Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-08-11
POLITICS IN UTAH.
An s.Old Resident'' Gives His Views
On the situation Here.
STOCKTON, August I, 1885.

Stockton, August 4, 1885.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT: All parties who
are acquainted with the condition OF
affairs in Utah, both politically and
socially, and who are interested in the
emancipation of the large majority OF the
people from priestly rule, cannot help but
admire and approve of the moderate and
non-partisan course of the SALT LAKE
DEMOCRAT. One principal reason OF the
failures in trying to establish an evening
paper in Salt Lake of non-Mormon pro-
clivities, before the advent of the DEMO
Graf, was because they proved to be
nothing more nor less than a small echo
of the Tribune, and the people who APP
prove of the radical course OF the Tribune,
and others who did not approve, but
took the Tribune for the news, had no use
for the small echoes. 1t is not my pur-
pose to condemn the Tribune. While
/ do not approve of the extreme radical
ism of that Journal and think that the
Tribune has been source of strength
rather than weakness to the high priests
who rule in Utah, by its often times I'M
Just and unreasonable criticisms of every
thing that emanated from Mormon
source, and not giving credit when credit
was justly due, but attributing acts that
were laudable to unworthy motives. 1t
has not only had tendency to drive the
credulous Mormon into closer bondage,
but it has caused those who pay no al
legiance to priestly rule, but who have
friends and relatives who do, from joining
a crusade that from their intimate ac-
quaintance with the Mormon people they
knew to certain extent was unjust. 1t
has also been the policy of the Tribune
and the Liberal party to ignore every per-
son who ever had been Mormon.
The leaders of the Liberal party and all
the nominees for Office have been men
who had only resided but short time in
Utah, and who had their interests else
where. The past policy of the Tribune
would make it unwise for them at the
present time or in the future to change
their policy, as it would not be credited
and would, therefore, do no good. The
DEMOCRAT, in taking an independent
stand with "good will toward all men
and malice toward none," will supply a
want long-felt in Utah, and if it will con-
tinue its present policy it can not hel p but
be power in the land. l am one who
believes that the redemption of Utah will
be worked out, in large measure, by
the intelligent out-coming Mormons OF
Utah, and the party who ignores
that element will be making great mis-
take. 1t is contrary to human nature to
convince man of wrong or a mistaken
belief by calling him hard names and
making him mad. An intelligent, rea-
soning man would fail to receive any
benefit from that kind of an argument,
and much less so will the great mass OF
the Mormon people, whose reasoning
faculties have been but slightly devel-
oped.
| am in full accord with all good citi-
zens in desiring the full vindication of all
laws, and think that the vigorous enforce
ment of them will be the most effective
way to induce the blind, fanatical Nor
mon to think, which is very much to be
desired, as no doubt much good will
result AN OLD RESIDENT