Some eighty years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States in Savings and Loan Association vs. Topeka (22 Law. Ed. 461) declared “to lay, with one hand, the power of government on the property of the citizen, and with the other to bestow it upon favored individuals . . . is nonetheless a robbery because it is done under the forms of law and is called taxation.” Also in those days before it became legal, and even respectable, to forcibly redistribute the earnings of some citizens in order to secure the vote and favor of others, the forgotten clause of the Fifth Amendment was as carefully adhered to as is another clause today. I refer to the clause which says, “nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.”

Source: W. C. Mullendore
Published in The Freeman, January 1957

Topics: Government, Wealth Transfer

Individual Responsibility

In the quotation here made from the Apostle John’s record of the sayings of Christ, two elements may be selected for definite thought. One of these is that in and of our own volition, we assume the responsibility of doing something ourselves, rather than be always seeking to depend wholly upon the advice and direction of others. This advice is timely in degree, but it has its limit in often burdening others beyond necessity. In proper degree it is timely in that it complies with the design of Providence. Yet let us remember that the inspiration of the Holy Ghost for us to proceed upon our own individual initiative is worth something; and acting under that inspiration is an obligation aptly expressed by the Apostle James: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Wherein we seek over-guidance or over-government from human sources, we develop in ourselves a tendency to helplessness. That which is put into us by others is always far less ours than that which we acquire by our own diligent and persevering effort. It is not luck nor accident that helps a man in the world so much as purpose and persistent industry.

Source: Elder Reed Smoot
General Conference, April 1934

Topics: Responsibility

I want to impress upon the minds of the Latter-day Saints not to covet that which belongs to any public institution, or that which belongs to any city, or county, or the government of the United States. Unless I have been misinformed, many people have said, speaking of the distribution by the government of supplies to the people: “Well, others are getting some, why should not I get some of it.”

Source: President Heber J. Grant
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Government, Wealth Transfer; Honesty; Welfare

Forty-five Years Ago And Now

I believe that there is a growing disposition among the people to try to get something from the government of the United States with little hope of ever paying it back. I think this is all wrong. I believe that there is not that same moral sense among the people today that there was forty-five years ago.

Source: President Heber J. Grant
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Government, Wealth Transfer; Honesty; Responsibility; Welfare

In all ages of the world men have been prone to ignore the personality of others, to disregard men’s rights by closing against them the opportunity to develop. The worth of man is a good measuring rod by which we may judge of the rightfulness or wrongfulness of a policy or principle whether in government, in business or social affairs.

Source: Elder David O. McKay
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Law

The Present Political And Economic Situation

I said that we are living in an age of shifting uncertainties. Recently I saw an expressive cartoon which depicted an engine on an old railroad track, from which a train loaded with people was being pulled in another direction by a tractor which had left the rails and started out over an unbeaten track. The President of the United States was the engineer. It is expressive of our political and economic situation today. Some of us may not know just where we are going, but we are trusting our leader.

Source: Elder David O. McKay
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Politics

Duty Of Individual To Society

While emphasizing the worth of the individual, I wish to say that the individual in turn owes a duty to society. The world today perhaps as never before is demanding that the employer consider his employee not merely as a part of a machine to make money, but as a living, sensitive being entitled to justice and right. It is equally obligatory upon the employee to recognize the employer as one who has equal privileges. It is the duty of the citizen to take this same attitude toward the leaders of his government, and the duty of the churchman to recognize the rights of those appointed to preside.

This is a time in which we should renew and rekindle the faith of our fathers. On every hand “we see social unrest; unloving and unlovely men, greed, selfishness, political corruption. We see people indifferent, pleasure seeking, ignorant, far from following a life of service. Plans fail and success seems an Utopian dream. The materialistic philosophy of life which so largely controls our thinking today has nearly succeeded in convincing the world that a man’s life does consist in the abundance of things which he possesses.”

Source: Elder David O. McKay
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Individual, Improvement

Self-seekers Not In Need

I was impressed with what President Grant said with regard to those seeking help who do not need it. It seems to be a peculiar feeling or attitude, on the part of many citizens of this nation, that whenever the government has anything to give away, they are desirous of obtaining it, even though they may not actually need it, and are able to support themselves without. That seems to me a rather selfish attitude. I think that we ought to strive to be self-supporting, and, as far as possible, independent of help from other sources.

Source: Elder Sylvester Q. Cannon
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Government, Wealth Transfer; Responsibility

Experimental Policies

We are now called upon to support what purports to be a very comprehensive program for recovery. It is a complex program. In many respects it is an experiment, acknowledged so to be. Those who are students of our governmental history recognize the fact that in it there have been and are wide departures from established policies, some of which seem to contravene the very fundamental tenets of our governmental faith. I freely acknowledge that as I hear criticisms of this character directed toward some of the policies that are sought to be carried out, I find it difficult, if not impossible, to answer, in terms of our old principles and procedure, the objections that are urged. Nevertheless, for a while, I feel constrained, by very force of all the circumstances, to be patient for the outcome of these experimental policies.

Source: Elder Stephen L. Richards
General Conference, October 1933

Topics: Politics

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