HIS PURPOSE
President Woodruff Dis-
cusses His Political
Address.
WHAT HE HAD IN VIEW
He Says He Spoke as a Bur-
dened Taxpayer.
ATTITUDE TOWARD PARTIES.
He States that He is in Favor of the
Continuance of Present Party Di-
visions, Except in City Affairs—He
Did not Mean to Say that there
Should not be Partisanship in
State Elections—Claims the Right
to Speak on Political Questions,
not as the Head of the Mormon
, but as a Citizen—This was
what He Meant, He Says, When
He Declared that the Time had
Come When His Mouth Should not
be Closed on Political Matters—His
Address Caused Much Discussion
and Bitter Condemnation— Position.
In response to questions asked by a
reporter, President Woodruff
yesterday discussed his conference ad-
dress on politics. He entered into an
explanation of his object in making the
address and his purpose in using the
language which has caused such a sen-
sation. He was first asked:
PURPOSE OF THE ADDRESS.
"What purpose did you have in view
in giving your people this political ad-
vice?"
"I had in mind," said President
Woodruff, "the financial condition of
our and the heavy taxation its
property owners are bearing. I know
how heavy it is from my own experi-
ence. On the property,
which I own, I pay from $1200 to $1500
taxes a year, and my income from the
Valley house is but $50 per month. I
get but little revenue from the balance
of the property. I talked as a tax-
payer to other taxpayers—not as the
head of the Mormon church to Mor-
mons. I felt that the time had come
when there should be a change in the
way of managing our city affairs, so
that we might have officials who would
not be merely after the loaves and
fishes."
WHAT HE ADVISED.
"Did you mean to advise Mormons to
cease being Republicans and Demo-
crats?"
"No, I did not. I am in favor of par-
ties. I wanted the people to work for
the election of good men to our city
offices. That was all. I did not advise
the election of Mormons to office. I am
anxious for the election of men,
whether Mormons or non-Mormons, who
will manage our city affairs economi-
cally. I do not wish my remarks to be
understood as applying to people of our
church only. As a citizen and tax-
payer, I desire all good citizens to unite
for the election of good officers."
CITY NON-PARTISANSHIP.
"But what method of union did you
have in mind? Did you mean that Re-
publicans should work within their
party lines to elect good Republicans
and Democrats within their party to
elect good Democrats?"
"I did not care how they did it, so
long as they voted for good men. But
I spoke especially with reference to
non-partisanship in city affairs—not to
the present non-partisan movement,
but to non-partisanship in general. I
felt that the experience of the city
showed that it would be better not to
have party spirit control in our city
offices, but that the city's affairs should
be managed in a business way."
AS TO TICKETS.
"Is it true, as claimed, that your
purpose was to direct your church
members to vote the Non-Partisan
ticket?"
"I did not refer to any ticket. I
did not have any particular ticket in
mind. I have not had time to pay
much attention to tickets. I was sim-
ply advocating the prinicple of non-
partisanship in city matters. I have
no desire to pitch into Republicans
and Democrats. I think parties are
needed, as a general thing. I spoke
spontaneously, and did not mean to
say that there should be non-partisan-
ship in State and National affairs. I
meant that we should elect good men
to all offices, but it was about city
officers that I was thinking when I
urged people to unite regardless of
party. I had in mind particularly our
heavy city debts and expenses. I
want it to be clearly understood that I
do not want to break up the parties.
I want them to exist here. I have no
intention to urge that they be broken
away from in State affairs. It would
not be wise to do away with our
present party lines."
SPEAKS OF HIS RIGHTS.
"What did you mean by saying that
the time had come when the mouths of
the church authorities should not be
closed as to politics?"
"I meant that we had the right to
express our views as citizens. It has
been claimed, not only by people out-
side of the church, but by Mormons
as well, that the higher church officers
should be silent in political matters.
But I differ from them. As President
of the Mormon church I claim no right
to dictate to any one in politics. When
I speak on political matters I speak
simply as a citizen, interested in the
welfare of the people. I feel that I
have a right, as an individual Ameri-
can citizen, to speak on political ques-
tions. I don't think that any man, be-
cause he is a priest, has any right to
dictate in politics. But I claim that a
Mormon priest has as much right to
speak of political matters as has a
Methodist or a Baptist minister or a
Catholic priest. He has no right,
however, to use his priesthood to in-
fluence people politically, and I have
no intention of using mine for that
purpose."
