The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-29

Editor Tribune Since writing you OF
the Mormon graft system the other day,
several friends of mine have given me
additional information concerning the
mIssionary's book selling ability. The
more / look into the book graft the
more convinced ! am that the church has
received credit wherein credit is not due.
and wherein il has made money while
supposedly bearing the message of the
meek and and lowly Nazarene. The
more l look into the book selling business
as conducted by the church. under the
magnanimity of the Desert News book
store and printing establishment. the
more convinced l am that there is near
the sacred confines of the Temple
grounds. within hearing OF the Angel
Maroni on his exalted pinnacle, stu
pendous robbery in the name OF Cod.
Not content with having cincn OF a
great circulation OF Its semi weekly, ad-
ministering TO the perverted appetites ot
daily. the sancttied News and its So
called auxiliary book business. grab
everything in sight. Not content with
supplying its devout readers with that
which is good for them in the sight OF
the priesthood, the system goes out IN
all states and countries 10 sell hooks
and pamphlets to unhclievers and. in
cidentally. tracts TO its missionaries.
Whether or not the church books sold in
Europe are printed here l do not know,
but 1t is quite certain that the Liverpooi
branch handles that side OF the business, ;s5
AS purely commercial organization
there is no fault 10 find with company
selling all the manufactured goods that
1t can possibly sell. Under the rules OF
offered against the church or the News
1t is only because OF the very peculiar
nature OF the Mormon church system
that this criticism appears just.
(that is. in Zion proper) of literature.
magazines. papers. pamphlets and books;
let us inspect briefly the mission field
regarding the book business. In former
days the elders did not push the sale OF
church works so much as they are now
doing. In years gone by the elders were
ing" and other preparatory works be
fore placing the Book of Mormon in the
hands of the sinner. Now. however. the
method has changed materially and the
standard doctrinal books. especially the
Book of Mormon. wherever and when
ever possible. The cunning schemers
have a systematized arrangement where
by much rivalry among the brethren in
the field sells many books. Every week
or oftener the elder fills out report
wherein he sets forth the number OF
each OF dozen books or pamphlets he
has sold. While there are many books
in the list. and while there are many OF
each sold every day, the books that are
measured zeal, are the Book OF Mormon
and the Doctrine and Covenants. The
Book Of Mormon Is generally supplied to
the elders in a cheap binding. cheap
paper. and sells in this country for 80
cents per volume. The Doctrine and
Covenants is put up in about the same
books sold often are Cowley's Talks on
Doctrine and the Voice OF Warning.
One returned elder told me that In his
opinion the average elder sells one Book
Il Itiri ic ftpn yoo rc'
service. Another elder told me that the
average sale Of this one book in. this
country is about five per week From
several estimations / place The number
OF this book sold by the elder In the
field as about $50 per year. or 500 dur
ing his mission This estima ton would
book are sold each year in the mission
field alone. at not less than 50 cents per
book. Then there is the Doctrine and
Covenants which may reach half the
above sale per year. selling at the same
price. Besides these two principal sell
ers there are many others which bring
In the money.
the Mormon church should be expected
10 lose money on this mammoth book
selling industry: neither do / condemn
hundred thousand dollars from the labor
OF those who bear His message of peace
and good will. No there is something
still more reprehensIole than that. ! re-
fer TO the oft repeated declarations that
the church pays the returning expenses
OF the missionary that is, the elder pays
his fare out 10 his field OF labor. in
this country. Europe, or to some island,
and the church pays his way home.
have heard this said hundreds OF times.
From the figures given above II is self
evident that each missionary not only
sells enough literature to pay his way
home but that he clears sufficient money
on his book sales TO pay his fare going
and coming OF course. there is no
danger of someone saving that the church
pays the elders a commission. because
the commission business in this instance
is strictly prohibited.
From many opinions and estimations
am safe in saving that the average elder
takes In a dollar per day while In the
field, Many sell ten Books OF Mormon in
a day. and the rivalry IN this book bust