The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-21
PAYS HIGH TRIBUTE
To THE MORMONS
Author of the Story was Born
and Reared Among the
Saints.
HE IS BOUND TO THEM
Leaders. He Declares. Have Al
lied Themselves With Politics
TO Hold Power.
HE rs BOUND TO THEM

TO Hold Power.
1857 the franchise wns taken from all
women in the TERRITORY. The governor,
the marshal. the district Judges, the
court commissioners and the election
commissioners, were all of federal APP
pontmcnt Only the legislature was
left to the Mormons, and on Its acts
the governor had the right of veto. Tn.
der the statutes, however, the governor
was iucapactatcd from initiating legls,
laton. his post being that of official
censor Of the legislative body. with the
accompanying right 10 absolutely veto
any measure that he might consider to
be dangerous or inimical to tho national
policy. There had been proposals made
that the president of the United States
appoint for the territory legislative
council. TO take the place of aud do
away with the territorial legislature,
controlled absolutely by the Mormon
people-and through them by a hand
full of church officials. On top Of this
it was proposed that every Mormon be
subjected TO test oath that In eff
feet would have deprived him of the
right TO vote, or TO have subjected him
TO charge of perjury Ind he accept
ed the oath.
THE Heavens We're as Brass
IL was indeed a gloomy prospect for
the Mormon people, and the stronger
intclligences among their leaders be-
gan to realize the truth-that ii was
time 10 retreat or TO bc crushed out
of existence. And it WAS under the
stress OF this acute situation that
George Q. Cannon sent for his son,
Frank, j.. as a messenger 10 be sent
out for a relief that must come TO save
the Mormon society. The meeting was
an impressive one. as the character and
nature of association of the men will
Indicate TO all acquainted with the pre-
vailing condition at the time. In the
course of that interview, the sou said
TO the father. 4" am still of the opinion
expressed 10 you and President Tay
lor four years ago. Plural marriage
must be abandoned or our friends at
Washington will not defend u.s. And
upon making that declaration the son
stood before the father. oXpcctant that
the reply would be similar TO that re-
celved by him four wears before from
President John Taylor, who had cried
out in imperious vehemcnce: Ono!
Plural marriage is the will of Godl
1t s apostasy TO question it!' 1t was
urged by the young son, who after
wards became one of the two first Unit
ed States senators sent from the new
commonwealth TO Washington. that
many of the old and tried friends Of
the Mormon people had become weary
of the organized rebellion in Utah
against the United States government; !;
that continuance of the fight would
lose to the church the support that it
had hitherto been able TO RELY upon,
and which had been voluntarily ten
dercd in kindly effort to bring about
peace for the Mormon people through
their ultimate recognition of the coun.
try'S right TO impose its conditions of
citizenship. Subsequent events show
that the impression made by the son
upon the father (who was mighty
figure in the Mormon church) at that
time bore It's fruit for good. The elder
seemed 10 accept the suggestion of the
Younger, and 10 recognize the force of
the argument presented. Then and there
the younger man was practically given
his commission which in later wears
brought him into national prominence
President Smith s Opposition.
However, the venerable church leader
advised that the voung man 90 at once
to have audience With Joseph T. Smith
who at that time was fellow counselor
to the president Of the church Again,
in this preliminary mission. is the Sun
derground' guardedness of the time
displayed. Guards were successfully
passed, and Joseph +. was found pacing
one of the rooms in the president S of.
fee. Just west OF the Bee Hive house
At that time the old stone wall sur
rounded the block, with the heavy tim.
ber doors at all the entrances. 1t was
at one of these that the two Young
emissaries were challenged by sentries
gave satisfactory assurances of their
identity, and were admitted to The
Presence. Mr.. Cannon describes iu part
the feelings that must have stirred his
breast at the time that he approached
Joseph +. Smith with his proposal. He
writes: ''No Mormon in those years
since the death of the founder of the
church had more hate than Smith for
the United States governments; and
surely none had better reason to give
himself for hate IT was with full
knowledge of this feeling of hatred for
everything branded "U. :. A. that
was entertained by Joseph f. that MI
Cannon approached the agitatcd man.
As soon as Mr.. Cannon spoke of his
proposed trip TO Washington on an ex
peditioD of peace making with the
United States. Smith broke out savage
ly: "These scoundrels here must be re-
moved-if there S any way to do it.
They're trying to repeat the persecu.
tions of Missouri and Illinois, They
want TO despoil MS of our hertage-of
our families, m sick of being hunted
like wild beast. I've done no harm
to them or theirs. Why can't they
leave us alone to live our religion and
obey the commandments of God and
build up Iionl ! thought Cleveland
would stop this damnable raid and
make them leave in peace--but he S as
bad as The rest Cam they see that
these carpetbaggers are only trying to
rob us? Make them see that The
hounds, Sometimes IL seems to me that
the Lord is letting these iniquities 20
on so that the nation may perish in
its sins all the sooner! -
Helplessress, After ALL
Between his helplessness, his anger.
and his sneering, Joseph r. almost
drove himself into a frenzy. But the
calm demeanor Of the young man ne