The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-10-28
P5wSING AND CASSIDY.


G. C. Powning, republican nominee
for Congress, into a declaration of
his views regarding polygamy and
the Mormons, but Mr.. Powning is
discreetly silent. 1t is nobody's
business what he thinks as to the
matter. Mormonism is not an issue
in. the politics Of Nevada, any more
than it is in the politics of Wiscon-
sin or of Florida. They do not ask
a candidate for Congress in Oregon
or Texas, or any other state how he
will stand, if elected, on the ques-
ton Of Mormonism, should the
matter come up in Congress. 1t
would be regarded an insult to do
SO. Mr.. Powning having SO far
through life obeyed the laws of his
country, and being counted among
those who insist upon the laws
being observed by others. nobody
has the right to presume or intim-
ate that he will change his course Of
life or degrade his moral standard
when he goes to Congress. His
past must be the rule by which
the future is outlined. The
HERALD has a good deal of respect
for Mr.. Powring. We knew very
little of the man before his nominal
ton for Congress, and have not
learned much since. He has con-
Quoted MS campaign with intelli-
gence and ability, and as if he were
a gentleman, Neither his newspa-
per nor his speeches have contained
abuse, none Of the elements of the
blackguard appearing in anything
that he has done or been connected
with. Whether he shall be elected
or defeated, when the campaign is
over and the votes counted he can
say, and it can be said Of Thin, that
he has beeRa gentleman throughout
the contest, and that he has stopped
to no mean thing to oil tain the
Office. We know nothing of his
views on the Mormon question,
Should occasion arise for an express
sion of his ideas in the matter, it is
presumed that he would be honest
and manly about it, and mott
degenerate into the dema-
gogue. The HERALD'S chief
reason for desiring the defeat Of
democrat, is not that he Isl
unfriendly to the 1Iormons, but be-
cause he is not honest in the course
be pursued last winter. Before his
election and even up to the time he
reached Washington at the begin
ming of the session he was not only
towards the Mormons, but
was fawning. They worked for
him and voted for him, and he pro-
fesSed an appreciation of the fact.
Arriving at the capital he discov-
cred that it was going to be unpopu-
lar for a man to say anything in
favor of the people of Utah, and he
hadn't the manhood to act accord
ing to his honest convictions. Hel
turned 6emagogue in the hope Of
gaining popularity. Even then a
second term was in his mind. When
he made his villainous assaults upon
M. Cannon and the people Of Utah,
in his heart polygamy was no more
than it had been a year be-
fore when he was counting the votes
Of those who believed plural mar
riage was right morally and religi-
ously. If he had been honest and con
in his hatred of Mormons,
why cid he not come cut two years
ago during the campaign, and de-
the people and their pc
culiar institution? Even now, why
does he not say something against
the Mormons? He is travelling
about the state, making speeches,
but no word has escaped him in re-
gard to the people of Utah and
their polygamy. Perhaps he would
like even now to receive the votes
of the MormOns and their friends in
Nevada. Had his conduct at Wash
ington last winter been less
VIGOROUSLY outrageous, we would
expect to hear that he was again
counting the Mormons to betray and
abuse them, should his unprincipled
heart suggest the possibility Of per
sonal gain by such a course. The
we repeat, does not oppose.
Cassidy because he claims to be-
anti-Mormon; but for the reason
that he is not honest in that claim.
There are very few congressman
not adverse to features of Mormon
doctrine and practice, but we hope
there are few whose opposition
l;11o noariJrs. =: lI