The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-01-21
WHAT Is THE TROUBLE?

CATION OF affalrS IN Utau- ibis uneaSi'
ness crops out in tho tabernacle, in the
church press. in exhortations, and IN
conversations At the same time, we
are assured on every hand that there is
is we'll here; that there is no cause for
| any anxiety, and that there is no pos
sible trouble, either public or private;
in short, nothing 10 investigate.
Very we'll then, what is the trouble
Why should there be any anxietv7 Why
should any one fear an investigation
when there is no reason TO fear il :
| Why should il be shown so forcbly that
there is a dread OF an investigation of
| conditions in Utah, aud in the next
breath that there is nothing wrong, DO
cause whatever for uneasiness or
suspicion about affairs here1
Why should il be reported that
former Senator Frank j. Cannon is
crazy and has been taken TO n sspi-
tsrium--a charge wholly falsc-and I'M.
mediatelv thereafter he should be
charged With a well.dircctcd and per,
haps successful effort to seek the
adoption by Presbyterian ministers OF
set of resolutions to bc forwarded TO
the incoming President which would
reopen the attack upon tho validity
OF the seat Of Apostle Smootl Why
should IL be SAID that Senator Cannon
is 'fan untrustworthy mountcbank, >
and at the same time that there is Il
probability that he may bring before
proposition to dissolve the Mormon
church as q combination in restraint
Of tradef Why should il be said that
he has nothing in view except to glut
his desire for vengeance. and at the
same time that he is dcsirous only Of
bringing Utah into accord with other
commonwealth of the United States1
What is the meaning of all this
chaotic fear and trembling! Why should
there be any danger ID the people OF
the United States coming front to
front with the people Of Utah, and
finding out precisely the conditions that
exist herei Especially il those condi-
ditions are in every way commendable
as We are assured, and if those who
seek the investigation are mere charac-
terless trouble breedersf
We confess the impossibility of un-
derstanding these two points of view,
both held apparently by the writers and
speakers for the church. There has
been too much of this sort of anxious
fear exhibited among the highest Off
cials Of tho church in the past. and
some Of the highest are now voicing
that same fear. Again we say, why is
thiss II everything IS normal, every
thing right, if there is nothing to
charge against the people or the church
authorities III Utah, why all this dread
full anxiety, this startled outcry with
regard to au investigation which, if we
are to trust the persons who exhibit the
fear, must result in the vindication Of
the people Of Utah. aud in the dis
closure of the fact that there is moth
ing wrong in this regionf
So far from showing fear, anxiety,
trembling, and indignation at the propo.
sition to investigate affairs In Utah,
We should suppose that those who are
spokesmen for the dominant interests
and who protest so loudly that there is
nothing wrong here, and that any in.
vestigation must necessarily clear the
skirts OF every one in authority either
secular or otherwise, we should SUP.
pose that those people would welcome
such investigation with acclaim, and
would invite the coming of the investi.
gators, would throw open all the
secret recesses TO their gaze, and would
triumphantly demand 4 clean bill Of
health and acquittance. Why not' If
everything is well, would it not be ad.
vantageous TO show by the most thor.
ough investigation that all is well7 IF
mere is nothing wrong, why should it
be assumed that wrong would be found?
The truth is that the attitude Of The
writers and speakers for the Mormon
church in Utah are the very ones who,
by their fluttering, their fearsome walls,
and their silly outcry. are the very
ones whose actions would be most like
~ TO invite such investigation, and on
the other hand, whose protestations
would make even their friends feel Sc.
cure in ordering the investigation
The friends OF free institutions in
Utah. those who in the past have
fought for The redemption of the cleo
torate from all thralldom. fear no in.
vestigation; they ask no favors. Why
shonid any other part Of the popula-
ton he fearful. and why SHOULD there
be such an outcry against investiga.
tion as in itself might fairly stand for
confession of guilt' So far as we can
see, there IS no prospect OF any iuvesti-
CATION OF affairs in Utah; but nothing
is better calculated 10 bring on such an
invest CATION than the attitude of those
who are crying ont against IT,
A VERY MoURNFUL DEATH.