The sun., 1908-11-27
HORMONIsM TO-DAY.
serlena Gg,arsee Against Its Political and
Matrimonial Practices.

ssFlene sstsFsee Against AIs EeAIse-s anu
Matrimonial Practices.
To THE EDITOR OF THE sUN-Sir; was
born In Utah from Mormon paTentage,
reared there, and followed the political
situation very closely. | should like to
take issue with lie Roy Armstrong In his
statements that the Mormon Church does
not interfers IN politics and that there is
no new polygamy. Mr.. Armstrong knows.
as we'll as every man In Utah knows. that
tho Mormon Church openly and hegrantly
interfered In the recent election. Not
only did the Mormon Church paper advise
the Mormons to vote the Republican ticket,
but the Mormon leaders, pretending to hold
religious meetings, took those occasions
to urge the vdters to support the Republl-
can ticket, as In that course lay their only
hope to defeat the American party. One
OF the pledges given by the Mormons when
statehood was secured for Utah was that
the hierarchy should not interfere In poll
tics. During the Smoot Investigation MIR.
Smoot. b. II. Roberts and Prophet Joseph
+. Smith and many others testified that
the Mormon Church bad continued to inter-
fere In politics.
The political interference In the recent
election grew to be so obnoxious that b. II.
Roberts and few others who dared re-
Illustration of how the heads Of the Church
do interfere and use their influence the
following is taken from the improvement
Era, o Mormon magazine of which Joseph
+. Smith is the editor. In this instance he
had reference to the election previous to
this fall:
Just now there Is a tendency among some Of
the thoughtless young men to sympathlze with
| the fight agaIpst the Church authorities waged
by the assassins Of virtue. the supporters of vice
and riot and gambling. iewd women. robbng and
general corruption. II IL q senseless tendency.
and they who follow It viii do go to their own
| destruction. At the present time we are about
| to make choice OF some political leaders. 1t Is
scarcely necessary to say that man who has the
interests OF himself and his people at heart will
choose his friends. Who are our friendst Men
who have kept informed on the trend Of affairs
| In the nation In the last two years or more may
easily surmlse. To vote any other way would
be ungracious, against our own best interests. and
would show spirit Of ungracIousness such as
! this people do not naturally possess. Wherefore.
by their fruits ye shall know them.
tSlened) JOSEPH F. SMITH.
"Assassins OF virtue" refers to the clergy
of Salt Lake City and those Genties who
we're opposing the Mormon rule. On an
other occasion In Provo. Utah. Joseph F.
Smith said In an address: The man who
says l have a right to direct him spiritually
and not In temporal things lies In the face
Of God"
But strange as it may seem the Nor
| mons admit that they interfere In politics,
| that such is their policy and their inten-
tons When the Mormons began to grow
| strong politically a number OF years ago
Bishop Lunt gave out the following In an
interview to the Los Angles Times:
We look forward with perfect confidence to the
4.
States Government, This is our present TEN
poraI aim after that expect to control the con
tInent. We intend to have Utah recognized as a
| State. To day We hold the balance of political
power In Idaho. we rule Utah absolutely. and In
a very abort time we will hold the balance OF
power In Arizona and. Wyoming. All
this will build UP for us a political power which
will In time compel the homage OF the dema
gogues OF the country. Our vote Is solid and will
remain IL will be thrown where the most
good will be accomplished for the Church. Then
In some political crisis the two political parties
will bid for our support. '' We will then
hold the balance OF power and viii dictate to the
| country, Our people are obedlent. When they
are called by the Church they promptly obey.
Mr.. Armstrong said We have three
political parties The Republican. Demo-
cratic and American. The two former
are not very strong except In Salt Lake
City and county. Here they have elected
Mayor and majority Of the City Council
Mr. Armstrong IA wrong. The American
party Is In control of Salt Lake City and It
has scarcely any organization outside OF
Salt Lake county.
Mr.. Armstrong also accuses the American
party Of threats to imprison the Mormons
or drive them from the nation; that the gold
figure Of Moroni on the top Of the Temple
would be torn down and the Temple be
turned into a skating rink; that the Nor
mons would either have to recant or their
property would be divided among the Gen.
tiles. Mr.. Armstrong knows that those
foolish and absurd statements are false |
Still he pretends to play upon the credulity
OF the American people and put out such
nonsense.
Mr.. Armstrong says that there is no new
poygamy. That is also false. During the
Smoot investigation new cases OF polyg-
amy were brought to light. Since then
there have been other cases. For in
stance. that Of j. NJ. Tanner. when he took
Lydia Holgren as his sixth plural wife. |
For that act he was elevated to the posi-
tion OF superintendent Of all the Mormon
Sunday schools. Mr.. Armstrong says that
two apostles have been unfrocked because
they gave their consent. without approval
Of their brother officers. to plural mar
riages. In that statement Mr.. Armstrong
contradlCt6 nlmsel1, ADMITS that there have
been new cases Of polygamy. and at the
same time makes further misstatement.
He at first denied any further polygamy.
Now he says two apostles we're unfrocked
for granting that privilege without the
concurrence OF their brother apostles. |
MIR. Armstrong possibly has inside infor- |
nation, but Joseph F. Smith stated pub |
licly In the Tabernacle that these two apos- |
ties had voluntarily resigned because OF |
other duties and their lack OF harmony In |
the policy OF the hierarchy.
Mr.. Armstrong insists that polygamy is |
dying out and thus It is no longer being
taught by the Mormon Elders. How does
Mr. Armstrong account for the fact that
recent Mormon converts arriving In Bos-
ton were deported for declaring their be.
lief In polygamyP IL the Mormon Elders
are not teaching polygamy to their con-
verts, who does Mr.. Armstrong think Is
teaching IL to them? IL they do not eI-
pect to continue the practice Of poly Ramy.
why teach IL to these newly acquired Nor
mon girlsS Why should.th doctrine be SO
thoroughly and early impre gnated into
them IL they are not In line for preparation
for plural marriage?
HANS p. FRREcK.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. November "a.
Hotels In Japan All for Foreigners. r
From ths Washington Herald.
lA. L. Il.