The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-27
Bishop Smoot's Trenchant Reply

command Ii was supposed TO repro
sent the Stars and Stripes, being prob
ably couple of feet long. attached TO
staff similar TO that Of a child's hand
flag and stuck up on the end OF George
A. g wagon tongue. That was the only
flag / ever saw IN the pioneer com
pany. aside from the yellow, black
spotted bandana of Heber c. kimball
that was hoisted on Ensign peak.
In regard to that part of the article
which says that it pays to state facts,
had the Mormon leaders stuck to that
idea the church would be in a better
condition today, and the leaders would
have some claim upon the respect OF
their followers and the GENTLE portion
OF the community as well.
With reference to my claim to being
Mormon. | don t claim TO be Nor
mon in good standing. However,
have never been accommodated from
the church. so far as [ know, for any
cause whatever. If the writer of that
article Will give the supposed date OF
my communication, and state the pre-
tended cause therefor, | will meet hun
in any public place and prove that he
is liar. and wilful one at that. True,
was dropped from my official posi-,
tion. WhyG Simply because would
not be a party TO wrong against the peo.
pie of the ward over which l presided
(Brother Heber C. Kimball used TO call
it milking 'em ~. And as to the
method pursued in this matter ] have
full recollection Of the gross injustice
that was practiced. On account of my
failure to accede to the wishes of the
presidency of the Salt Lake stake
(Which embraced all of Salt Lake coun-
ty at that time), because / considered
that thereby | would be accessory to
the imposition Of hardships upon the
Z 441 l. al lnl
presidency determined TO remove me.
L had always iDculcated the idea that
the members Of the ward had the right
to select their own bishop, undirected
by those higher up. The people, L am
glad to say, had some regard for me, and
they did not want to see me removed.
For that reason the stake presidency
found some difficulty in ousting me and
installing another in my stead, But
by the well-known methods pursued in
such cases, through the several arms of
the priesthood quorums, and by refus-
ing to confirm the choice Of the people,
they finally displaced me and inducted
Bishop briggs into the office, Then be-
gan a system of nagging and burden
interfered with and sometimes stoned;
my chickens were killed In my own
yard; and almost every conceivable
meanness that didn't amount to an of
fense punishable by law was resorted
| to IN order to make life miserable for
myself and my family. The bishop took
me IN hand, but could find no cause
for dealing with me, except that / did
not attend TO nv duties III the church,
and then he turned ME over 10 the block
teachers, These in turn, and upon my
request, gave me over again TO the
bishop; and finally a notice was sent
to me to appear before the high coun-
ell of the stake. The notice reached
me the day after the date set for the
hearing OF my case, and consequently I
could not have answered it at the time
appointed; but l did write n letter to
the high council, in which i acknowl-
edged receipt Ga day late) Of the no.
tiee, and added that ] could not see
why, | should appear before them, mas
much as | knew of no wrong committed
by me. That was construed as an in
suit TO the high council, and then the
bishop preferred against me- charge
OF 'unchristlanlike conduct which
might mean anything, or everything,
OF absolutely nothing. This time T
received the notice in time. by the
hand of the presiding teacher, and I
signhed my Willingness to appear. and
| demanded that my accusers be there to
face me. was promised that the com
plainants should be present This was
at the time of the prosecutions against
polygamy, and President Angus NJ Can
non OF the Salt Lake stake, and COun-
selor Joseph e. Taylor were both in
hiding: When I appeared at the high
council meeting, neither was present,
but presently they came in noiselessly
and took their places. After the dis.
posal of some other business President
| Cannon announced my case. and ad-
dressed himself to me TO the effect that
| was black-hearted viIlain,D and
that l should not be permitted to say
word about my grievances. / had
no grievances, told them, but was
brought before them to answer the
grievances that others fancied they had
against me. Ny accusers were not
there, and there seemed no definite plan
of action fixed in my case. Bishop Raj.
| eigh of the Nineteenth ecclesiastical
ward was member Of the council, and
he finally advised me that nv former
letter 10 the council was deemed an in
suit to that body. and that he thought
[ should withdraw IT, So | stated TO the
council that ] had not Intentionally
shown disrespect 10 the body, and that