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Show CANDSOATE JAES El. COX I AND THE MORirlONiS I Oorcrnor James M. Cox of Ohio, Presidential candidate now boforo the pooile of the United Stales, waa In Utah, on I September 16, 1920, on a campaign-speaking tour. On the evening of that date, ho addressed an audience In the Tnber- M naclo, Salt Lake City Roferrlnc to Uta h, its settlement, development nnd pe( pie, he praised tho Pioneers And tho Mor- M mons bo oxtravngantly, and In bucIi an un usual manner, that In many minds there wns awnltened a suspicion that this M laudation must have as a motive the covering up of something of a reverso nattre. Especially was this the enso when f lilto attacks upon Senator Reed Smoot, containing personalities which were to a great degree regarded 'as direct mlsrepro- hentAtlon, socmed to carry a veiled antagonism toward tho religious organization of which Mr. Smoot is a momber. B The outcomo of tho feeling of inquiry thus, aroused led to some romombrani es of tho not far distant past, one result of which waa tho publication In a Salt Lako paper of an editorial article from OiT. Cox's newspaper, tho Doyton, (Ohio) Hvcnlng News. This editorial article Is headed "Mornionlsin nnd Treason," and because of its blows directed against tho Mormon church, lis publication has caused considerable comment, iesulting in further lnvestlgaton. Tho outcomo of thin Investigation, together with Lomo historical facts to throw light on tho relative conditions is here given: I The 1803-8 Crusade Against fRflonnons 1 Oovomor Cox Is and has been for many years tho proprietor of tho Dayton News. Ho was also Its editor. In 1908 j lie wnB elected n member to Congress from tho Third Ohio Congressional district, and In 1910 was ro-elected. In 1912 ho j was elected govornor of Ohio, olcted again in 1914, defeated in 1916, nnd elec ed again In 1918, his present term expir- B' ing at the end nt the present year. j In 1903-1-5-G, t prodigious crusado was carried on in the United States for tho virtual disfranchisement of the Mor- ! mon people. It was led by Frank J. Cannon, ex-senator from Utah, Fred T. Dibols, then senator from Idaho, and Julius 1 C. Barrows, then senator from MlchUan. It had its ramifications In ov.ery part of the Union. Tho excuso for Its insti- K tutlon nt that tlmo was tho election, by the peoplo of Utah, of Reed Smoot to Uio United States Senate. Mr. Smoot wa3 a ! member of tho council of Apostles of the Mormon church. Tho first -step toward attaining tho object of tho anti-Mormon " crusaders was to expel Mr. Smoot from tl e Senate, on tho basts of accusations aralnst the Mormon church. Tho expulsion or Senator Smoot therefore monnt exclusion from tho rights and privileges of Amirican citizenship of almost tho entire malo nnd femulo membership of the Mormon church. 3 At the time, tho Smoot Investigation was in progress in 1903-6, nnd when tic antagonism to the Mormon church was nt its zenith, Mr. Cox's Dayton News took active part in the crusado against tho .Mormons. Tho article heretoforo roferred I to as headed "Mormonlsm and Treason," was a Dayton News cdttodinl which appears on page four of its Issue of February ? 4, 1905. Ji In that odltorlal, tho Day.ton News adopts "tho popular impression that tho Mormon church stands first of all for Mor- t monism If, indeed, It does not embrace treason among Its tenetn," and proceeds to say of the Mormon temple ceremony: t I ' "It is-In nature and essence a direct renunciation of allegiance to the gore.nment ot the United States, la favor of 1 tho Mormon church. And if that does not spell (reason, then very" wide latitude must bo given to tho Interpretation of tho crime." .. . . ' - - - -' u Infurther discussing tho-mattcr, this "Dayton News editorial says: '"SJ-Ak " ' Lg ' i "H.Js not Reed Smoot, but the Mounon Chuich, which Is under Investigation at Wasington. Sinbot htmself-ls of littlo M p conscquouce. But It is of the utmost concern that an organization having Its scat of government in this nation shall not lm G f poso upon those who look to It for spiritual guidance tho dotrlnc of -engeanc nnd (reason. fc Referring to an nlleged oath In tho tmiio ceremonies, which obligation ns I resented to tho senate invstlgatlne com- h mlttco wns denied by icputablo wltnessej familiar with tlio ceremonies, the Da) ton Nows says: v. & i "Palpably, this prophet to whom the oath rcfeis Is Joseph Smith.. And palpal ly, tho nation upon whlc.li vengeance Is to 6 be'vlslted fs these United States. Such an oath enjoins upon Mormons who ha talccn.lt, vengeanco'for tholmanncr of I Smith's death. I . ' 1 Taking up the testimony of a witness named Wallls, whom It is said '.looked upon this endowment house proceeding E us a Joke," tho )aton Nous comments: " 4 I "Were the leaders of Moi monism like Wallls, the church would bo harmless. But thoro nro men in tho councils of H Modmunlsm whose sagacity andstatccraft cannot bo despised or underestimated. And every man of them who took tho oath U to uvengo tho denth of