Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-22
ELDER ANSWERS
MORMON ATTACK
James L. Loar, in Church Ad-
dress, Directs His Remarks
at Local Adherents.
Mr.. FRANKS GIVES REPLIES
Takes Exception to Charges OF
Bloomington Lawyer, but AID
rnfts Their TruthfuIness.

Does the Mormon church still be
lieve and teach and practice polygamy,
in spite of its professions TO the con
trary?" James L Loar, Bloomington
lawyer. who was the city yesterday
speaking on the Mormon question, says
that il does, in three addresses given
yesterday Mr.. Loar attacked the Nor
mon church and its teachings. He
characterized the Mormon faith as "a
religion of politics and polygamy.'
At the close Of the morning address
at Spencer Memorial NJ. E. church Mr..
Loar was approached by several OF the
local adherents of Mormonfsm, who
took exception to some of his state
ments, and raised questions Of the JUS
tice of what he had said. Mr.. Doar
addressed himself TO Elder Franks, one
Of the local leaders, and inquired: Ell
der Franks. does not your church today
believe in polygamy?' Elder Franks
replied at does" Then Mr.. Loar
asked further. Elder Franks, do you
believe in polygamy?" To which Elder
Franks replied, Yes. do" Mr.. Loar's
next question was, Are you now liv-
ing in a polygamous state?" And to
this Mr.. Franks replied in the negative.
IF you believe in polygamy," Mr.. LoaT
pursued, why do you not practice it?'
The reply to this question was, BE
cause 1t is against the law But,
said Mr.. Loar. your church leaders are
today living in open and self-confessed
polygamy, with their plural wives and
their numerous children. They do not
seem to care that the law prohibits the
practice"
HELD DANGEROUS INSTITUTION.
Mr. Loar, in all his addresses, main
tanned that if the Mormon church does
believe in and practice polygamy, in
spite of the laws of the nation; if the
church is in close relation to a number
of the large interests of the CONNER
cial world; if the church is as power
full politically as it has shown itself to
be; if II sets up the church as coming
before the nation in the loyalty of its
members. then the Mormon church is
a dangerous institution.
BY quotations from the Mormon
books and from the teachers. and by
the relation of actual experiences, Mr..
Loar showed that these conditions do
exist On these facts he bases his con-
tention that the Mormon church is
menace 10 the nation. He held it is
un-American. its teachings opposed to
American ideals, and its practices dan
gerous. The endowment" oath, &C
cording to Mr.. Loar. used to be a dec
laration of enmity and vengeance
against the United States government
and while il is claimed that the form of
the oath has been changed. he main
tains that the spirit is the same.
DOWNFALL PREDICTED.
Mr.. Loar expressed the opinion that
the Mormon church viii be wrecked in
the course OF time as a result of its
overreaching. 1t is one of the wealth
lest corporations in the land today
and by its association with great cor
porate interests. trusts and monopOlies
result viii be. according 70 Mr.. Loar
that in the course Of time its aggres-
sions will result either in a revolt
among its own people. or in its down
fall from outside influences.
Il am sorry" said Mr. Loar for the
people who are simple enough to be
fooled by the oily speaking and clever
Vaccinations of the Mormon mission
aries How anyone. having known the
gospel OF Jesus Christ. can lay aside