The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-26
THE CALL TO SURRENDER.

| We PRINT on TINS page brlct ana
strong communication on tho cry for
peace which comes NJ times with such
persistence from the organ Of the rul-
ing church. This communication strikes
at The root of the whole controversy,
when it asks what the priesthood is
willing TO do toward peacemaking.
Obviously. il the hierarchy is deter.
mined TO rule, 10 keep on in its polit-
ical civil, and business control, its cry
for peace simply is n demand for the
surrender Of those who oppose its
methods and usurpations. We should
then have a repetition Of the old rough
riding over everybody by the priest
hood. that was such disgusting and
rotten feature OF Utah public life from
the granting Of Statehood until the or
ganization Of the American party.
There has never been the least sin
ccrity in the cry OF the priesthood for
peace That cry has always meant just
one thing-thst every one shall get
out Of the way and leave the course
clear for thcm. Even when with an
guish and tears they pleaded for am
nesty and professcd contrition for their
misdeeds. they accepted the amnesty
prayed for and spurned the conditions
upon which il was granted. Their con
triton ended and their tears ceased 20
1ow instantly. when the object aimed
at-Ststehood-had been attained. The
pretended division on party lines was
carefully planned. so rs 20 leave the
priesthood with its controlled vote
completely in command Of both so
called political parties, with the re-
suit Of elections at their supreme com
mand. Pretending good faith, they were
intriguing and plotting all the time,
and "setting up the pins for their
own advantage.
But the people here got thoroughly
disgustcd with the trickcry and the
bad faith. They rcvolted against priest
y usurpation. treachcry. and tyranny;
and when Joseph f. Smiths shocking
testimony in the Smoot hearing re-
voaled the depths Of depravity. lechcry,
usurpation and atheism which pre-
vailed in the lives, thoughts. and
conduct of Joseph F. Smith and other
leaders Of the Mormon church, public
meetings that resulted in the resolve TO
form a new party TO resist hierarchic
lawlessneSs and despotism were held in
the spring Of 1904. This resolve was
ieered at by the priesthood and its
tools, but when the new party was nc.
tually formed in the fall Of 1904. pur
suant TO the resolution Of the spring
before. misrepresentation of its origin
and purpose, and calumniation Of its
motives and principles were thick from
church sources, and have continued with
the utmost malevolcnce ever since.
And now we hear from the chief
church organ a renewal of its cry, ut
tered from time TO time since IL was
found that the American party could
neither be intimidatcd, argued out of
existence. nor defeated in this city.
But we hear nothing about an effort
of the priesthood 10 keep faith either
at home or abroad. The leaders per
sist in leading their shameless, lecher-
Gus, lawess lives. They are active and
vindictive in controlling the votes and
temporal acts of their locks. They
keep up and extend their business
monopolies They Interfere with and
whenever possible control the acts of
public officials in their civic capacity.
They are unceasing and comprehensive
in their assertion of complete control
over their people in all things, and in
the demand that their people shall sub
nit 10 that control. As President Jo
"The man who admits my right to
rule him spiritually but denies my right
10 rule him temporarily, lies in the face
of God" That is the comprehensive
claim of rule that the priesthood makes.
That is its assertion of authority, un
limited, all-controlliug.
And with that sweeping demand
freshly and insolently repeated. at
elections, in civil affairs, and in bust
ness, with no diminution Of priestly
arrogance; with no promise Of priestly
amendment, we hear the cry, iterated
and reiterated, for peace. But this is
simply call for submission 10 the
priesthood in all things, demand that
resistance to pricstly tyranny in all
directions in which that tyranny may
choose to manifest itself, shall end;
and that the assertion of American
principles. so obnoxious TO theocratic
tyranny, shall no more be heard in
Utah. u is a demand with which il
is quite impossible for free men and
,yoroen 70 cppplv