend to il, it wpuld be his
duty to go.
THE quorum of the twelve is our
ranking officers, and we follow the in
structions they give after they have
IN their wisdom, decided that it is es-
sential that those things be done.
The Trip to Alberta.
You suggest that it has been talked
about that one of my first 'eiminations'
was my trip 10 Canada ! was not or
dered TO go to Alberta. 1t was nv de-
sire, expressed weeks before / went. that
go there IN pursuance of that portion of
the church work with which I have more
particularly to do. I felt that | might 40
much that would be of benefit nv being
personally on the ground. and my visit
has convinced me that my Judgment at
that time was sound.
The talk Of discipline is foolish and is
as the cackling of geese.
Long a Democrat
Il have taken more or less an active
part in politics as a Democrat since the
Iirst separation along political lines. and
maintain that il is my right to continue
TO do so as an American citizen. | be
HeVe in Democratic principles and | DENY
the right of any man to say that / shall
not speak, write OF act ain advocacy of
those principles. / am deeply interested
IN them, and profoundly interested in
their realization in fact. IL is my sin
cere hope that one day this state will be |
Democratic and j shall do all that lies |
in my power TO bring about that result /
Tt has been asserted believe that (
resolutions were adopted-that the high I
er officers of the church shall take no /
active part in politics. During all of the /
time that ! have been interested in poi |
itics / have cOntended for the complete i
separation OF church and state and | be- l
lieve in the unqualified assertion of the /
church that this also is its principle /
believe. however that so long as Repub- /
licans are active in politics, Democrats |
have right to be also. l cannot see the /
justice of d situation which permits Re /
publicans To do certain things while the /
same privileges are denied Democrats. l
tude and restriction, shall be fixed, I /
shall serve my party TO the best of my 1
ability
Church and Politics.
Mr.. Roberts declared that the church. !
by its own declaration of principles. holds /
interference in politics to be evil. Mr.. /
Roberts had recourse TO his library,
whence he brought forth an official copy
of the Address TO the World" adopted /
at the April conference of 1907, when he |
continued.
u will read you a pertinent sentence or /
two from this address, which has bear |
ing on the point: The Church of Jesus !
Christ of Latter-day Saints holds to the |
doctrine of the separation of church and |
state; the nOn-interference Of church au- |
sOlute freedom and Independence of the |
individual in the performance of his po- /
ltical duties. If, at any time. there has !
been conduct at variance with this doc |
trine it has been in violation of the well |
settled principles and policy of the |
church Again the words I'VE declare) |
the absolute freedom of the individual |
from the domination of ecclesiastical au- |
thority in political affairs
THAT ought to be plain enough, said !
Mr. Roberts. Il take it as an unequivocal |
statement of the church, and that being |
so. | shall exercise my right and privi- |
lege as an American citizen to do in pol |
itics as any other American citizen has
the right and privilege to do
In the Colonies.
Speaking of his trip to Canada. Mr. |
Roberts said<
Elder Richards and myself were at
the Alberta and Taylor stake confer !
enccs, and we were also at the Big Horn |
in Wyoming. The changes
that have taken place in the Alberta |
since | was there ten years ago |
have been marvellous. Raymond. place |
where there was not a house ten years |
ago, is now thriving town of LOO peO- |
Dle 1t has good streets and is modern |
i'm every respect. Raymond is an evil |
dence that colonization In Canada has /
passed the experimental stage. The col |
ony i'm the Big Horn country is equally |
We have reason TO feel /
greatly encouraged