The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-06-01
A Little More Liberality.

SALT LAKE CITY, MAY 81, Or
Editors Herald:
Running over the programme OF
the proposed proceedings" OF Deco
ration Day, one was struck by the
stress laid upon the terms patriotic"
and "loyal" and the use OF such
sentences as, s,The day Is again APP
preaching which, of all others, 80
forcibly reminds ali the patriotic
and loyal" and "This duty devolves
alike upon ] patriotic citizens"
Here the citizens are pronouncs
eddy, but inyoluntarily on their
part, divided Into two opposing
classes-the patriotic and the nnpa-
triotic, the loyal and the disIoyal,
for the observance of national
holiday Why is this division made,
and made thus preteniiously and
arbitrarily? Who are the loyal, and
who are the disloyal? Should We
understand that the loyal are the
party il power? If SO, then it will
follow that the disloyal are the par
ties not in power. But may not the
parties not in power be as loyal as
the party in power, and posi- ly
more so? Then why should such
really baseless distinction be drawn
and psrsded, and on such an occa.
sion too?
Or is it possible that the term
loyal is still ungraciouly applied 10
northern citizens and the term dis
loyal to southern citizens? II SO, is
not the time fully come that such an
uncharitab ole, unwise and untruth-
full policy was flung to the winds?
This nation is not two nations,
but one and indiYisi BILE, and to main
tain the harsh and unfeeling dis
tInctiOns Of civil war times betrsys
a mario wness and a vindictiveness
Of spirit that is destitute OF all
chivalry, generosity, courtesy,
civility, justice, and real patriotism
and loyalty. and ought to be frowned
down by every citizen OF all parties
and sections.
But stay, let US read little fur
ther. Toward the close of the pros
gramme occur these passages: "The
loyal ladies Of surrounding towns
have volunteered to send contribu
tlons Of flowers" and, "the finance
committee will call upon our loyal
citizens for their contributions"
Ohio! Is this the kernel of the nut
when cracked? Must it be super
ciliously and insultingly presumed
that those ladies who did not volun.
teer to send flowers were unpatriotic
and disloyal? And further, must
all those citizens who are not called
on by the finance committee for
contributions be thus superciously
and insultingly set down as unpat-
riotic ana disloyal? Does not the
language above quoted fairly imply
this! Certainly it does. Is such
a contracted and over bearing spirit
in unison or even in harmony with
what should be considered the true
spirit Of the day2 What kind of Il
party is this that thus self-glorify-
ingly presumes to monopolize the
patriotism and the loyalty to possess
all of 1t that there in the county?
Why this is even worse than the
Pharisaical selt-sufficiency and In
vincible bigotry of 10 Cook. A
very nice sort of thing this, in this
land of civil and political freedom!
One word more. Hereafter, in
all observances of a national charac-
ter, let a more catholic spirit, let a
really national spirit, prevail. Let
all citizens, without regard to sec
ton or party, te invited and be free
to participate. Let no invidious
distinction be pronounced and pa
raded or made between one class OF
citizens ana any other. Only by the
manifestation and encouragement
Of free and liberal spirit can free
and liberal institutions be perpetu~
ated. SALT LAKER.