[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 27 I signed 32 Recommends. I received 54 Letters. Brothers G Q Cannon & H. B Clawson arived at 10 AM. I wrote 2 Letters to G T Webber. Sent him $479.45 for 4 shares in ZCMI Stock. I got the stock. I wrote to Wm. W Riter for 4 shares of Deseret National Bank Stock for which I Paid $1,000 dollars. (1)
-- Jun 15, 1891
[President Wilford Woodruff Journal] 15 I signed 15 Recommends. I receivd 6 Letters. I met with the Z.C.M.I. Board. (1)
-- Jul 9, 1891
[Apostle Heber J. Grant Diary] Meeting at ten AM There were Present Presidents Geo[rge] Q. Cannon and Jos[eph] F. Smith, Apostles Snow, Richards, Lyman, Smith, Grant, Taylor, Merrill, Lund and Cannon. President Lorenzo Snow said that in our former meetings as Apostles that we had tried to become perfectly united with one another and also to have perfect union with the Presidency of the Church . . . In our meeting day before yesterday we had devoted the time to discussion of political matters . . . On account of political matters the brethren had felt that they would like to meet with the Presidency of the Church. Pres[iden]t Cannon said that Pres[iden]t Woodruff was not feeling well and that he had expressed regrets that he could not meet with us today. John Henry Smith Expressed regrets at being absent yesterday and part of the day before. He expressed the very best of feelings for all of his brethren. Hoped that his political labors had been in the interests of the people a
nd if they had not been then he had no been able to labor as he desired to do. After John T. Caine, John R. Winder, Franklin S. Richards and other leading men had come out and pronounced themselves as Democrats he felt that it was absolutely necessary for him and other leading men who were Republicans to come out and work for their cause or the people would all go with one bound to the Democratic Party. He went to the Theatre the night that the Republican Party was organized without knowing what I would do. Pres[iden]t Woodruff had given me no counsel other than I should act as the Spirit directed. I felt that the proper thing for me to do was to address the meeting and therefore I did it. All I want is to labor for the best good of the saints and I feel that my labors have been in the interests of the people. The main thing that he had tried to get out of the minds of the people was that it would be a crime to be a Republican. Lorenzo Snow said the question was shall we app
rove of the labors of brother Smith and is it wise for others of the brethren to take a prominent part in political matters. He felt that no matter what we did that we should be careful not to say or do anything to arouse ill feelings with those who were not on the same side politically as we were. I fully fellowship brother John Henry in his course and feel that it was almost an absolute necessity for him to take the course he has. I would not like to see any of the other members of the Apostles enter the field at the present time . . . President Joseph F. Smith said that it had been intimated to the Presidency by some of our very best friends that it would be injurious to the people in case they were all to join either one of the great National parties. As the leanings of the people seemed to be to join the Democrats it had seemed absolutely necessary to have some one high in authority who was a Republican to come out and labor for that party. It seems that the impression
has got out among the people that it is almost a crime for them to become members of the Republican party and about the only way such an idea could be gotten out of their minds was that at least one of the leading men in the Church in whom the saints had confidence and who was really and truly a Republican should come out in the interests of his party and labor for it. Pres[iden]t Harrison had been in favor of the law that was to take away from all Mormons all the rights of citizens for a period of thirty years and the only reason this law and the only reason this law and others against us had not been passed was that the impression had been given to the Republican Party leaders that there was at least a fighting chance for them in Utah if they would stop making laws against the people. He had felt and so has Pres[iden]t Woodruff that it was absolutely necessary for John H[enr]y to take the course he has. Our influential friends among the gentiles residing outside of the ter
ritory had also felt that some work like that which brother John H[enr]y was doing was necessary. John H[enr]y seemed to be about the only man that could be put forward and we have really sacrificed him and he is now in the fight and he can not very well get out. Personally I wish we had more Republicans among the leading brethren so that our people would not think that it was wrong for them to join that party. He said that in case we wished to have Utah become a state and if we desired to see the brethren receive amnesty in his opinion there was no hopes for these two things only through the party now in power. He did not think the Democratic party ever would do anything for us. The Republican party put down slavery and then they had the courage to ask the people of the south to work with them and granted amnesty to all. The Republican Party claims the honor of putting down polygamy and now they have the courage and will grant amnesty to us if there is any hopes for them in
our territory. Blaine and other very strong Republicans are working for us and they have been doing so for a long time, but if there is one single leading national Democrat working for us that he did not know it. Sincerely hoped that after the next election that the Democrats can not cry out with glee that the territory has all gone Democratic beyond redemption. President George Q. Cannon said that he felt that Brother John Henrey had made a great sacrifice in entering the political field as an active worker. While the Presidency did not call him to labor as he has at the same time they had felt that what he had done and was doing was for the best interests of the people and had had their full approval. Our friends felt that our political affairs should be so managed that we would have the friendship if possible of both of the political parties. He thought the feeling that all of us should have was the best interests of Utah without regard to party. Expressed his pleasure a
t being with the brethren today and his regrets that Pres[iden]t Woodruff was not feeling well enough to attend the meeting. Reference to the meetings that he attended forty years ago on the Sandwich Islands where the brethren would come together to pray and bless each other and said that these meetings were fresh in his memory on account of the outpourings of the Spirit and the time of rejoicing that they had. Said that there is nothing that is better than for us to get together and fast and pray and bless each other. Nothing would bring more of the Spirit of God to us than a course of this kind. He said that he felt that it was due to Isaac Trumbo to say that he had done more in time and in money for us than any many among the outsiders. He had been on hand at all times to labor in our interests and said that Trumbo felt that there was blessing attending his efforts in our behalf. Judge Estey of California was a friend of ours and he was interested in our cause and Estey w
