The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-11
A Question of History

Editor Tribune:-Two we'll sroomcd and
apparently fairly well educated house
TO house Mormon missionaries made the
the author Of the History OF Utah was no
otner Bancroft than the world famed
historian Of the same name.
] tried to give these men some needed
information on the subject but of course
they knew what they were talking about.
and would not take any correction as 10
their assertion made.
OF course any student of history knows
very well that Bancroft, the recognized
historian. did not write the History Of
croft who did write-or perhaps rather
put into print the compilation known as
the History OF Utah, is not recognized by
anyone who knows history as n great
historian, although his historical com
pilations comprises some thirty-eiEht
or more bulky octave volumes.
But there Is little bit OF history con-
nected with the getting out of this par
ticulsr volume which 7 think might be
Of some interest 10 students OF history.
and also to some truth seeking Mormons
from work by the Rev. r. W. Beers
A. NJ, THE Mormon Puzzle" pp. Si-S5:
=, In zIms one OF the most rciiab missionarv
Was stated on the best authority that the
Mormons had a large corruption fund,
and as sample of the purposes TO which
instance: When Bancroft. Inc histor,an
was IN Utah recently he was told thai
II ne would write certain things in his
history OF Utah they would fake two
hundred and forty complete sets of his
works, which would give him $40 900
The writer determined TO use that
that the greatest American historian,
George Bancroft, was referred to sent
MIN a letter Of inquiry as to the truth
OF the statement, and the following was
1923 II street, Washington. d. C..
FebruaTy ?. 1885.
astonished that Won should attribute 70
me ANYTHING so false a that have been
N Utah and all that follows, You ought
ialsehoods so palpable. Very respect
fully, GEORGE RANCROFT >"
Then the writer. knowing OF another
great historian Bancroft. Mr. II r. Ban
croft, the Pacific Coast historian made
the same inquiry Of him and recriycd
the following reply:
san Francisco. Feb 10. 1856
hsN. u. W. Beers.
MY Dear Slr--In answer 10 your letter
OF the Sth inst, ! would say that tb,
Mormons nevor asked me 80 insort any
offered to take any copies OF The work.
~ ". II. BANCROFT
=, he writer Then directed an inquiry 10
he statement in the magazine claimed 10
have been made. and asked him his
authority for his statement The answer
was: Thc Bancroft alluded to hv me
Is ~. VI. Bancroft, the Pacific coast his
torian. Hts agent told me the Normons
had agreed 10 take 2i0 sets or hi. com
plete works in thirty eight volumes, tho
gross amount of which mot the net
would be about $4,000. il hc
would publish certain kind OF history
Of Utah, Since Bancroft is a ruillionaire
the Mormon offer was not very tempt
And then the Rev. Mr Beers draws tbis
conclusion: But II, n. Bancroft f'afIv
denies that any such offer was made him !
and the statement must clearly be pro- |
lounced untrue
With this no doubt tho incident was
considered closed and also both Mr. Ban |
croft and the Mormons feel fully vindl- |
Gated.
But a few wears ago there appeared 4 |
and most scholarly work on this given /
subject up TO IN" present time refer
TO w y. Linn. The Stury or the Nor |
mons, In his preface 10 this work Mr |
furnish n pretty strong and almost con- /
elusive proof that whether The MornouS |
mad agreed 20 take tho 80 sets Of Ban
crofts complete work or not they had J
Utah that they wanted. Mr. Linn writes: I
While BancrOfts work. OIistory Of !
tahl processes 90 be written. from secu- |
lar standpoint. il IS really a church pro-
1uction, the prepurstop OF the text hav- /
ing been confidcd 10 Mormon hands 1
We furnished Mr. Bancroft, with his rna-
terial, said 4 prominent Mormon church ,
officer 20 me lts plan is 10 give tho
view IN the text. and 10 refer
the reader Tor The other side TO a mass
" gndtgesteG notes. and its principal /
value 10 the student consists IN It's ref.
srences to other authorities. William
AieNandc" Linn The story OF the Nor
mons. y. Viii. " Yours respectfully.
KR. KNAMME.