The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-23
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE MORNING OCTOBER

legislature in obedience to comrf1and from
headquarlers: Governor Wells vetoed IL,
also In obedience to command from head :
| quarters, and l know the man that wrote
the veto message. So, tho history OF the
Evans bill, the history OF prohibition,
'"S anu another way tomorrow,
Church In Politics.
Well, then II no act has passed or
can can pass the Utah legislature without
the approval of the church and II no
man man can be elected to either house of
, Wnat rs the CHIEF political power In the
state state OF CtahH There again is condi-
Iloh TO which you as American citizens
| must either submit or fight.
As Tor myself ] said when | became r.
Gi'iSen OF tho republic that to tho flag
! owed my political devotion l have
nrRen raRen my oath as a citizen and / do not
exercise within the state of Utah the
lnii righta of citizenship where the
SEnurIh S,t,ni rules rules with absolutism all the po-
| tnen was violation of the pledge. There.
then is established condition from
winch We Of Utah must rescue ourselves
or else we shall fall behind In the race
even such states as Portugal. All over
1his wide world men are casting off all
pohtical allegiance TO church. / speak
no disrespecl to that greatest OF churches
on the face of this earth In splendor OF
history. In magnitude OF power, the Cath
Ole church. when | say that the states
cyt,e Tnnre Its power has been exercised in
ciEn aiairs are today enfranchising
themselves and saying. within the pro-
vince OF the church you shall be su-
preme, the state win not cross those
boundaries. and within the province Of
the state the civil right is supreme, the
church shall not rule therein.
POLITICAL conditions in Utah are but an
lncltcment OF another condition in this
state. Why is IL that the Mormon church
desires 10 exercise absolute power in
civll affairs? Again we must refer to
the word OF a man who Is the law-gver
for the whole community and who some
times tells the truth. In Washington on
the witness stand he denied tho right OF
the senate of the United states to in
gutre into his personal affairs, saying
that though he disobeyed the laws OF
COO and man lie was nmenabie TO the
ciVii authority within his own state. and
ne added that the officers OF the law in
his state did not touch him because they
had too much respect for him.
why docs the Mormon church desire
10 exercise complete political autocracy
in Utah? Answer, because the chief OF
the Mormon church desires that the civil
ofncials shall entertain wholesome po-
litical respec, for his power.
Why None Complain.
When Irving Sayfer was here investi-
eating conditions and writing some ar
tic!es for paper abroad. he asked a
distinguished man In this community.
P, II. Lannan, why somebody did not
complain OF the prophet. seer and reve-
ator who Just testihed in Washington
that he lived In violation OF law. Does
any one dispute that he gave that tos-
tlmony? II Is in the record and these
they are available for American ctl-
said,
DO you mean why do not com
mean YOU"
Lannan said: You mean me If you
mean mean annybody Il will tel! YOU why l
cutting attorney would not issue a war
rant: II he Issued a warrant the sheriff
wouldn't serve II. Hc would tell PresI-
dent Smith that he had It and he would
not serve u. If he did serve II and Jos
eph r.. Smith camo into court there would
not be any witnesses If there were any
witnesses they would lie Ii they did not
vict him. II II did convict him the
judge would not sentence him. II the
Judge did sentence him II would be a
fine OF $500 and three thousand Mormons
would be ready 10 crawl to the temple
and pay tho fine at 10 cents apiece"
And very soon thereafter Joseph +.
smith was arrested and kind of con-
vention was entered into between the
judicial power OF the state and the ruler
OF the state. not as coordinate branches
but az a subordinate branch OF the gov
ernment addressing its monarch and II
was arranged at what hour IL would
please his majesty to appeaU before the
court. At that hour he came attended
by his courtiers and then and there the
ust power which he addressed. said in
asmuch as this IS the first time you
have appeared before this court dhis
was the twelfth child born since the
manifestol and your first offense. the
court VIII fine you $500. The exact
amount. II took the tlthes just about
to pay the $500 as the time that Joseph
+. consumed in his interview With the
court.
Polygamy and Crime.
Now, l never raised my voice against
the polygamy OF Utah previous TO 1890.
Nor do | now utter one criticism upon
the people who In that time believed in
and obeyed II rs a law 10 them, ] have
only addressed myself against the infrac-
tions Of the law OF the state and covenant
with the nation. Its practice in this age
is the arch criminality Of the time. Why
is Il that The Salt Lake Tribune can
date and circumstances? Do you sup
pose they got II all? Do you suppose
they got one-tenth OF 1t? Do you think
there is lie IN that list? or there was
ly they would make them pay for 1t.
Some OF the courts of Utah would be
quite willing to entertain criminal com
plaint against Senator kearns aud The
Tribune. The prosecuting attorney OF
this county would issue warrant easily
enough II any one had been lbeled.
w ny Is 1t tDDllIlueu. frccauSe lUc
chief of the church intended TO violate
one part of the law and one part of the
covenant with the country and he desired
to have around him a crowd of young
followers who. having disobeyed their
part OF the law and the covenant, would
do his will. That is why, and you
know II.
Why is 1t that big. splendid 3. II.
Roberts cannot declare his complete In
dependence of the Mormon hierarchy?
Why is II? Why was II that Moses
Thatcher was compelled. In order to save
his poor membership In tho church, TO
sign the, warrant of his own dishonor?
Because there was not another spot on
the civilized globe where man with
his family relations could set his foot
within the civilized conventions except
within the Mormon church. That's why.
When the government OF this nation
Jegitmatized every child born or plural
marriage and when thereby II gave the
greatest sanctity which human law could
confer upon the splendid mothers of tho
Mormon church who had accepted the
faith and borne the cross when 100000
children OF Utah we're brought within the
conventions OF mankind. when 10000
women were lifted up and honored, we
had escaped peril In this community
such as no other civilized people have
ever safely passed. You and know that |