Show THE STEERING COMMITTEE did the church attempt to influence legislation I 1 critchlow alleges it if an attempt cwm made wm was it improper salt lake april 13 following closely upon the heels of the new man comes crother cn other sensation atlon which has created Bc arcely lose less stir fot foi the past part few days there have been rumors to the effect that during the session of the legislature the mormon church had a steering committee appointed for the purpose of directing legislation the committee Is as a follows F S richards C W penrose Pc nrose W W riter JM M tan Tann tanners ner W 11 king james sharp this it Is followed by the following letter from hon E B critchlon crutchlow p recognized as ai the republican leader in the house during the recent session five and one half years ago the atad ers ere of the mormon church issued the celebrated manifesto enjoining upon the people of the church the strict observance of laws which prior to that date had been defiantly violated six months later the people a party the power of the church was and with others I 1 hastened to accept tile the pledges and promises promise given by leaders and members member of that church that the differences which had so long rankled between us ifould be b frever forever settled we accepted the ako au auranus ranes given and even cven at the rink of obloquy and abuse from former associates proclaimed proclaim cd out our trust and con adanee in the integrity of the mormon people one of the charges charger ab you know made us was that without trial and contrad contrary v to the belief and teachings of a lifetime we proposed to permit mormon cormons as other american ci citizens to exercise political preferences and to ally themselves with the two great political parties I 1 proclaimed then as I 1 have ever since and till still do proclaim my faith in the good faith arid and common honesty ot of the people at large it was as impossible for me to believe then as it Is ow now that the people of this bbate would not only themselves declare for freedom in all political matters but permit those of us who rallied to their cause to give our word in their behalf only to trick us Is IM the end in 1891 the first presidency sanctioned the print ng in the cimei of an interview in which they solemnly and unequivocally protected that they did not claim nor would they ever attempt to exer exercise cibe the 0 acht to interfere with the political inde 11 elc 1 e of church member 4 low y the embers of prejudice died ou the pledges given to the people of of the united states by all of us were accepted and statehood became an assured fact now and again circum atances have pointed to a lack of sincerity it upon the part of some high in authority tho rity but while my faith in them hits has been shaken my confidence in the great mass of the people whom we know as men and with whom hom we shake hands as friends has never faltered until these have finally failed us no one ought to doubt the capa capacity capacio cit of the people of utah 1 for self government the events of the past few months and le especially specially those which have crowded bo 0 o close upon the late general confer conference price of the church have led men to ask whether we have been too tog hasty in believing and whether the bestowed is to be violated lo and it cannot be denied that non members of the church are anxiously asking us as the people of the entire country will soon ask whether a mistake amistade has been made As one of tile the members of the late leg stature slature in a position ion to ta know by bv close with ith them of the ten temper per abild disposition of the members sent rient from various of the state I 1 still main tain that an ail honest sincere intent exists on the part of hobt of them to carry out in letter and in spirit promises given by thern them and in their behalf but there Is indeed grave reason to think that as much cannot be said of those or some borne of high in aulhorn ty and influence in is whose hose care and keep ing the good name of th the mormon JILO co pie lu is left in other words the very persons who asje aders at al the church guaranteed guarante eO the 8 of the andi id ual members of the church in ail nl bollt leal ical matters stem to be the harbt to be trdy then them and put tann to open oien shanie shame bhore bi tore all the world rhe great question of the hour it Is not lot whether hether there has been arid and is an intel ceable interference by church bleiders with A ith the affairs of tate state but whether there Is to be any pen Indig indignant mant and widespread of this betrayal of the people ab it seenie to me the N wonder onder Is not that a fe few v men exer exercising ching unbounded power in matters spiritual should desire or even attempt for am 0 cx bertise eer erLise tise that power in anat ers er political or even that a few trained to follow counsel and advice should so fa forget their duty to then them gilves sn re and their constituents as to be emt controlled rolled in these matters but that as yet et no has arisen by or pm pen front from any one of the enny whose rights are invaded I 1 ahe he exl tence of a co c imi itee or junta unla of five individuals appointed and set bet apart by the leaders of ahe hurch church to pass pars upon all proposed ap I 1 prove or veto elo pending measures not ial up on considerations affecting lite state but affecting the persons under whose directions they are acting Is an anomaly monstrosity in this thi land of free government me t it Is I 1 to my mind as a wicked as it is 16 presumptuous I 1 1 I he fact that a majority of these thee men so eo appointed set net apart to control a republican executive and legislature were democrats Is 1 but the least of the objectionable features feat the question at onse once arises arise it if the authority li Is anywhere lodged to appoint such a junta or star chamber council cu unil to con trot and improperly influence the executive and legislative branch of the government ern ment does doe it not equally exist for the purpose of controlling judicial actions the departments are but coordinate and have we in this lat last anal si lysis any guaranty that in the end this or some similar illar committee will not be appointed to supervise the work of courts and juries it would serm seem as though it is h high 11 h time for of the th people of this state to declare e anew by as yet some un heard of n manifesto ani festo some new declaration of independence their abhorrence of this system of government or falling failing that to rella relinquish luish the dark despair all hopes of free institutions E B CRICHLOW |