The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-04-30
MORMON CHURCH, AND STATE
CONTROL OF PUBLIC LANDS
Aaron F. Parker Sounds Warning and Shows the Danger
In Such Action BY Past Connection of Mormon
Church and State.
Grangeville, Idaho, April 81. 1914.

1t endorses the proposition of having
the federal congre SIS turn over all the
public lands to the states, for conserva-
ton or other purposes. as advocated in
the Governors Convention last week
Many plausible reasons may be advanc-
ed for such action But objections, to
this policy from many angles come free
ly to my mind, and 1t is my purpose at
this time to present one feature which.
clearly, has never been considered. but
should everlastingly condemn 1t in the
minds of those who appreciate the in
fluence and ever -growing power and pol
icies OF the Mormon church.
II may be that the presentation of
the policy was inspired by the Salt
Lake hierarchy. Control of the settle
ment OF the public lands by the Mormon
church for the benefit of Mormon col
onists has been a settled policy of the
Mormon church ever since the hegira to
Utah. The movement In this direction
began with the organization of the Nor
mon church into corporation.
Even when Utah was territory and
It's legislature derived all its powers
from the federal congress under the or
ganic act, the Mormon church slipped
through the Legislature laws beneficial
to itself. Among these was the act OF
1850, skillfully amended In 1856 and now
to be found among the laws officially
published In 1876. This statute made
the Mormon church an Immigration
company and turned over to 1t absolute
control of the immigration system of
Utah territory Ito promote facilitate,
and accomplish the immigration of the
poor
Section l of the original Act provided
ha Of Col
known as Stansbury Island and Ante
lope Island. are hereby reserved and APP
portioned for the use and benefit of said
company, and said islands shall be un-
der the exclusive control of President
Brigham Young" Grants of water rights
timber, and canyon were made to Brig
ham Young and others of the church
hierarchy, and ferry franchises were
granted by them on condition that the
recipient pay ten per cent. of his re-
ceipts tithes) to the above referred to
Mormon immigration Fund Co. And
in section $50 of the compiled laws
Of Utah as published I'm 1876, we find
1t provided that all escheats must be
turned over to this company by the pro-
bate judge. who was 'empowered'
thereby and required to take posses
sion Of all property left by any deceas-
Is no legal claimant known or suffic-
iently near to see to 1t in season"
What happened in Utah In the for
nation of this policy of land control
has been strictly followed in Idaho and
presumably in other states under Nor
mon control In Idaho we know that
the State Immigration Bureau has for
many years been an annex of the Nor
mon church. and the appropriations
made by successive legislatures for the
promotion of immigration into Idaho has
been used largely, If not exclusively
for the colonization of Mormon colon
lists. The State Board of Land Com
missioners is another State of Idaho
institution which is dominated by the
Mormon church In the interest of the
church The most recent Illustration
of the desire for Mormon control of
the public lands is the late appointment
of a good Mormon as receiver of the
u. S. land office at Blackfoot, in the
heart OF the Mormon country in Idaho
The results of this policy are shown in
the vast increase of Mormon popula-
tion and the wholesale creation of Nor
mon counties in Idaho. In southern
Idaho the Mormon population already
outnumbers the Gentle element.
This Is but a cursory review of the
Mormon policy, and II has gone far
enough to 2 nonstrate it's far-reaching
effects In promoting the growth and
power of the Mormon church In all
states where its influence is felt. Should
the public lands of the United States
be turned over to the states of the
west. as advocated in the late Govern
or's convention, we will ultimately find
that we have absolute Mormon domin-
alton throughout the length and breadth
of all the Rocky mountain and Pacific
coast states.
These conclusions are not far fetch
ed, for the Mormon church began it's
territorial career by being to all intents
and purposes. the legally established
church of Utah. 1t is the only estab-
lished church in these United States.
The first section of an Act passed by
the legislature of territorial Utah, a
legislature deriving all Its powers from
the federal government at Washington.
on Feb. s. 1851. declares that "aIl that
portion of the Inhabitants of Utah who
are may become Saints are by this
Act constituted "a body corporate, with
powers to sue and be sued. defend and
be defended. and to establish order and
regulate worship and hold and
occupy real and personal estate" The
second section ordains that all such
property so held 'shan be free from
taxation" Further. 1t provides for a
trustee in trust and assistants and
declares that 1.-The trustees may receive
property, real or personal. by gift. dom
alton, bequest, or in any manner not
incompatible with the principles of right
eousness or rules of Justice"
Then follows Sec. 81 BE 1t enacted
etc. That. as said church holds the
constitutional and original right in com
mon with all civil and religious com
munities to worship God according TO
the dictates of conscience, to reverence
communion agreeably with the prin-
ciples of truth and to solemnize mar
rage compatible with the revelations of
Jesus Christ free to all; IL is also de-
clared that said church does and shall
possess and enjoy continually the pow
T.. .