[Heber J. Grant]
I arrived in Saint George the evening of the 14th and about 830 I called at the place where Prest. Wilford Woodruff was stopping. ... We had a long talk regarding the sickness of Prest John Taylor and the changes that would of necessity take place in case of his death. He told me of a number of dreams that he had had since the middle of April that had impressed him with the idea that Prest Taylor was not going to live long.
I expressed my opinion of the way Prest Cannon had treated our quorum in plain terms and said that I had much more confidence in Prest Joseph F. Smith than in Prest. Cannon and that I never expected to see the day after the death of Prest Taylor that Joseph F. Smith would not be a greater man among the latter day saints than George Q. Cannon. Prest Woodruff seemed to share my opinion that Prest Cannon had not treated our quorum with as much respect and consideration as he should have done, and also seemed to fully endorse my good opinion of Prest. Smith. Prest Woodruff favored bringing Prests Cannon and Smith back into our quorum in case of the death of Prest Taylor. Prest. Woodruff said he would be willing to have Joseph F. Smith made the Prest of the Church provided the quorum of the Apostles should wish it but as near as I could judge he had no idea that such a thing would be done. Prest. Woodruff expressed himself as having no desire to become the President of the Church, and I am convinced that he is perfectly sincere in what he said. I know that some of the members of our quorum are of the opinion that in the case of the reorganization of the First Presidency after the death of Prest. Taylor and before the death of Prest. Woodruff that Bro Woodruff must be made the President. I have no such feeling. I feel that Prest. Joseph F. Smith will succeed Prest Taylor is the First Presidency is reorganized. ...
Prest. Woodruff felt that John Taylor had been the right man and in the right place but at the same time he could not endorse in his feelings Prest Taylor's mining schemes; felt that Church funds should not go into mines. Felt that Bro Joseph F Smith should come home. Did not endorse the manner in which A. M. Cannon had run things in the Salt Lake Stake. ...
Felt that the Gardo House was a great mistake and wanted it closed after the President's death. Felt that, as he know little or nothing regarding the way Church funds had been handles, that an Auditing Committee should be appointed to fully investigate matters. ... Stated that many years ago he had dreamed that he was present at the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple, also dreamed the same thing in April last when dreaming of Prest Taylor's sickness, I never enjoyed anything more than I have my visit with Prest Woodruff. ...
Going from Silver Reef to Saint George and while in Saint George I had a number of talks with my Cousin Anthony W. Ivins regarding the movement which was being made to try and get Utah into the Union. He felt very much opposed to the sections in our Constitution proposing to punish polygamy and thought we were compromise on God-given principles for the sake of liberty. There is nothing under heaven that I know of that I am not willing to do sooner than compromise or relinquish any of the principles of the gospel. To agree to punish one's self instead of allowing our enemies to do it is not to relinquish or compromise anything in my opinion, and in as much as I have an assurance in my heart that I will not offend my Heavenly Father by supporting a constitution that punishes men for keeping His laws I am in favor of the Constitution which has been adopted and shall do all in my power to get the people to adopt it....
[The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015]
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