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Show "RELIGION CLASSES" AGAIN. The church organ Is extremely touchy upon tho question of the Mormon Invasion In-vasion of the public schoolhouses of Utah, with their so-called "religion classes." That organ persisted In claiming claim-ing that it was all right and legal to use the schoolhouses for this purpose, citing a loosely constructed section of the statutes which must be limited In Its action by other provisions of law, but which the organ insisted mist not be limited at all. Afterwards, however, how-ever, It had to confess Its error; the Intrusion In-trusion of those classes on tho public schools was an unlawful Intrusion. And It was a sneak, too; for the "religion classes" were generally established in the schoolhouses before the public were aware of what was doing. It Is contended, of course, by tho organ, or-gan, that those classes did not Interfere with the schools, and that they were only assembled after the public school exercises proper were over for the day. But when we remember, as the fact was, that the public school exercises were cut short in order to allow theBe "religion classes" time for their work; when the samo pupils, the same teachers, teach-ers, and the same accessories were engaged en-gaged In these "religion classes" as in the public schools proper; when the school fuel was used, the school furniture, furni-ture, the school appliances whenever thought best, It will be seen at onco that tho claim of disconnection of thoso "religion classes" from the public school work was a mere subterfuge. The pupils never knew but that tho "religion "re-ligion class" work was a part of the public school work; the fact that the compulsory school law did not apply to attendance on these "religion classes" was not made known to thorn. The organ Friday night was much exercised ex-ercised because some oho had "defamed the Mormon church In this matter." And It proceeds in its usual tricky stylo to lie for tho good of tho church. Somo timo ago It undertook to- claim that President Joseph F. Smith, when he testified in the Smoot case in Washington, Wash-ington, did not deny that ho had received re-ceived revelations. And the way It manipulated ma-nipulated his testimony, sorting out questions and answers, and leaving out tho essential answers that bore upon tho point, was a caution. It was as flagrant a piece of dishonest Jugglery as it has ever shown in any cape, and to say that reaches tho limit of dishonest dis-honest Juggling and evasive presentation presenta-tion put forth with Intent to deceive. But now it repeats the samo tactics In Its quotations from Superintendent A. C. Nelson's testimony in tho same case, at Washington, as to thoso "religion "re-ligion classes'' In the public schools, and undertakes to show that the whole trouble arose from a confusion In tho use of the words "schoolhouses" and "schools." It is rather a humorous bit of depravity in dodging and lying, showing that tho mastery in trickery, falsehood twisting, and the art of creating creat-ing false impressions has yet its abid ing place In the News sanctum. Fortunately, For-tunately, however, . In this case the whole offense was plainly confessed by the Flret Presidency of the church, and there Is no question n3 to tho facts, nor as to the Intrusion of these classes on the public schoolhouses being a violation vio-lation of law. But tho News must keep Its hand In, henco the effort. |
