The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-16
WILL HE ACT FOR GOOD?

!
good that the cbprAH masters insis,
upon interferipg in civil affairs, Tho
Interference l1f the ccclcsias,s authori
taiivcly by reason of their church posi-
tions is IN evil that is constantly in
evidence in the politics Of Utah. Las,
fall it was conspicuousIy displayed con.
Jointly with the Influence OF the liquor
interests, with which the church was
framed up through the "Fcdcral
bunch. in n close alliance II was
in evidence distinctly in our municipal
affairs when President Smith, then
president of the street railway com.
pany. iutcrforcd in his bullying WAY III
the matter of the street railway fran,
chise which he was then seeking to
have renewed. aud did have renewed,
jcontrary 10 the interests Of tho people
and in violation of some of he special
pledges made 20 The people of this city,
at the time when ono million dollars in
bonds for water and sewers were voted.
The control Of the priesthood over The
civil officials who are Mormon, has
always been absolute moi only in their
personal affairs, but in their official
action.
! This points the way TO a remedy for
an affair which the church organ here
is continually harping upon; that is.
the so-called cred light DISTRICT or
stcckade. The church elected the local
ticket last year That ticket was com.
posed almost soldly Of members of The
church, amcnahlc 10 Counsel in
every respect, official as we'll ms per
sonal And thcy,consider it their duty
As officials to obey that counsel when
given,
Now. there has been surfcit of
church interference in the way Of mis-.
chief and damage. Let there he for
once, little church interference
for good. Let the church an
thoritics express themselves by way Of
counsel to the officials that they
elected which officials arc subjects III
the temporal kingdom as well as spirit
ual lambs, and would. as Il matter Of
obligation, as well as for pleasure.
COUNSEL that they might receive. The
church organ says that much evil is
going on in the "stockadc.' If so.
il is a clear case that the sheriff, whose
duty it is TO enforce the orders Of the
court and to sec that the injunction is
sued by the court is obcycd. is obligated
to abatc that evil IT would be simple
matter for him TO bring into court the
officers and stockholders of the Citi-
zens' Investment Company and have
them punished as for contempt Of court
in violating that ordinance There is
no doubt in the world that the court
is well disposed TO maintain its orders
and to punish those who violate them.
We say this, not from any special
knowledge of the disposition of the
court with respect to this particular
matter, but as general proposition,
which is applicable 10 all courts
Otherwise the courts would fall into
contempt, They must see that their
orders are enforced and obeycd
Here, then, is an opportunity for
lnc cHulch power, Wnlcn is altogether
too often exercised for mischief, to
come to the front and be exerted for
good. II exercises upon the civi! Of |
ficers Of its own choice and III its own
following an authority which they
could not possibly resist All that Pres
ident Smith has to do is 10 tell the
sheriff TO enforce the order of the court, |
and it will be done. Let the church,
move for good morals and
decency in this matter, as il has so
often moved for immortality and in
deccncy, and the church organ will
have no, further cause for complaint In
deed, it ought to be able 10 see that
the complaint which il is making so
frequently and so piteously, is. in fact,
an arraignment Of its own church Of
ficlals for their failure TO exercise IN
a good cause the power that they have
so often exercised for evil and in de-
fiance of the law Let President
Smith tell the sheriff TO enforce the
order OF the court. and clean out the
+" stockade.' and ne will be obeyed.