The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-27
The Church and the Interests.

The Church and the Interests.
Meanwhile / had been taking part in
the presidential campaign of 1896, and
had been one OF the four "insurgent" Re-
publican senator's CTeler OF Colorado. Du
bos OF Idaho. Pcttigrew of South Dakota
and mysclO who withdrew from the ma
tonal Republican convention at St Louis.
in fulhllment Of our obligations 10 our
convention was dominated by that con-
federation Of finance in politics which
has since come TO be called "the sys
tenn. ] was a member Of the committee
on resolutions. and our actions in the
committee had indicated that we would
probably withdraw from the convention
II II adopted the single gold platform as
dictated by Senator Lodge of Massachu
setts. acting for group Of Republican
leaders headed by Platt OF New York and
Aldrich OF Rhode Island.
Church Wires Instructions
AZ the most critical point OF our con-
troEcrsy | received n message from church
headquarters warning me that "we" had
made powerful friends among the leading
men OF the nation and that we ought not
jeOpardize their friendship by an incon-
siderate insurgency. Accordingly. in bolt
ing the convention. | was guilty OF n new
defiance OF ecclesiastical authority and
new provocat!on of ecclesiastical ven
gcance.
Joseph p Smith. soon afterward. noti-
fled me that there was to be a meeting
OF the church authorities in the temple.
and he asked me TO attend II, Since
had never before been Invited TO one OF
these conferences in the "holy of holles,"
l inquired the purpose OF the conclaye.
He replied that they desired TO consider
the situation in which our people had
been placed by my action in the st. Louis
convention, and TO discuss the perceptible
trend OF public opinion in the state. /
saw. then. that Senator Proctor's visi.
had not been without avail.
On the appointed afternoon l went TO
the sacred inner room of the temple.
where the members of the presidency and
several of the apostles were waiting. I
the religious ceremonies with which the
conference was opened. l shall confine
myself 10 the discusson-which was be-
gun mildly by President Woodruff and
Lorenzo Snow, then president of the
quorum OF apostles.
Smith Denounces Cannon.
To my great surprise. Joseph F. Smith
made a violent Republican speech de-
claring that ] had humiliated the church
and alienated its political friends by with
He was followed by Heber j. Grant. an
apostle. who had always posed as a
Democrat. and he was as Republican and
as Smith had been. He de-
claimed against our alienation OF the
great business interests OF the country,
whose friendship he and other prominent
Mormons had done so much to cultivate.
and from whom we might now procure
such advantageous cooperation II We
stood by them in politics.
President Woodruff tried 10 defend me
by saying that he was sure ! had acted
conscientiously; but by this time I de-
sired no Intervention OF prophetic mercy
and mitigation OF judgment that might |
come OF such Intervention. AS soon as
the president announced that they We're |
prepared 10 hear from me | rose and |
walked to the farther side OF the solemn !
Withdrawn from the assembled
prophets and confronting them.
Having first dsavowed any recognition |
Of their right an ecclesiastical body TO |
direct me In my political actions, I re-
in which l had been elected on pledges |
that had fulfilled In my course in con-
gress. In the senate. and finally In the |
st. Louis convention.
That course had been approved by the |
people. They had trusted me to carry |
out the policies on which they had elected
me to congress. They had reiterated the
trust by electing me to the senate after
! had revolted against the Republican
bond and tariff measures in the lower
house, could not and would not violate
thority on earth which 7 would recog-
nlze as empowered to come between the
peoples will and the peoples elected
The prophets received this defiance in
silence, Their expressions implied con
iemnatiou. but none was spoken--at least
not while | was there. President Wood
ruff indicated that the conference was at
an end. so far as ] was concerned: and
withdrew. Some attempts were subse
1uently made to influence the people dur
ng the campaign, but In a half-hearted
way. and vainly. The Democrats carried
Utah overwhelmingly; only three Repub-
lean members OF the Legislature were
elected out OF siNty-three.
Prophets Not Patriots.
II was this conference In the temple
which gave me my first realization that
most of the prophets had not, and never
would have. any feeling of citizenship In
state and nation; that they considered
and would continue TO consider every
public issue solely in it's possible effect
upon the fortunes OF their church My
father alone seemed to have larger
,iew; but he was n statesman of full
worldly knowledge: and his experience
n congress. during part OF the recon
'truction period" and through the Tilden-
Hayes controversy, had taught him now