as willing and did give credit for his interest to the efforts of Trumbo in enlisting his sympathies. In fact he felt that it was due to Trumbo to say that he had done as much if not more for us than any man in Zion. We as a people were under deep obligations to leading men among the Republicans. Said that good government would come to the nation no matter which party were in power provided good men were elected to office. It was the man and not the party that would bring us good government. It was perfectly clear to him that it was the right thing for our people to divide. The same spirit that in times past advised union now prompted us to division. Felt very strongly that we should be somewhere as near as possible equally divided. Felt that we should labor with all our ability for the best interests of the people and that when we had done all that was in our power that then he was perfectly willing to trust the final result in the hands of the Lord. The Presidency were per
fectly united and he felt that if they could be united with the Apostles that there was nothing to fear. There were at the present time some fault finding with brother John H[enr]y Smith but this would all pass away in time. Hoped that every man who came to the next Legislature
would be pledged in favor of the admission of Utah into the Union as a State and against the disenfranchisement of our people. Expressed perfect confidence in Apostles and they had his love and he desired their confidence and love. Francis M. Lyman said that he felt that we should have sufficient confidence in each other that we would know that not one of our quorum would take the course brother John H[enr]y had taken unless it was approved by the Presidency. He felt that we should be willing to relinquish our ideas in favor of those of the Presidency in cases where we did not see things alike. Heber J. Grant referred to the fact that at our meeting the day before yesterday it was almost if not quite the unanimous feeling of all who spoke that no effort should (not penned in) be made to change the political faith of the saints in the different Stakes and that all who had referred to the meeting held a week ago Monday, at which it was talked over that a committee should be ap
pointed to try and see that the saints were as nearly as possibly equally divided, thought that such a committee was a great mistake. Stated that he felt that it was due to Prests. Cannon and Smith that they should know the feelings of the Apostles on the matter as in their remarks today they had carried the impression that they thought something of the kind was necessity. Presidents Cannon and Smith said that we had misunderstood the meaning intended to be conveyed at the meeting. They did not wish to have a committee appointed to try and change the political faith of any man, but they felt that some one should be in a position to let the saints know that it was in the best interests of the people that we do not all join one party and that as the great majority of the people had no real preferences in the matter there would be a greater chance of a division that would be nearly equal, but with the impression all over the land that it was almost a crime to (in page change le
ft word out) a Republican there would not be a division, as the people would divide as they thought was their duty. Many men would become Democrats if they thought their duty was to join that party while in their hearts they felt that the principles of the Republican party were the best. It was not the intention to convert one man to be Republican who was a Democrat. After the remarks of Brothers Cannon and Smith the sacrament of the Lord’s supper was administered. While we were eating I referred to the great needs of the Utah Sugar Co. for money and said that I felt that something should be done to get the money they needed and that I felt the decision should be arrived at while we were together as to what should be done. Pres[iden]ts Cannon and Smith withdrew after we had the sacrament but they were in favor of our arriving at a decision as to what had better be done for the Sugar Co. While we were at the table a note was handed in form Bro[ther] Cutler that he must have
money for the pay roll. I went out and gave him and order on Brother Wells for $7,000 He said that he had applied to Heber for that amount but Heber had said that they could not spare it. I told him that I would agree to arrange the matter on one day's notice in case the Bank needed the money and I felt sure that Heber would let him have the money needed. After Bro[ther]s Cannon and Smith had withdrawn we had a short meeting of Apostles . . . We had a very free talk of the needs of the Sugar Co. and also of the need that some eastern money come into the country to remain here. I felt that in case something was not done to bring money into the country that there would be some serious consequences result when the money that had been borrowed in the west and in the east had to be paid back. Nearly all of the brethren who spoke expressed regrets that the sale of Z.C.M.I. stock in London could not have been made. John W. Taylor moved that we as Apostles representing the Church b
orrow the $7,000 needed for the Sugar Co. today and that the amount be taken in the stock of the company. Carried. He also moved that the Church take $100,000 more stock in the company making the total amount invested $150,000 carried. Brother Taylor also moved that brother Grant be sent to Europe to borrow $500,000 for the Church. Carried. All of these motions were carried with the understanding that they were to be of no effect until approved by the Presidency. . . . Franklin D. Richards said that he had never taken much interest in political matters. He felt that the all important matters before us at the present time was to do all in our power to prevent the Liberals from securing control of the next Legislature. In his opinion in case they were successful in capturing the Legislature they would enact laws to take all of our liberties away from us. There are men waiting and watching to be able to find out something to prove that the influence of the Priesthood has been u
sed and if they can get anything to use they will use it against us. Some seem to feel that the all important matter is for us to secure statehood. He had never had any manifestations from the Lord that Statehood was coming to us at an early date. Sometimes the greatest trials as they seem at the time that we are passing through them are our greatest blessings. Some seemed to feel that as the Republicans were in power that there would be great benefits to us if we were as a Territory to become Republican. He did not think that there would be any great benefits from such a course on our part. He felt that the people should select the party they preferred to his mind our only safety was in following the advice and the counsel of the Presidency. He believed in following their lead with implicit confidence. (This meeting was attended at Gardo Pres[iden]t Lorenzo Snow, Apostles FD Richards, Moses Thatcher, Frances M. Lyman, John H[enr]y Smith, Heber J. Grant, John W. Taylor, MW M
errill, AH Lund and AH Cannon were present. The only members of our quorum absent being Brigham Young and George Teasdale. Counselor John W. Young was also absent. (2)
Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993
2 - Diary Excerpts of Heber J. Grant,
LDS History Chronology: Z.C.M.I
Mormon Timeline: Z.C.M.I
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
