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Show THE EEPUDIATORS. Timo and time again it has boon pro-tested pro-tested that when Iho Mormon church made- the compacts aud covenants which- were intended to secure pcaco with the citizenship of this Nation, the church oritored upon its agreements in all earnestness and sincerity, and fhat these qualities now characterize that organization's treatment of thoso promises. A short timo ago, in treating upon this subject, tho .Deserot Nows said that tho Mormon people could not help being true tp their word and sinccro in the faithful observanco of their contracts. con-tracts. Tho Tribnno has all along contended con-tended that tho rank and file of the Mormon people aro ordinarily honest in fulfillment of tho promises made. To speak of tho church boing thus sincere sin-cere and faithful in adherence to its word of h'onor necessarily brings in the bod3' of adherents, because without the bod3' thero is no church. However, it is an accepted rule of judgment that tho chief exemplars in an3p organization organiza-tion aro regarded as the exponents by whose conduct conclusion must bo gained, nnd that tho extent of approbation appro-bation and support contributed by tho followers in turn establishes their attitude at-titude in such affairs. It is well known, because it has beeu officially confessed personally under affirmation in public, and by authoritativo docu-mcntaty docu-mcntaty utterances of the Mormon official of-ficial body, that tho chiefs of the church and maii3' of the minor cc-clcsiasts cc-clcsiasts have- repudiated tho contracts mado b3' and for them. It is history that tho members of tho church have voted at each' succeeding conference, in tho face of tho confessions, to sustain the lawbreakers aud covenant smashers in" their high places. Therefore, the offending having been admitted pub-Jicty pub-Jicty to Iho saints and to all tho remainder re-mainder qf tho world, and tho church members having publicty supported and sustained tho offenders, without effort lo remedy tho evil, it must be concluded that the whole church has repudiated its solemn covenants. Thero is no other way in which tho situation situa-tion may bo viewed in fairness. 'It can noyor be truthfully claimed for tho Mormons, nor by them, that either individually or as a church they havo kept their promises and exhibited sincerity so long as the ovils spoken of remain undisturbed by the approval of the lwty. At each conference the opportunity op-portunity has been present to express discountenance, of the admitted pledge-breaking, pledge-breaking, and tho opportunity is hero now; and while they remain silent upQn this matter, making no effort whatever to right tlfo self-ovidont wrongs complained com-plained of, the world can have no other opinion than that tho whole organization organiza-tion is given ovor to a persistent course- of repudiation of solemn contract. |