The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-26
Choir browns Protest.

ifesto OF 1900. OF whom this young Wom-
an is one.
Choir browns Protest.
Similarly at the general conference Of
April. 1905 Don C. Musser (of whom /
have already written) attempted to pro-
test against the sustaining of Apostles
Taylor and Cowley. but Joseph F. Smith
promptly called upon the choir to sing
and Musser's voice was drowned In har-
mony. In more recent years Charles
J. Bowen rose AT a general conference
TO object to the sustaining of some OF
the polygamous authorities and he was
hustled from the building by the ushs5T hers
But the most notable case OF fndl-
a sInurthwaite's, He had joined the
church. alone. when. a boy in England,
allying himself with an ostracized sect
had made him very ardent Mormon:
He had become a teacher" In his ward
of Ogden City. had succeeded in business
as commission merchant and was a
great favorite with his bishop and his
people. because of his charities and a
and kindly brightness Of mind
Srurthwaite. in partnership with Rich
ard I. Taylor tson Of a former president
OF the church. John Taylor). engaged in
the manufacture of salt. with the finan-
cIal backing of leading church banker
Along the shores of Salt Lake salt Is
about 60 cents ton: its selling price,
at the neighboring smelling centers.
ranges from So TO sl4 a ton, and the In
dustry has always been one OF the most
profitable In the community
Industry Controlled.
In the early days, the church Gas I
have already related) encouraged the
establishment OF "salr gardens" financed
the companies, protected them In their
leasehold rights along the lake shores.
and finally. through the Inland Crystal
Salt company. came 10 control pracz
the intermountain country, (This Inland
Crystal company. with Joseph F. Smith
as Its president, is now part of the
national salt trust.)
After Smurthwaite and Taylor had in
vested heavily in the land and plant
of their salt factory. the church banker
that they had better sec President Smith
before they went any further. They
called on Smith in his office. and there
according 10 Smurthwaiie's sworn testi-
mony before the senate committee-the
prophet gave them notice that they must
not compete with his Inland Crystal Salt
company by manufacturing salt. and that
If they tried to he would ruin them,
This proceeding convinced Smurthwaite
that Smith had so violent disregard
and non understanding OF the rights OF
his fellow man and his duty to God, as to
render him morally unqualified for the
high office which he holds"
Is EXcommunicated.
Smith 10 elders and teachers-and ad-
ding that Smith was not fit to act as
prophet, seer and revelator. since. ac-
cording to his own confession to the
senate committee. he was living in sim
for expressing these opinions charges
we're preferred against Smurthwaite by
an elder named Goddard of Ogden City
and accommodation proceedings were
begun against him.
Smurthwaite replied by making a
charge of polygamous cohabitaton against
Goddard, and after the April conference
OF 1905. Don Musser and Smurthwaite
Joined in filing complain in the district
court of Salt Lake City. demanding from
Joseph F, Smith an accounting of the
tlthes which the church was collecting.
Meanwhile. smurthwaite had been dis
fellowshiped at a secret session Of the
bishops court, on March .22.. without an
opportunity, Of appearing In his own de-
fense having counsel or witnesses
heard in support, Of his case: and on
April 4. after a similarly secret and ex-
partc preceding. he was excommunicated
by the high council OF his stake. for
"apostasy and unchristianlike conduct"
His charges against Goddard were ig-
nored and his suit for an accounting Of
the. titbes was dismissed for want of
Jurisdiction,