The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-29
A GOOD RULE TO ADOPT.

lnder GATE OF Aprll ~, lSlU. the 1ol-
lowing communication has been re.
ceived by The Tribune from Malad
City, Idaho:
Editor The Trlbune:-Your editorial in
the Semi-Weekly Tribune on Bases for
Conservation was admired so much In
this vicinity that we feel 1t should be
adapted-a portion OF 1t. al least-to our
condition In church matters. When We
name the law. we mean the law that
Jesus Christ gave to be observed by all
Christian churches In the world. When
we name the government me mean the
government OF all the Christian churches.
You well know the evils OF dictatorial
powers In church and State. Ours is
government of law. not OF dictatorial
powers. administration officials are pro-
vided for the carrying out OF the statutes
and not OF ruling by executive order, ac-
cordlng TO our standard authority of gov
ernment administration, They nre not
TO issue arbitrary orders or to enforce
defined In the law. and their duty is TO
carry out the law. IT is no part OF an
executive office. OF either high or low
station, 10 give orders outside OF the
law This has been done too much, and
this is what really led to all the strife
that has arisen, 1t Is a case OF the
executive superseding the power OF the
law. assuming 10 make an executive or
der stand I'm place of the law. or 10 set
the law aside. Let us adhere to our we'll
proved governmental system. wherein the
executive offices are not TO be entrusted
with legislative power. and where they
derive their whole authority and power
Of action from the law. All that Is
necessary In this whole matter is TO re-
vert to foundation principles and square
the action OF all the officials OF the gov
ernment by that standard. A fullncss OF
the law Is given In this matter: let the
executive officers conform TO IL In all
that they do. then there Will be no chance
for differences or contention. or for the
trcspass of one department OF the gov
ernmcnt upon another.
Let MS go back to first principles in
ALI this business and stay there. Let
all legal minded people study that short
editorial closely and get 10 themselves all
ir contains. A. MORMON.
An application of the Just principles
set forth in that letter to the officials !
of the Mormon church would be fatal
to the projects and the claimed special
of these men. The basis of
their assumed authority ia in the claim
to a right to always be a law unto
themselves. They have absolutely no
regard for principle, and so far as law
is concerned they observe it principally |
in the breach of IT, AS is we'll known.
the chief of the Mormon church lead |
ers holds it TO be his right even to |
obey or to disobey God, just as he
chooses, assuming that although he
prefers to be disobedient be may vet
hold his place as God s supposed vice
gerent in the earth. 1t is a curious |
mental attitude, and would not only |
produce something in the nature Of a |
shock in any other community, but it |
is certain that it would not be toler-
atcd for any length of time.
With respect to the matter of OBJ
servance of the law which the Savior
gave for the government of Christian
such conduct would be abhor-
rent TO the Mormon chiefs. AS with
the law of the land. they set the law
of the Christ aside for tho reason that
fealty to it would render impossible
the immoralites that seem to be their
favorite pastime IN life
AS our correspondent says. though,
it would be a good thing to have the
well-proyed system of government ap.
piled to the church here It would tend
10 Christianize that which now is un-
heathen and barbaric in
great part. While the adoption of such
I course might make for the personal Il
discomfort of few men who have \
imposed themselves upon the body of
.he church as leaders, il would prove
TO be of immense benefit TO the many
honest people who constitute the bone
and sinew of the organization. And il
g rule Of civiization-and a rule of
ghteousness-that the greatest good
% the greatest number is the aim al.
ways 10 be kept IN view. Upon that
depends community greatness and
peace, and without il the tyrant only
inds wide opportunity to flourish an6
% practice his tyranny.