HIS PURPOSE
President Woodruff Discusses His Political
Address.
WHAT HE HAD IN VIEW
He Says He Spoke as a Burdened Taxpayer.
ATTITUTE TOWARD PARTIES.
He States that He is in Favor of the
Continuance of Present Party Divisions, Except in City Affairs—He
Did not Mean to Say that there
Should not be Partisanship in
State Elections—Claims the Right
to Speak on Political Questions,
not as the Head of the Mormon
Church, but as a Citizen—This was
what He Meant, He Says, When
He Declared that the Time had
Come When His Mouth Should not
be Closed on Political Matters—His
Address Caused Much Discussion
and Bitter Condemnation— Position.
In response to questions asked by a
Tribune reporter, President Woodruff
yesterday discussed his conference address on politics. He entered into an
explanation of his object in making the
address and his purpose in using the
language which has caused such a sensation. He was first asked:
PURPOSE OF THE ADDRESS.
"What purpose did you have in view
in giving your people this political advice?"
"I had in mind," said President
Woodruff, "the financial condition of
our and the heavy taxation its
property owners are bearing. I know
how heavy it is from my own experience. On the house property,
which I own, I say from $1200 to $1500
taxes a year, and my income from the
Valley house is but $50 per month. I
get but little revenue from the balance
of the property. I talked as a taxpayer to other taxpayers—not as the
head of the Mormon church to Mormons. I felt that the time had come
when there should be a change in the
way of managing our city affairs, so
that we might have officials who would
not be merely after the loaves and
fishes."
WHAT HE ADVISED.
"Did you mean to advise Mormons to
cease being Republicans and Democrats?"
"No, I did not. I am in favor of parties. I wanted the people to work for
the election of good men to our city
offices. That was all. I did not advise
the election of Mormons to office. I am
anxious for the election of men,
whether Mormons or non-Mormons, who
will manage our city affairs economically. I do not wish my remarks to be
understood as applying to people of our
church only. As a citizen and taxpayer, I desire all good citizens to unite
for the election of good officers."
CITY NON-PARTISANSHIP.
"But what method of union did you
have in mind? Did you mean that Republicans should work within their
party lines to elect good Republicans
and Democrats within their party to
elect good Democrats?"
"I did not care how they did it, so
long as they voted for good men. But
I spoke especially with reference to
non-partisanship in city affairs—not to
the present non-partisan movement,
but to non-partisanship in general. I
felt that the experience of the city
showed that it would be better not to
have party spirit control in our city
offices, but that the city's affairs should
be managed in a business way."
AS TO TICKETS.
"Is it true, as claimed, that your
purpose was to direct your church
members to vote the Non-Partisan
ticket?"
"I did not refer to any ticket. I
did not have any particular ticket in
mind. I have not had time to pay
much attention to tickets. I was simply advocating the prinicple of nonpartisanship in city matters. I have
no desire to pitch into Republicans
and Democrats. I think parties are
needed, as a general thing. I spoke
spontaneously, and did not mean to
say that there should be non-partisanship in State and National affairs. I
meant that we should elect good men
to all offices, but it was about city
officers that I was thinking when I
urged people to unite regardless of
party. I had in mind particularly our
heavy city debts and expenses. I
want it to be clearly understood that I
do not want to break up the parties.
I want them to exist here. I have no
intention to urge that they be broken
away from in State affairs. It would
not be wise to do away with our
present party lines."
SPEAKS OF HIS RIGHTS.
"What did you mean by saying that
the time had come when the mouths of
the church authorities should not be
closed as to politics?"
"I meant that we had the right to
express our views as citizens. It has
been claimed, not only by people outside of the church, but by Mormons
as well, that the higher church officers
should be silent in political matters.
But I differ from them. As President
of the Mormon church I claim no right
to dictate to any one in politics. When
I speak on political matters I speak
simply as a citizen, interested in the
welfare of the people. I feel that I
have a right, as an individual American citizen, to speak on political questions. I don't think that any man, because he is a priest, has any right to
dictate in politics. But I claim that a
Mormon priest has as much right to
speak of political matters as has a
Methodist or a Baptist minister or a
Catholic priest. He has no right,
however, to use his priesthood to influence people politically, and I have
no intention of using mine for that
purpose."
