[President Heber J. Grant Diary] I had a long talk with President Clark as to the wisdom of my interviewing Brother James H. Moyle who is writing his own history. He said he was afraid I might get excited and it would not do me any good to talk with him because Brother Moyle is a very determined man and might not appreciate my making any suggestions as to what was in his biography. He said to be sure to have Brother Joseph Anderson near me if I decided to have a talk with Brother Moyle with the understanding that he would occasionally kick my foot so that I would not get excited. He doesn't want my blood pressure to go too high. I think perhaps Brother Moyle and I are both too set in our own ideas.
[Source: Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
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ReplyDeleteI want to know more.
I don't know much about this -- but was able to find some background information.
ReplyDeleteJames Moyle was an attorney, polygamist (convicted of unlawful cohabitation) and a democrat heavily involved in politics.
In 1917, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson appointed James H. Moyle, the first Latter-day Saint to serve in a subcabinet position in the United Sates, as assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury. Later he was the Democratic party chief of Utah, and considered running for Governor of Utah.
Fellow democrat Heber J. Grant opposed this move, feeling he should remain a mission president instead. However they were good friends.
For example on Jan 29, 1941, President Grant, a fellow democrat, recorded, "About 7:45 Brother James H. Moyle and wife and daughter Sarah and her husband, Brother Creer, called and we had a very pleasant visit. We reminisced regarding old times. I laughingly referred to the fact of my sitting with Brother Moyle in the State convention of the Democratic party ...."
In February, 1943, President Grant noted, "In the afternoon took the usual ride with Sister Grant. Our guests were Brother and Sister James H. Moyle and Sister Susan Lyman. Brother Moyle is writing a hsitory (sic) of his life to leave to his children. Really I would like to have a copy of it before the book is published. I am afraid there will be some things in it that he will regret. I wish he would let me read it before it is published. I hope he will not publsish (sic) a book that will reflect upon the leaders of the Church. He is intensely Democratic and I am afriad (sic) of what he might write. I fel the same way toward my associate Apostle Reed Smoot, I think if he had written a book it would have been colored too much Republican. I am afraid Brother Moyle will be too much Democratic ..."
In March, President Grant talked with James Moyle's son Henry -- "Had a very pleasnat [visit] with Henry D. Moyle. I told him that I understood his father was writing his own history, gathering information from friends. I said I hoped he would read it over. I would be very grateful if there were no comments in it that might reflect upon President Joseph F. Smith's failure to carry out the wishes of the Democrats."
Three weeks later, Henry was ordained an apostle.