The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-02
OBSERVATIONS OF BISHOP SMITH

Editor Tribune: Attention is called I,
an article. well written and showing re-
search and care in preparation. in Tho
News of October 25. What follows wa.
called forth by some OF the statements
ana S by a Ta be STe anG
make the thoughts conspicuous, they art
gathered under the head OF ''Facts."
Fact l. Citizen the writer, asserts
| I'VE have no peculiar questions 10 con-
slider in Utah; II Is our foolish imasina
tions that have led us 10 believe We
| have
That is "A denial of the monumental
fact in Utah Peculiar questions. per-
tanning To doctrine. policy. society and
| the church, have distinguished Mormon
| ism from It's inception. it Is peculiar
In It's beliefs, practices. cNclusivencss.
assurance. arrogance and audacitH: and
has been from the beginning IT Will
not live in peace and anity with Christ %
ianity. That is its attitude In Utah
modified from that of Brigham Young :
day. by the impact OF Amcricanism.
Outside OF "a few localities. whore non
of life lies in trying 10 adjust ones self
| 10 peculiar conditions. that are found
nowhere else in our land unless it be in
some Shaker community, IT Is radical
change to 90 from an ordinary American
| town To one in Utah. The Yankee, or
| Eon Mormon who does so. realizes at
once, not only that he is stranger.
| but also a foreigner, an alien in an
american state and in presumably
American town
The abnormal condition which ''Citi-
zen cites as prevailing in lhc colonies
before they had learned the lesson Cf
liberty. has been rejuvcnatcd in Utah
not so much in the letter as in the
spirit
Fact . The doctrines set forth in the
article, Relations between the church
and the state" have not been the teach
ings OF the Mormon church. Search all
the VolumiHous writings OF the first fifty
wears of It's existence. passing ny som"
of It's platitudes on personal liberty and
YOU Will not find any such plea. as "Ciu
zen has made
Now that The tables arc turning and
the inevitable is near, they are waking
up. That is due tu the American party.
Fact 3. No party can come into be
Ing and power, whose bond Is merely
opposition 10 class. There is, there
must be. some principle that undcrles
the phenomenon ul the partyS rapid rise
To power, some cause that is potent
enough to create the political uphcaval
The american party. II ii were merely
Tho writer Witnessed the uphcaVal Of that
September night when tie American par
~. just born, stepped into the arena and
struck with the sharp end OF its t.n"o
ihc shield Of oliGarchy, 4 chalione" 10
mortal combat. While he did not fully
understand. nor, indeed. appreciate. Ut
tho time. Tn" intensity and depth of feel
ing which drew thousands together 20
voice their complaints. which bound them
IN covenant 10 resist tyranny, get
convention and heard sane. sensible, pat
riotjc, cnol-hoadcd iu"n calmly state their
grievances and pledge themselves Ia
support the cause. until those grievances
spaSm OF MoTmonsm that con
trosd them. They were moved by deer
ana Intelligent convictions,
Fact I. 9Th" theory upon which the
American republic was organized WAS
that there should be no classes i'll this
country"
True enough. But thore IS a class in
Utah that has dominated ii from 1876
10 l2oi. and largely dominates IL today:
tuai class is the governing authorities
OF In" Mormon church They have con-
truil"d their people and required thcm
to practice tho class spirit In ohedicn,h
- this power, thc Mormon people have
They have inreuted Il name that Is III
VidogS AS the people of Greco" rec
ucniZrd ouly two classes. Greeks aud
Barbarians. 50 thcs" people class them
selves as ''Mormous," all others as Gen
tiles ''Mormons are the "ins. tn"
chosen ones; "Gculilcs" arc the outs.
tho roprohatcs.
Now the purpose OF the American par
ty Is go break down this n-Amoricau
caste. Ia dsnteGrate the Mormon people,
not enthusiastically. but politically and
lean principles. dividing them up as citi-
zcns between political parties. over the
line between which may fuctuatc ma
iorities AS political convictions ehb and
flow, but not forced In or out of a party
by church considerations or hv cccles
laslIcal dictation. Chen and only then
VIII II he true that everyone is rccog
nizcd, not as Mormon, Jew or Gentle.
but us Citizen"
Fact = The American party is striving
In the American way. the only way open
to II. by agitation aud discussion, To
create condition under which no one.
high or low. shall have any special favurs |
or bc dc privcd OF any privileges as Amer
lean citizens. What Citizen! de-
mands, the American party proposes To-
secure. such favoritism does exist I'm
Utah AS that when a Mormon apostle
offers himself for the senate of the United
States, the mere announcement puts all
competitors out Of the race; such IA
voritism tlIat the president Of the
church maintains marital relations that
would send others 10 the pcnitcntiary;
such fayoritsm as paralyzes the cXecu-
tive arm OF the law in every town or pre- !
ciuct where a polySamis, lives
Fact 6 "No religion can protect a
real criminal in the eovcrnmen, courts.
says Citizen" II does, however. in
Utan, and Idaho and Colorado The laws
OF these states all make polyganous co. |
habitation n crime. the church has ut |
parties guilty uf this violation OF law are
not only immune Of punishment but, In |
Utah. arc highly honored. and their vir- !
tues proclaimed al every conference. Why !
why did the News wall in anguish be |
cause the American party demanded an |
impartial execution Of all law Tho !
News declared that the purpose was TO |
pu, ihc prophet and some others of the |
church authorities In the penitcntiary or |
cNnatriata them, and thereby confessed |
that these men were guilty, The law |
Is made for tho lawless and disobcdicnt" " |
and "Rulcrs are not a terror 10 the good |
but to evil EDO that which is good |
and thou shalt have praise uf the same. |
Innocence does not fear the law; but |
guilt shuddcrs at its mention.
Fact !, The American party h pro-
test the part of free Americans |
against the suppression O. free discussion |
and q demand for that agitation which |
clears up the atmosphere. brings hidden |
things 10 light. and drags all prctcn- |
sions TO the bar Of an intelligent public |
opinion. Nor will il bc diverted or made |
to pause by the cry that Il Is an attack |
upon religion, or an assault upon holy |
men.
To go back twenty five years in Utah'a |
history. VIC NIL find som" OF the causes |
that have created the prosent conflict. !
~ Ministers of the various Christian |
denominations who came TO Utah TO la
Dor were publicly denounced their hon