The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-27
SMOOT ON PIONEER DAY.

I"g Shih IAN dHllOpl ldbS
things; albeit most of his address was
candidly sectarian and clannish. But
from his standpoint, that of the bigotcd
follower of the leading religious cult
he no doubt meant to be candid and in
offensive in the main. But on two big
points he WAS neither; nor was he hon
est as to these, nor III a number of less
er offensive things.
First, he referred to the enlistment of
the Mormon battalion as ga request
made by President Polk upon the scat
tered, hunted, and depleted fugitives
from Nauvoo for a battalion of five hun
drcn men for the Mexican war;" re-
quest which Brigham Young honored
without hesitation - And well he
might, since it was what he had sent
special agent, Col Jesse G.. Little, to
Washington, to obtain. The Mormons
were desirous of going to southern Cali
fornia, but were poor and couldn Z see
how they were going to make the trip.
Tho battalion idea was suggested, and
was received with delight by the Nor
IllOu ttduClS> NOl- hJuG, ldlInl
friend of the Mormons, went with Col.
Little to Washington TO urge the ac'
ceptance of that battalion, which was
to be discharged In southern California,
whittier all the Mormons then expected
to go. They were to retain their guns,
and so be armed for defense in the new
land, Just where all the brethren expect.
ed to land. The battalion was not ex-
pected TO go 10 the scene of the fight
ing in Mexico, never was ordered to the
pioneers to open the way to the coast,
their own destination. 1T was
gracious act on the part of the National
favor never accorded to
other emigrants to the coast, and was
accepted as their salvation by the lead
ing Mormops at the time. 1t was from
the first pay of this battalion that
the pioneer party was organized that ar
rived here on the day whose anniver.
sary was being celebrated when Smoot
when vindictive hate tried to falslfy
the record. that blame was attached to
the United States in connection with
that battalion 1T was Government
money that equipped the pioneers and
made their Journey possible. And yet
Smoot, falsely and scurvily, Injected
a false idea into the very celebration
wherein he glorifed that journey. 1t Is
a problem to candid understanding
how he could take this nasty twist,
when he must have known
that every intelligent person, even with.
out special knowledge of this Mormon
incident, is well aware that there were
no acquisitions for troops during the
Mexican war; there were more volun-
teers than could be accepted.
Again, Smoot made a denunciation of
class hatred that might very well re"
coil upon his own head, and upon the
heads Of the leaders of his sect, when he
said:
There are individuals who are sowing
the seeds OF class hatred in our State
and Nation. They seek 10 array one class
OF people against another, They en-
deavor TO create and promote an'mosl-
ties on lines Of religious intolerance, 1heS
find n score of pretexts to intensity
prejudice one toward another The en-
of such conditions is as
menacing to our welfare as the section
al hatred that grew and hourished IN the
middle OF the last century. l plead with
you, fellow citizens. to disapprove OF
such action, for your own sake; Tor your
sake; for your countrys sake;
for the sake of the glorious Stars and
~ inSTc nd
hopes 1t represents. denounce 1t! When
you find persons or parties who seek TO
lead you into "A feeling Of hostility to
your fellow citizen on lines OF section
anything else. do not let the spirit of
such division deceive you. or course. IL
comes to you in specious forms. IL may
have a dozen truths TO obscure the helm
GUS lie with which it would poison your
heart: but you may know II 1t teaches
YOU 10 hate or oStraciSe any portion OF
your fellow citizens, IL is contrary to
the spirit OF true liberty God knows l
would ike TO see class hatred forever
frowned upon in this State. 1 have no
hatred in my heart and my only aim
shall ever be TO advance the interests
OF all the people of my State as well as
the Nation.
Now, it is evident to any one who
knows anything about the origin, teach
ings, and practices of the Mormon
sectaries, that the denunciation of class
hatred, hostility to other citizens of the
Republic, and separation into antago-
nistic aggregations, applies with vastly
moro directness and force to the Nor
mon leaders and those who follow them,
than to any other portion Of the citi-
zenship of this country, The teaching
from the first has been that the saints
must come out from the world, must
gather TO Zion, must hold themselves
apart from others, that others who come
here are intruders, outsiders, enemies.
with whom the saints must have as lit
tie TO do as possible. The teaching has
been uniform that the saints must not
sell land to these intruders; it was
boastfully enforced Just a few years
ago by President Joseph f. Smith in
his Dixie speech where he declared that
he had never sold foot of his land
TO the "enemies of the church - Later,
his son, Apostle Hyrum Smith, lamented