The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-03
IN POLITICS. AND WHY.

IL Is DO longer Vutotipu NGtNucI
the Mormon church is in politics or not.
There is no longer any question as to
how deep that church is in politics; it
is in right UP 90 Its ears. Tho only
thing that remains is 10 examine why
the church is in politics.
First, the church is in politics be.
cause primarily the church is organized
as a temporal kingdom. il has always
been tho claim of the church leaders
that their jurisdiction extended to ev-
cry human activity aud their authority
was complete over every member OF the
church in all matters whatsoever where
they chose 10 exercise that jurisdiction.
This claim of authority and jurisdiction
of the priesthood has all but universally
beeu recognized by its membership. 1t
is only the advanced thinkers and indie
pendent minds that have been able
within a comparatively few years TO
throw of the obligations 20 obey the
priesthood in all things. Fortunately
for the State, aud fortunately for those
members. they have become n great
host within the past eighteen years.
The hope is that the numbers OF these
independent thinkers will grow, and
that finally personal independence will
be the rule in the Mormon church. and
the right of such personal independence
will be openly and formally exercised.
Quite the reverse has been the case
heretofore. as VIC have said: the claim
and exercise being the priesthood dom
iuation and membership submission.
Second, recognizing the fact that the
obligation 10 submit 10 the priesthood
in all things has been materially weak
ened within the past eighteen years, it
remains 10 examine why that claim is
vchemently asserted this year. and why
the priesthood has gone into politics
with its whole force and strength. and
is undertaking 10 dragoon its members
into the support Of a preferred political
party. This also is somewhat of a rem
nant. The right of the priesthood 20
control the people in politics wns exer.
cised TO force them as far as possible
into the Republican party. Then there
was a reaction against this, aud after
wards the pendulum again swung in ia.
vor OF the priesthood and the iurisdic.
tiou was resumed. 1t has been fanat.
ically exercised in favor Of President
Roosevelt because Of his sustaining OF
Apostle Smoot for Senator, and by rea.
son OF the favoIs that the church has
enjoyed through the Smoot ascendency
and Presidential approval. There is
added 10 this also the present year q
pretended fear that there is to be q
falling Of the criminal ecclesiasts and
that some sort Of prescription or per-
secution is afoot. And Nephi l.. Nor
ris takes the ridiculous position that
his church is bound to como to the de-
fense when people express n wish to
free Utah ''from the clutches and the
dominance of n selfish. lawless, adulter-
Gus, robbing priesthood. " And he feels
compelled to call upon the people 30
vote the Republican ticket because The T!
Tribune called for the redemption of
Salt Lake county from the "clutches
Of treachoEous, lawless, and treason.
able hierarchy Such transparent !
humbuggery as this of course deceives
no one. But it shows the estimation in
which President Morris holds the priest. /
hood of his church and the tendencies !
of their work. And Bishop WooJley's /
trumpery plea that he was about to be |
put behind the bars to "languish and |
die gives tinge Of humor to an 9th, !
erwise rather somber campaign. I'm !
doubtcdly all of the excuses, the patch. |
work remnants of an authority from
which the priesthood has often an.
nounced that it has iivested itself, |
show the bypocritical pretenses and abb
solute lack of foundation of any worthy
reasons for the church TO be in politics
at all There is absolutely no excuse for
it, and yet the church is in politics
fully as much as it ever was-open, pro-
nounced, vehement
II has been the stock refuge of the
church when accused Of being in poll,
ties. to make a bald denial; and no mat
ter how complete the proof has been