The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-16
HERE IS QUESTION
FOR THE PROPHET
Likewise, 1t Is One for the
Mormon Who Is in
Business.
HIS PAYING OF TEN
PER CENT Is DOWNFALL
Why Business of Saint in
Small establishments Has
Drifted Away.

The following communication is self
explanatory. II asks questions which
any member of The dominant church
can answcr. IT tells story regarding
the saint who has endeavored to reach
out III the world 1t gives the reason
why no business man who continues to
pay his tithing, his ten per cent, into
the Golfers of the church. can succeed
Here is the communication:
Editor Tribune-I was born and reared
a. Latter-day Saint, Up TO the present
time, for certain family reasons. I have
never expressed my private opinion OF
Mormon theology, or Of the Mormon
priesthood or OF the effects OF their iu-
nucncc upon the Mormon people. But
there Is one question that has arisen in
my mind many times.
Why is IL that in Salt Lake City, the
home city of the church. the bulk OF
the business of all kinds is passing into
the hands OF the Gentilcs?
Look at the facts. Leave out OF con-
sidcration those Institutions which arc
conducted by the church Itself or the
rulers OF the church, and how much OF
the remaining business OF the city is
conducted by Mormons?
Twenty years ago the great bulk OF the
business of salt Lake City WAS in the
hands of Mormons Today. the Gcutiics.
own nearly all the chief stores, banks,
mines and institutions of the city. Tha
Gentle controls the money market OF
Utah.
Why is it? Is there anything in the
law OF the survival OF the fittcst that is
pushing tue Mormon TO the wall? If so.
what ailiucnt or condition is impairinS
his fitness for the battle of life? The
How can they be explained? Find this
hookworm. To my mind two causes op-
crate 10 bring about this condition.
First-The church taxes. including IN
graft and all other little expenses that
a Mormon in good standing must bcar.
Sccond--Compctition OF church enter
prIses. which are kept up on tithing
which the Mormon pays.
As TO the church tax: II must be sri-
dent 10 anybody that a. man who gives
away or throws away 10 per cent OF his
profit cannot compete In business with
subject TO such loss. While the Mormon
was paying that 10 per cent tax year
after year, and to that extent lesseninG
his capital the Gentle was adding II IN
per cent to his capital. That the Cen
tile ou,stripped the Mormon is evident.
AS TO competition OF church enter
priscs: The Mormon merchant. we viii
say had store. lie paid his 10 per
cent tithng. attended meeting, and tried
To build up business. OF course. most
of his friends and acquaintnnces were
MornlOnS, and naturally NJ dcpcnoto on
the Mormon people for trade. But sad
to relate. some OF his uthinS and tho
tithlug Of many others, was used 10
stock the big priesthood store and keep
il going. That store sold many things
tho Mormon merchant handled. and the
priesthood. coImsclors. block teachers and
even apostles themselves lntimated 10 the
saints that IL was wise To deal with
the church store. He found IL hard 70
compete with such an institution. and
as IL result his business failed 10 cN-
paud. In many instances. just when the
Mormon merchants business, through his
ceaselcss energy and pluck, began 10 eN-
pand and TO show some likelihood Of
competing with the church store. Nh
Merchant was called OH mission. When
he returned from his mission his store
had gone 10 the dogs.
The net result OF these facts is a con-
dilion which. II allowed To continue, viii
make the Mormon people the ''hewers
OF wood and drawers OF water" for the
Gcntilcs. We see the condition 10
which the Mormon people have been re-
duccd by the past twenty years OF priest
hood graft. Now, what Will another
twenty ycnrs of tithlnG tax and church.
graft do for them l leave that ques
ton for a prophet 10 answer.
NEPHT Il. WILLIAMS.
Salt Lake City, Nov. 10. 1909.