Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-03-30
PARTIES IN UTAH.

party, and that neither Its principles nor
its aims are adequate for affairs in Utah.
The Democratic Party, it is said, seeks to
place the power of government in the
hands Of the people themselves, when the
people are already but means used to
gain an end, that end the domination Of
particular church. That the people
of Utah have but too truly justified this
comment is we'll known to all who are
acquainted with our local politics. This
simple fact proves the greater need Of
parties organized on the basis Of the CEN
sent Of the governed, and the recognition
of the truth that in America there is no
other source of power, and that power
from any other source is usurpation, and
that such Prescriptions should be as
quickly and thoroughly repelled as an in
vasion by foreign power from across the
seas. The usurpation of power,
no matter how originally OBJ
tanned, and the acquiescence Of
the people in such usurpation, has been
the forerunner of all tyrannies, of the
death of liberty in all lands, whether the
usurpation has been by the civil power or
by the ecclesiastical power.
Nor has the expression of approval at
elections always been a sign of liberty
and freedom in the people. Was France
more free or Napoleon the Third less a
despot because the plebiscite indicated
almost unanimity in the French people
to have things as they were forced to
have them, forced in fact at the point of
the bayonet? Is it greatly different in
Utah to-day? In place of the bayonet to
control the vote of there stands the fear Of
communication from church that is
only less powerful and despotic in its deal
ings with man than Rome. In truth, are
not things here much as they were in
the Papal States prior to the uniication
of Italy? And why should the domina-
ton of the church always bring about
such a state of affairs as exists here, as
existed in the Papal States, and as ex-
lists in Spain to-day? Is it not because
this world is deemed to be and used as
a foot stool for kingdom in the region of
the stars? Is it not because this world
and its things are but for the passing mo-
ment and hence need no care nor solici-
tude, and are unworthy the supreme
efforts of man? That the great mass of
the religious laity has helped to better the
material world and make it more worthy
cannot be denied, but when the church
as an organization has stepped in it has
been otherwise. This is our trouble here
to-day; the dominant church holds that
in the maintenance of its tenents and in
tegrity is the safety of all liberty, and
that without its supremacy there can be
no freedom. This is the view of the
church as an organization, and this is the
view of the churches of history when
they have helped to stamp out heresy /;
and this view is wrong and pernicious.
This view is wrong because there is no
way in which to decide between the
claims of various denominations
for authority in all things, and
the claims are SO many and con-
flicting that faith alone can determine for
each man. Under our system of govern
ment man has voice in the control of
public affairs because he is a citizen of
the republic, and not because he may be
a church member; and all citizens alike,
without regard to church standing or
want of church standing, have right to
participate in the government. Then the
power of a church exists independently of
the consent of man, being conferred from
without. This has been the view and
theory of the Peoples Party; while the
Liberal Party has been nothing but ultra
Republicanism in disguise, and Utah
being Territory of the United States,
that party has taught and claimed that
the General Government should rule all
things here, and that with an iron hand.
That these things are within the legal
power of Congress cannot be denied; but
surely this is poor reason for doing them,
as Congress can legitimately make larceny
a capital offence; in fact, it can make any
crime capital, but that is no reason
for doing so.
To all who hold to the doctrines
of Democracy a Legislative Commits
sion is as un-American as church
rule in civil affairs. Is it to extirpate
polygamy or to break up the Mormon
Church that a Commission is wanted?
The Congressional enactments are against
polygamy and not against Mormonism,
are they not? The Tribune of this city
has been the champion of the Liberal
Party and the need of Legislative Com
missions. Pray, will the Tribune tell us
what they are needed for? Certainly it
cannot be solely on account of polygamy,
for there can no longer be a doubt but
that polygamy in Utah and politics is a
thing of the past, although some will
preach it and some few may practice it.
No crime can be forever and always sur
pressed so as never to be again committed.
This being so, why is a Commission
called for? Only SO lately as Friday,
March 2Sth, 1885, the Tribune editorially
said: $50 sure as the world, the disinte-
grafton of the church is going on faster
than was ever dreamed of year ago."
And the next day, which was but Saturday
last, the Tribune in leader said "The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, under such leaders as it now has,