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Show TO AN ESTEEMED FRIEND. An esteemed friend has asked The Tribune If we can Justify what that esteemed es-teemed friend calls our "work of destruction" de-struction" of the edifice erected by the fathers of the present generation of Mormons In so far as the achievements of the great men who have recently passed away In Utah were calculated to make an enduring foundation of righteousness righteous-ness for their people, we have had no desire to destroy, but only an earnest hope to encourage the present generation, genera-tion, to build upon that foundation. With the passing of the causes of antagonism an-tagonism between Gentile and Mormon, with tho recession of the church from Us improper Institutions theretofore maintained, with the establishment of free and sovereign Statehood for Utah. It was within the power of the leaders of the Mormon people to make of their religion a blessing to the world. More than any other community then existent exist-ent they could have abolished poverty j within the community circle; they could have demonstrated the value of contribution, arbitration and fraternity In human affairs; they couid have made of the Inter-relation of men a bond of material helpfulness and love which would have gone far toward the- making ma-king of a heaven on earth. There was no bar In public sentiment, nor In the law, to the righteous progress of their work. Purified b the errors and chas-K chas-K nf of the past, encouraged by the esteem Of mankind and the trust of the public, there war. everything to(antmatc them to high achievement which would go far to vindicate their own sincerity, while making for the next generation an example which would lead that generation gen-eration to even better things. Can our esteemed friend assume for a moment that such has been the act and such the tendency In the recent years of Mormon leadership 7 If so. we must at once differ with him and the argument ends. But If he take the view of The Tribune: that the present hlerarch, more than his Immediate predecessor, pre-decessor, twisted Into evil a great opportunity op-portunity for community good; subverted sub-verted tho best chance for historical vindication, devoted the effort of his people toward his own selfish ends; gratified his senses at a State's reputation, reputa-tion, immolated a whole generation to gratify th Whim of a favorite; then we can moot our esteemed friend with tho proposition that such evils by the hlerarch hle-rarch must lie destroyed or the Mormon Mor-mon people will be scattered, their place In religions and reforms will be lost, and the movement which In 1R90 began to win the world's' esteem, will bo written "Failure" on the pages of history. We count It no wrong, but a deed of good, to fight the purpose? of the present pres-ent hlerarch of the Mormon church. He Is a felon before the law; he Is a blasphemer blas-phemer before God; he ban stolen the name of Christ to cover the ambitions of Lucifer! he Is no righteous bailer of men; he has no knowledge of social forces, his ambition Is to be rich without with-out work, to break the law without punishment, and to have many wies against the commandment of the Almighty Al-mighty and the statutes of the State and the Nation If he alone were concerned, he might be left to the consequences of his own acts. 'But he drags a whole people with him into the mire. And that man lacks courage or intelligence who will not fight against this despotic wretch. Our esteemed friend dare not maintain main-tain that this foresworn and perjured beneficiary of s Nation's clemency Is Justified In the position which he claims, that of spokesman for Ood to humanity. Both the Mormon church and the State of Utah will be benefited when Joseph F. Smith's rule Is stayed and when better leadership can be secured. To destroy his rule Is a virtue; to sustain sus-tain It Is an offense against God and man. |
