The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-15
A CONFERENCE SUGGESTION.

Reverting TO tho surmise recently
made by the Smoot "Mouth concern.
ing tho great Importance of the coming
April conference of the Mormon church
The Tribune has itself heard numerous
more or less important rumors.
Perhaps tho chief OF these concerns
the Apostle Senator. 1t is stated that
the Mormon peoplo have become tired
Of the Smoot politico-apostolic mixture,
and that they have been complaining
rather forcefully upon this score. These
rumors have reached the cars Of the
high officials OF the church, and the per-
sistency of their repetition has caused
the men in control TO pay some serious
attention TO the murmuring. 1t has
been the custom of the innermost circle
of the Mormon hierarchy TO silence such
| complaints in one of two ways, The
| first effort has been to squclch the
| Righteousness by the exercise Of the
priestlY authority If possible. If that
has appeared TO be rather too risky
TO be attempted, then there has been
an cndcavor to quiet the unrest by
means of some miserable sop thrown out
to the people that had the appearance
of complying with the popular will.
In view of the complaints against
Smoot on account of his "What-the-hell-
dol care7" apostleship, mixed with his
"pink tea - Senatorship and his
miserable course in the tariff matter
and other public questions, it is reported
that some action will be had at the APP
preaching conference with respect to
Smoot As it comes to The Tribune, ii
is suggested that Smoot is to be re-
quired to follow the course pursued by
Apostles John W. Taylor and Matthias
F. Cowey. The announcement is to be
made at the conference that, finding 1t
impossible TO attend to the duties of
both Offices, and in order to silence the
prosecutors - of the church. Mr. Smoot
has "resigncd' - as a member of the
apostolate.
At any rate, the appearances would
indicate that if something of this kind
shall not be done there is likely to be
q public demonstration of moro or less
SlltuElu dl lHt puN
thing above all others that the hierarchs
would not have happen.
Another suggestion is that the Gus
todians of the tithe fund Of the church
come out with a fair and honest state
ment concerning the administration of
these moneys and material effects. The
secrecy that has hitherto been main
tanned in tins matter has been gradually
upon the sense of fairness In
the Mormon people, They have been
growing moro discontented under that
system as the time has been passing.
They want an accounting. 1t is not
stated that they have yet arrived at the
point where they may feel impeled
to demand such accounting if it be not
forthcoming; but it is evil
dent that the danger line has about been
reached
Then there is the vexing situation
thrust upon the church by the numerous |
new polygamists who have taken plural |
wives since the manifesto of 1890. |
If the chief officials of tho Mormon |
entertain tHC uOllOu lHdt
there is not among the homogeneous
Mormons a growing feeling of resent
ment against these new polygamists,
and against the church for permitting
them to 90 unscathed, the hierarchs
should get the notion out of their heads
Something had better be done at once,
Il trouble would be avoided.
These several iniustices, perpetually
imposed, have wrought the rank and
fle of the church to a warm pitch. The
pressure is already TOO much to bear;
and certainly it cannot be restrained
much longer from bursting out. If there
is anything at all in signs as expressed
by general opinion, safety and comfort
For the hierarchs call for remedial ac.
ion at once.