Church as such--and confined ourselves to a war
upon the treasons, the violations of law, the breaches of covenant
and the other offenses of the Church leaders, as the practices of
individuals--these leaders dragged the whole body of the Church as
a wall of defense around them, and in countless sermons and printed
articles declared that the Church and its faith were the objects of our
assault. In other words, though Smith claimed in Washington--and Smoot
continues to claim before the nation--that the Church is not responsible
for the crimes of its Prophets, whenever a criticism or a prosecution is
directed against any of these men, they all unite in declaring that the
Church is being persecuted; and the members of the hierarchy rouse all
their followers, and use all their agencies, in a successful resistance.

There was no blithesomeness in the campaign. It was not lightened by any
humor. It was a hopeless assault on the one side and a grim overpowering
resistance on the other. The American party, being organized as a
protest, had at first little regard for offices. It sought to promulgate
the principles of its cause for the enlightenment of the citizens of
Utah and for the preservation of their rights. Some of the Gentiles who
did not join us felt, perhaps, as strong an indignation as those who
did, but they were entangled in politics with the hierarchs, or had
business connections that would be destroyed. These men, in course of
time, became the most dangerous opponents of our progress. (The average
Mormon is obedient and supine enough in the presence of his Prophets,
but he is a man of personal independence compared with the sycophantic
Gentile who accepts political or commercial favors from the Church
chiefs and yet continues to deny the existence of the very power to
which he bends the knee.) Of the rebellious but discreet Mormons many
came to the leaders of our party to say: "I think you're quite right. I,
myself, have suffered under these tyrannies. I have no sympathy with
new polygamy. But, as you know, I'm attorney for some of the Church
interests"--or "I'm in business with high ecclesiasts"--or "I'm heavily
in debt to the Church bank"--or "I'm closely connected by marriage with
one of the Prophets"--"and I can do you more good by my quiet efforts
than by coming out into the open. I'd be treated as an apostate. All my
influence would be gone." And in most cases he preserved his influence,
and we lost him. The C