The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-23
PROTECTING 1.-THE PROPHET, :"

Mr.. Tayler-Do you not think If the
president OF the church sent word 10
Heber Grant that he was wanted In TINS
country It would be his duty TO come?
Senator Smoot.-I think he would.
Mr.. Tayler.-Without asking any aues-
tons?
clal mission Of church work, and specially
called for 1t, and I think he would come
Mr.. Tayler.-If word We're sent by the
president TO Apostle John w, Taylor that
he was wanted In this country, do you
not think no would come?
Senator Smoot.-Well. John w. TAYLOR.
as / understand 1t, lives in Canada. That
is his home. He has bis business Inter
ests there. and 1 do not know. whether
he would or would not, Mr.. Tayler,--Tes-
timony in Smoot case, volume 3, page
307.
Somebody must have given Apostle
Senator Smoot the "wink' when he
ing Apostle Grant. and thereafter he
became more careful. 1t is apparent
that he realized Cor that somebody near
by realized for him) that he was load
ing President Joseph T. Smith down
with a responsibility that the prophet
would not care to bear in the open.
But with all his vigilance, APOSTLE
Senator Smoot failed to altogether pre-
vent exposure of the cat in the bag.
Familiarity with the facts in mat
ters Of this nature excites interest in
the subject of cause and effect. There
was a warrant out for the arrest Of
Apostle Grant at the time Of his de.
parture upon the Especial mission"
alluded to by Mr.. Smoot. Tho presi-
dent of tho church was made acquainted
with this little circumstance long be-
fore the paper issued out OF the
Sheriff S office. Not desiring to see
any mau occupying his own marital
status prosecuted for his lawbreaking,
the president lost TO time IN warning
Apostle Grant that the moment had ar"
rived when it was necessary for him
TO shake from his feet the dust of
Zion. And so, when the gallant officer
from the Sheriff s office sailed forth
with his fatal paper be found that the
apostolic bird had flown. He had been
''sent on u mission Joseph T. Smith
aided and abcttcd the escape; and. as
Apostle. Senator Smoot admits, the
president could havo called Hebcr J.
Grant back TO this country to answer
TO the law, had he any respect for the
State or any desire to sec others pay
due respect TO the commonwealth. But
no such righteous. proceeding was in
the Smith programme, and the law was
cheated while Joseph T. chuckled.
Apostle John w. TAYLOR was wanted
Ias witness before the Senate COM
mittee; but be also fed and was not
recalled, Joseph L. Smith hustled this
important witness OF to Canada, where
he would be safe from the process OF
the National Government, Taylor IS
home was suddenly shifted from Salt
! Lake across the Canadian border, with
ample means furnished to him to
"makc his getaway aud to establish
himself in comfort beyond the reach
Of the ungodly inquisltors at Washing
| ton, Joseph L. Smith could have
| brought him back, had he the least do
sire TO serve his country; but that is
not part Of the Smith occupation
Apostle Cowley was similarly stu.
atcd-he also was "wanted. and he
| also was "sent on O mission, - 1t
must be understood that there arc diff
| fereut classes OF missions that the
Mormon prophet may impose upon a
member of tho church. Some are re-
ligious. some are financial, some are in
dustrial, some are political, and some
arc in the interest Of prophetic self.
protection. Apostle Cowley's "mis-
| sion" was a composite one, but princi-
pally his going was TO save himself
from punishment and 10 protect the
chief prophet from exposure IN the mat
ter of his responsibility for the new
polygamy that has occurred In the
church during his reign over it.
SO it may be readily seen that, while
Apostle Smcot became carefully evasivo
in the matter, he could not hide the
fact that the president OF the Mormon
church copceals new polygamy, pro-
tects new polyganists md encourages
still others to engage in it by showing
them that there is no danger to
threaten through defiance of tine law.
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