Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-04-13
THE WAY TO REFORM.

be said that by repetition alone can the
attention at first be riveted. If repetition
must first rivet the attention, so must
learning by rote be the fore-runner of
learning 10y reason; and this is as true Of
political progress as of intellectual pro-
gress; while freedom to act and time in
which to act, alone are equal to the task
of accomplishing the acceptance of right
and desirable ideas in any direction.
Believing firmly and honestly as we do
the truth of the above observations, it is
for this, among other reasons that we
are opposed to a commission for Utah.
With those who are advocating the need
and calling for the establishment of a
commission, we agree in great measure as
to the sorrowful condition of politics in
Utah; but from them we differ as to the
method by which our political condition
is to be reformed. To those who desire a
commission here, (and we will frankly
admit that we do not believe that all of
them are seeking the spoils which we
think would follow the establishment of a
commission), there seems but one way in
which the reform sought can be effected
that way is the withdrawal of all powers
of legislation from all the people of Utah,
and in place thereof the imposition of a
commission to exercise them. From our
dilemma they think this our only outlet,
and we believe that to do so is to dam up
our only outlet. The natural end 1--WE had
almost said aim,) of commission is to
become an incubus upon the people, to
be the initiative and the support of
lawful tyranny, to attempt to throw off
which would be deemed treason. Would
not commission be justified in saying,
they were bad when we came, but have
become much worse and for our very
safety we need greater and more unques-
toned and unquestionable power? And
this they would say rightfully and truth
fully, for was not despotism ever calling
for more power to crush the evils which
it created? True it is, alas! too true,
that the evils from which we are to-day
suffering in Utah are the evils of our own
creation and that we have created them
is a reason why we should reform them
ourselves.
Religious and exclusive, the people of
Utah have made their religion their
politics, and to differ politically from the
majority has been, heretofore, to deny a
religious right to reign; and when the
law has claimed the supremacy to which
it is entitled, the Constitution has been
invoked to show religious right to
a civil supremacy. From this theory
have arisen our evils, and to controvert
and change this theory is our object. This
theory and the eXclusiveness of the peo-
pie who have held it, have been the sole
cause of the present condition of things
here in Utah. So far from the central
power of the General Government have
we been that an unprecedented centrali-
zation has grown up in Territory which
has always loudly protested its love for
local self-government The protest |
has always been in favor of things !
as they are, and not as they |
should be. Things as they are in Utah
are as they were in Europe during the
Middle Ages when the Church was all,
and the State, if anything, was but
means to enhance and uphold the Church.
The Church of the Middle Ages in Europe
is thing of the past, unless it be in
Spain, and the Church of the Middle
Ages in Utah is fast becoming a thing of
the past; and people are beginning to
recognize that church interference in
civil affairs is a source of continual
trouble, and is more reprehensble
than beneficial. The beginning of this re-
cognition is the beginning of the reform
We all so much desire; and when people
are beginning to see this fact, and to
know that in the exercise of the right of
control by each citizen of the affairs of
the commonwealth is the true guaranty
of liberty to all, the church member and
the non-church member, is it not bad
policy to close the avenue by which he
may show that he recognizes this fact
and intends to profit by it? To the mind I,
which has ever been guided in political /,
affairs, is it not shutting out the light {
which begins to enter to supplant n
the power which has guided and G
by another power to guide >
and control it in the future, although the +,
new power may be perfectly legal and n
lawful and for its exercise has an hun n
dred precedents? To commission there II
is the objection, and grave objection it h
is, that it may equally be the instrument b
Tor propogating error as well as for the in n
,ulcation of true and right ideas of gov "
and is not Goodwin right when 81
ne says: "Those instruments will always fl
be regarded by the discerning mind as te
which may be employed with =,
equal prospect of success on both sides of NJ
very question:" m
Doubtless it will take longer time to lie
make recognized the theories of our gov -
and our rights under it by ar Fl,
yument and persuasion than to take away al
I'll rights, and have things done from al
Without on the theory of commission; al al
Dut if we shall have commission, we ",
hall be no nearer true ideas then than ge
low. We close this article with an ex- W;
ract from the works of the writer above -
uoted, and believe that his method is =;
no tY.1a on, o,,I nc c,,ob = r..