Piophet Smith, knew precisely what was imposed upon him as a Mormon. I Tho re .'Hon between tho Dayton News and tho lino of campaign In tho crusade named is manifest in tho quotations given. How. . r "tho movement to expel Reed Smoot, ami couseqently to dlsfrai chlso the Mormon people at that time, re- suited In inliuu. ' E The Second Dubois-Cannon Crusade Q At a later period, however, Frank J. Cannon and Fred T. Dubois resumed their activities. TIiIb time it was for an j amendment to the Federal Constitution regulating marriage and excluding from privileges of American citizenship all members of an organization which beliovdd in the doctrlno of pluralty of wives tho Mormon church had ceased the practlco some sixteen jcara previously, but had not renounced Its belief. Tho Dayton Nows llkowiso resumed Its activity in the same lino. From Its editorial of October 11, 1906, Is taken tho following: "If tho Constltudon were amended and marrlago mad? the subject of a goernmont statute, tho United States government gov-ernment could goto Utah and mako an end of polygamy. But nt this tlmo tho government has nothing to do with Utah's enforcement of her laws, and tho wholo matter is loft to tho state that Is predominated by o, sect of peoplo who believe In poljgamy and who aro slopped from practicing It only to a limited extent. It Is tiuo that Utah has a statuo against polygamy, polyga-my, provided for beforo the territory would bo ndmltted as a state, hut tho execution of tho law Is left in tho hands of mon who aro opposed to tho enforcement of the law, and there never has been a conviction of a Mormon under the law. Probably thero never will bo, unless it la found that a conviction serves tho purposo of throwinir dust in the eyes of the rest of tho country." , When President Joaoph F. Smith of the Mormon Church wns arrested on u chargo of living with more than one wife whom ho had married previous to tho enactment of the law forbidding it tho Dayton News took up this matter editorially, editor-ially, saying: , "Smith had been traveling abroad. Two or three days after his return, comp'alnt'wns lodged against' him 'by a Mormon" Tho complaint was made by Parley P., Chrlstonsen, non-Mormon and present candidate of the Faraer-LabonDarty for President of tho Unltecd States. Tho Dkyton News goes on: uor,pany ior "A warrant was Issued by a member of tho church," ,'., Tho warrant was 'issued by tho same Pajloy P. Chrlstensen, who at that lime was countrnttorney for'Salt Lako county Utah. Tho Dayton News continues: , V- ' "Smith was prosecuted by tf Mormon prosecuting attorney;" ' 'a &'M? ,- A t Tho prosocutlnK attorney was District Attorney F. C. Loofbourow, a member ot tn Unitarian Church' Says tho Daylo "Tho case was heard before a Mormon Judge." ifeHEJjggl The caBo camo boforo Judge M.L. Ritchie, a member of tho Protestant Episcopal Church, The Dayton Newa further " comments: '"' "Of courso all tho olllccrs were regularly elected officers of tho state, but tho fact that.aftcr every name connected with tho caso may bo written tho word 'Mormon' Is pretty good evidence that Joseph Smith Is not dosing sleep over the probable outcome of ho case.. The forty-third child of .Mr. Spilth was recently christened -in the Mormon church and upon (ho announcement being made, the peoplo In other states demanded his arrest and prosecution. And it waa In on,., pllance with such domands that tho Mormons undertook tho prosecution." After dlBCUsslug tho legal standing or Piesldent Smith's wives, the Dayton Nows adds; i ,Clt U ,JCPC.Ct,lnB.S great dcal t0 ?X,P0Ct.a nv'61'011 for offense condoned by tho officers of the law believed in by tho Judge who tries tho case, approved by tho church over which tho accused p.csldcs, and granted to exist in hnS. nJ SdCSeJw.V.rrto0ba,bnendCnd!"Wily f M m' thftt ,B ' d"llcU" ' SSF Mormon fMI&sionaries in Dayton Regarding tho courso of Mr. Cox'a newspaper at still nnothor period, and prior to tho election of m- rw . ..uccK 0uaisrasUrfolldowMs:rm0a mlMlnary (Wh at rCBlJe' ,0 MhtalS CountyflahVprn 7 PeopndseSvr'lTersollalry8 T&SvS S j1? ,0, ' -' I "About that timo, or a little later, I was holding n meeting on tho Btreetd nf Dnvtnn i . ... . I when tho editor of the Dayton News camo along and stopped for a few mlmUes to llstn 'i '""wtlon with other ciders, I question ot a doubt as tho man I had met in the Nows offlee. Ho tok ss ue with mo n'n ..."WY"1 .h ra' .wlthout ftn' I not abusive at that tlmo. Tho Incident attracted a great deal of attention and bo "i!, S"bJeCt 0f. b,al)tl8m' but I street car trafilc. The police stepped In and ordered the meeting s loppeT To Banned I ulnT1 Um U s,oppcd 9 Tho flics of the-Dayton News do not show any chniigo of sentiment rvn!n r'tha wui.' .. ". Salt Lako CltyauU tho original may bo found In tho files in the Xi o : thS "hIdpJ n(rT lv 'nf'1 'romr8 " "I". I February 4. 1906. and October 11. 1906. The missionary's statement Is also on fW &Mt SM? 8'Ven' .' k. . " ' CACHE COUNTY REPUBLICAN COM1VIITTEE , ; ' (Iald Political Adycrtisomont) . |