Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-09
A MINISTER'S ATTACK.

To prefer charges against amy citi-
zen In this country for crlticisihs
public Official, even Il IT is the chiet eN-
ecntive. IL rather strange proceed
ing. but that Is what Methodlst
minister in Vermont is said to nave
done against a Fellow clergyman, Rev.
4 X. Day. chancellor Of Syracuse IN
iversity. The matter, it is thought
viii he brought before the New YORK
conference Of Methodists
AS TO tho merits of the case, II ap-
pears that DR. Day. In an interview
two years ago. expressed himself TO
the effect that the policy of the Pres
ident is danger to the country.
..Anarchy.' he said, "of the sort
practiced by President Roosevelt Is
the most dangerous kind of anarchy
Anarchism In the White house is the
most perllous anarchism that has
ever threatened our country. II
means anarchy IL the judges are TO
be set aside and their verdicts held up
10 criticism by the President me
complaining minister oonstrues this
AZ "speaking evil Of magistrates
which is against the rules OF the
church.
we are. probably. not far from the
truth e we assume that the complain
ant saw. in this long-deferred action
an opportunity of getting free ad-
yertisement, and that that was the
actual snetiva. 1t must be admitted
However, that It Is very bad taste es-
peeialIy for minister, to speak eVii
of any one. The habit of crislcis'hg
officials, for political reasons only ana
without regard TO truth or Justice
should he abhorred, like sin. and by
n minister more than by anybody
else. II is character assassination
and In recent lamentable instance
the persistent misrepresentation 10
cartoon and text, without doubt M
famed the murderer OF a president
20 uerform the awful deed. pollt-
teal demagogue may consider some
things legitimate since he Is engaged
in war for spells, which a minister II
he has a conscience, must condemn
For his mission Us, or ought 10 oe'
ono of neace. wherever he goes But
when everything Is considered, the
complainant has only succeeded u
calling attention to criticism winch
would have been dead and forgotten
bv this time, but for its resurrection
by the complaint,
The strange part OF the proceed
ing, however. is that the complaining
minister considers 4 political onense
suitable for investigation by relic
ious body There Is no evidence that
Dr.. Day had any personal feelings
against the President or that the at
tack was personal. II was n matter
OF politics entirely A a citizen the
complainant attacked the policy ~
the President Any other occupant
OF the presidential chair. with the
same policy. would have been attack
ed in the same way. Now, what bus
iness Is that of the Methodist confer
ence or any other ecclesiastical or
gan2ation? Is It possible that pas
tors and churches outside of Utah.
consider It perfectly legitimate "a
NEEDLE in politics, ut the same time
they threaten "Mormons" with COM
plete Acknowledgement for such all
legged meddling? There certainly is
some fragrant hypocrcy in the world.
President Roosevelt, we may say
does not deserve the criticism TO
which he has Leen subjected. He has
on every occasion insisted on obedi-
ence to the laws Of the country That
- not nnarchism, He stands for n
fair and square deal all around. He
is tho friend OF the laborer, and has
done more Tor the promotion OF their
interests than any ono citizen Of this
country. He has his faults, as no
mortal Is without imperfectlons, but
nc one can Justly accuse him OF be-
ing lacking in patriotism or zeal for
tho welfare OF the whole country or
every part thereof.