Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-03-21
The Newspaper of an Epoch.
Communicated


1t has been said that newspapers repre-
sent the prevailing sentiments OF the
community in which they circulate, and
that as opponents of public opinion, they
have a right to exist. Some newspapers
spring into existence to meet the demands
of the times; others are called into beng
by change in popular feeling or by q
new order of things. A new theory IN
politics, reform of abuses, or popular
outcry against unjust measures and wick
ed legislation, demands an organ for the
expression of each idea and as such, a
newspaper will always command the
support of its friends and the respect
of the people, Especially Is this
true of the DEMOCRAT, which, COM
ing as it did, to meet a long
felt want, was Immediately borne, upon
the shoulders of popular approval. It's
advent was hailed with joy by thousands
of good, true Democrats, who have mad
the best of reasons for being dissatisfied
with the course of the Peoples Party IN
the past, and as for the Liberal Party,
they would not have anything to 90 with
a party, one of whose chief doctrines Is
the subversion of popular Liberties:
The DEMOCRAT suits the desire OF thou
sands of young men in this Territory,
who have long felt the need OF an organ
to advocate their rights to freedom IN poll
tics, unhindered either by the advice or
command of their elders. This newspaper
has been the outcome of series OF pop
ular agitations and public meetings on the
part of the restless young men, who de-
clared as the unalienable rights OF every
American citizen that church interference
should not be allowed in politics. They
wanted to relegate church affairs and
State politics to their proper places.
"Church and State must be kept forever
distinct" was the campaign cry, which Is
the sentiment of the DEMOCRAT, and will
always be maintained until the result is
achieved. That there is change in the
opinions of the majority of young men
within the pale of the church has been
made very plain, even to the most ignor-
ant minds, by the replies of the sons Of
Church members at the empaneling of
juries in polygamy cases. The invariable
answer is, don't believe in polygamy,"
or 81 believe the revelation on polyg-
amy to be spurious" This clearly shows
the drift of opinion on the part of the ris-
ing generation. Let us retrace, while it
is yet time Better let polygamy 60. and
we shall secure the approval of the
world and, what is of more inestimable
value to us, we shall be reinstated in all
our political rights, and admitted into
the glorious galaxy of States in the
Union. Congress will doubtless deal
leniently by us, in case we should dis
card the unhappy tenet of polygamy
from our doctrines and will legalize the
offspring of the men who conscientiously
believed they were doing the will of God
in entering into polygamy.
When the Saints ruled supreme in this
valley the Deseret Nelos was made the Off
cial organ of the church, and it was the
sole medium of news to them.
The SALT LAKE DEMOCRAT comes into
being at the same time with the national
Democratic administration, and as long
as that administration continues in exist
ence, SO long will this paper live, to adj
vocate, sans peur ct sans reprOche, the in
herent doctrine of popular sovereignty,
or in other words, self-government,w which
belongs to true Democracy as personified
in Jefferson and, let us hope, in Cleve-
land also. u.