Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1918-05-31
MORMON CHURCH HAS NOT
ENDORSED NoNPARFEsANs

As STATEMENTS have been published
recently to the effect that the First
Presidency OF the Norman church o.
Salt Lake had adopted resolutions
requesting the members OF the
church not to join OF become mem
bers Of the non-partisan league. and
as these statements have been denied
by the Idaho Leader. the official or
gan Of the league in this state. the
letter published below from Anthem
FL. Lund and Charles W. Penrose OF
the church presidency. and addressed
to Jesse p. Rich of Preston, will be
of interest TO the people OF Idaho
generally On this question.
The letter from the First Presiden-
ey is in reply to one addressed to ii
by Mr.. Rich. who was attacked by
the Idaho Leader two weeks ago for
the stand he had taken against the
league.
1t appears that the matter is the
outgrowth of visit to Salt Lake
early In May of some of the leaders
OF the bipartisan league, for the
purpose of calling upon the First
Presidency of the Mormon church.
Upon their return to Idaho the re
port gained circulation that q confer
ence was held with the heads of the
Mormon church. with results highly
satisfactory to the league. This re-
suited in q contrary report being
published to the effect that the
church had placed its ban ON the
league.
AS Jesse Rich is an old Bear Lake
county boy, but now engaged in the
practice Of law at Preston, and chair
man of the Franklin County Council
of Defense. the letter to him will be
OF especial interest to the Examiner
readers. The complete text Of the
letter is as follows:
Salt Lake City. Utah, May 81. 1918.
Mr.. Jesse p. Rich, Preston. Frank
lin County, Idaho. Dear Sir: In re-
ply to your favor OF May 18th, refer
ring to an alleged conference" be-
Tween Presidents Lund and Penrose
with some members of the so-called
Nonpartisan league, we have this TO
say:
At our Office May we were In
formed that some persons claiming
to be a bishopric from Idaho, were
anxious to see us on some important
matters, and had been waiting some.
time. They were admitted, and one
OF them stepped out OF the room and
returned with some strangers who
were introduced as officers of the
Nonpartisan league.
This instruction was made without
request or excuse, but all were treat
ed with our usual courtesy.
An attempt was made to expounc
the purpose and tenets of the league
but we declined entering into any
discussion of the subjects named, but
in reply to the direct question as Il
whether the church had forbidden it'
members to join the league we an
swered that the church did not inter
fere with the political freedom of III
members, but left them to their FREE
agency.
We explained, however. that GU
tempt to organize a third party wa
not only unnecessary but unwise
particularly while the nation wa
engaged in a gigantic war. and tina
the two great and historic partie
, were sufficient to correct wrongs ant
establish good government.
The chief spokesman Of the gronl
: complained that he had been mis-
represented and DETAINED by member
OF the church, and was reminded tina
these matters we're to be settled b
: the local authorities where they &c
sided Also when he. expressed IN
fear that opposition to the move
ment he was engaged in would Great
division among the members, he wa
cautioned to be careful that he di
not cause the very thing he appeare
to deplore.
n We did not In any way endorse Q
encourage or excuse the so-calle
league which claimed to be non-pai
tisan, but was evidently a scheme
form a new party, or to favor IN
collection of money under the PR
Httense that It would help to CORES
] evils existing. but on the contraT
gave Ii as our opinion that the mov'
ment was against the general intel
ests OF the public.
III However, we maintained that II
church did not undertake to contr'
the political actions OF its members
We were taken by surprise whe
the applicants for an interview az
bishopric from Idaho brought
] persons not members Of the churC
on matters with which the church
an organization has nothing to d
! and so with the advantage taken