1914-04-24-New York Times-Mormons Break Up Enemies Meeting

New York Times

24 April 1914, p. 14

MORMONS BREAK UP ENEMIES' MEETING

Son of Apostle Moses Thatcher Denounces Frank J. Cannon, Who Assails Church.

DEFENDS FATHER’S RECORD

Other Intruders Call Speaker “Liar” and “Ingrate”—Resolutions to Check Mormonism Here Adopted.

Resolutions condemning the aggressiveness of the Mormon Church and calling upon President Wilson, Congress, and Mayor Mitchel to curb the church's progress had just been passed at an anti-Mormon demonstration in Carnegie Hall last night when a handful of Mormons swept up to the platform. For a time it appeared likely that blows would be struck, and that Frank J. Cannon of Utah, formerly United States Senator, and once a Mormon, would get the brunt of the attack.

Women and clergymen crowded about the Senator and shielded him while he shouted stinging rebukes to his attackers. Men and women jumped upon chairs and tables, and the excitement became so intense that the auditorium was cleared by the janitors.

Mr,. Cannon appeared as the main speaker at the demonstration of which the National Reform Association of Pittsburgh, a branch of the International Council for Patriotic Service, was in charge. It was generally known that he was to launch a nation-wide crusade against Mormonism at the meeting. A thousand church congregations had been notified. Tickets, too, had been sent to the various churches. By some means a few of them got into the hands of Mormons. Anarchists also presented a few at the door. The hall was not filled.

Mr. Cannon, whose father, the late George Q. Cannon, was second only in importance to Brigham Young, severed his relations with the Mormon Church ten years ago and began preaching against it. Last night he made a fierce arraignment of the church and its teachings. He charged that the church had potential political influence in eleven States and that the Mormons had twenty-two more or less friendly votes in the United States Senate.

The attack centered mainly upon the personal life of Joseph F. Smith, President of the church, whom he denounced for violating the covenants entered into with the United States in 1890, and charged with still practicing polygamy. He also produced a book of the covenants and commandments of the church which had been purchased in this city, and charged that the United States mail had been used to disseminate treasonable doctrines and also the doctrine of polygamy.

After Mr. Cannon’s speech, the resolutions were put to a vote. They called on President Wilson not to appoint Mormons to any political offices, on the Senate and House to pass the pending resolution to amend the Constitution so as to prohibit polygamy, and on Mayor Mitchel to refuse to permit Mormon elders to preach Mormonism, and to refuse a permit for the erection of a Mormon Tabernacle in this city.

From the balconies there were several “noes.” One man, an anarchist, also voted “no” from a seat near the stage. Dr. Josiah Strong, head of the Social Service Association, who put the resolutions to vote, remonstrated with the anarchist and succeeded in quietying him, but he had barely rushed the resolutions through and called the meeting adjourned when there was a rush for the stage.

Among the agitators were W. P. Monson, President of the Eastern States Mission of the Mormon Church, 33 West 126th Street; Hagbert Anderson, a Police Sergeant of Ogden, Utah, formerly the home of Senator Cannon. These two began to heckle Mr. Cannon from in front. They called him “liar,” “ingrate,” and many other epithets, and called upon him to substantiate some of his sweeping statements.

When the oral battle was running high a youth tugged at the coat tails of Senator Cannon on the stage. Then the youth placed himself squarely in front of the Senator. He shook his index finger in Mr. Cannon’s face as he yelled.

“You said something about my father to-night. I am the son of Moses Thatcher, one of the Apostles of the Mormon Church. You lied about my father. You said that he died of a broken heart because he had trouble with the Church.

“He did have trouble, but he didn’t die of a broken heart. He went to his grave sticking to his beliefs, and that is more than you ever did. I demand an apology from you.”

The youth was Ashby Snow Thatcher, a junior at Columbia University. Mr. Cannon obviously was touched by the appeal, but before he could say anything Mrs. James Wentz, President of the Woman’s Republican Club and other woman had rushed to the platform and taken the young man in hand.

“Are you a Mormon, too?” asked one of the women of young Thatcher.

“I certainly am, and am proud of it,” he replied.

The women tried to counsel the youth, but he persisted in his demand for an apology.

“Why do you talk against the Church like this and allow your one son to advocate Mormonism in Europe?” Thatcher shouted. “I saw him in Germany only recently. Why don’t you try to influence your own son before you try to influence others?”

The Senator waved the youth aside and said he was willing to prove every assertion that he had made. Mr. Monson, and particularly the police sergeant from Ogden, took him to task. Anderson, the policeman, called the Senator “Frankie.” He mounted a chair and held his audience for five minutes. The women began to heckle him and before he was aware of it he admitted that Joseph F. Smith was still practicing polygamy. Then he was hooted from his chair. Mr. Cannon’s statement to this effect was the very thing which he had risen to protest against.

“How many wives has Smith?” asked one woman.

“I understand that he has five wives, but—”

“We’ll accept no explanations,” was the reply. “You have admitted the worst.”

When the janitors finally cleared the hall six women had young Thatcher in tow and were giving him a lecture on ethical culture. He unwillingly went out with them while Mr. Cannon, still surrounded by clergymen, left by another way.

Among the other speakers were the Rev. Dr. Robert F. Coyle of Denver, Dr. James S> Martin, General Superintendent of the National Reform Association of Pittsburgh, and the Rev. Dr. D. J. McMillen, formerly pastor of the New York Presbyterian Church.