The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-08
s. 80
The Taffy Orlando Gave Free in
the East.
II" CAME, "r' SAW, 81" CONQUERED
or Sounded the Death Knell-"I" Organized
the Gentiles-''I" Got Carpet Bag
''l' See 1t.
II" CANE, ''I' SAW, 81" CONQUERE.

Below is an interview with o. W.
Powers, which appeared in the Detroit
Free Press Of August 90 1t comes to us
from pretty reliable authority that the ar
ticle would have been published several
days in advance of the Goth, save for the
fact that the manager of the Free Press was
compelled to send to the foundry for five
pounds of capital rs:
1.-THE question has resolved itself alto
gether into local war between the Gen
tiles ard the Mormons," said eX Chief
Justice o. w. Powers, of Salt Lake city,
Utah. in the Russell house lobby yester-
day afternoon, land in that sort of con
test the Gentiles are bound TO come out
ahead, every time. The usual political
lines are wholly obliterated in our local
campaigns in Utah. There are neither
Democrats or Republicans in those contests
For ii long time past the United States
government has been trying, without avail,
to settle the Mormon question. 1t cannot
be settled in that way. Since we took the
matter Up in earnest locally, making it a
distinct;Yely political issue, we have accom-
plisEed more ina few months than the
government succeeded in doing in long
series of years. The Mormon question is
distinctively political matter, and it must
be treated altogether from that standpoint.
There is no religion about it. Viewed from
a theological standpoint it falls long dis
lance short Of holding water. The
Mormons themselves regard their
future as political issue"
What has been done politically toward
Subduing Mormcnismf" Judge Powers was
asked.
II will tell you" he replied. ''To make
the story complete and Ineligible one,
will go back little in the matter of time
and deal more in personalities than should
otherwise care to do. 1t is false modesty,
however, which spoils good story toavoid
the occasional use of personal pronoun. !
will simply preface what may have to tell
you regarding the Mormon situation by
stating that l have no political ambition
whatever. What may have done in con-
nection with the matter has been performed
wholly from a local standpuiht-as resi-.
dent of Utah. Just as soon as the Nor
mon church ID relegated to where it
properly bslongs--on an even footing with
other religious denominations, and robbed
of political and secular influence, l shall
settle down to the practice Of law in Salt
Lake city, without desire for any sort of
political advancement. When ! was sent
from Kalamazoo to Utah. as chief justice
by President Cleveland, ! remained there
long enough to make a pretty careful study
OF the Mormon situation and discover from
Just what direction the only efiicaeious
remedy must come. | saw that as long az
the resident Gentiles were passive and
without organization, all that the United
States government esSayed to accomplish
in the matter would be futile and without
result. 1t will be two years the lst of
next month-September-s 1 went
back TO Salt Lake city
AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN
and hung out my shingle for the practice
of law. ! was received most generously.
and soon had more legal business than /
could attend to. But all the time / kept
my eyes on the chances of downing
Mormonsm from q political standpoint. I
found that the political lines to which l
had been accustomed in Michigan did not
prevail in Utah in local affairs There
were no Democrats aud no Republicans.
The Gentiles rallied under what is known
as the Liberal banner, and with this fac
ton at once affiliated. l did not declare
uncompromising war upon the Mormons
without thorough investigation, however.
This investigation disclosed the fact that
religion that is, anything worthy OF the
name-cut no figure whatever in the local
situation. The Mormons were simply the
most deprRved and corrupt Of all known
political organizations. Their object was
not to save souls, but TO secure wealth and
political influence, by fair means and foul;
in order to carry their ends at the polls,
they resorted TO the lowest forms of po-
litical trickery, including bribery and colo
nization. Such being the case, l allied my
self at once with the Liberal-or Gentile-
local party. l worked with the same en-
thusiasm which had previously character
lied my efforts on behalf Of the Democratic
party of Michigan. Somewhat to my sur
prise when the legislative campaign which
has Just resulted in most emphatic vic
tory for the Gentiles-our party-was in
sugurated, was chosen as chairman Of the
committed This sort OF put me on my
mettle. My new friends were evidently
longing for the introduction Of our vigor-
Gus eastern way of running local politics,
and determined to crafty them. All the
previous local anti Mormon political efforts
had resulted in defeat, and / realized the
fact that success at this iuncture would not
only reflect great credit upon any efforts
that might put forth, but it would also
sound the death knell Of political Mormon
ism in Utah.
''Well, I went to work with all the vim
and enthusiasm that could command, fol
lowing as nearly as might be our Michigan
patterns in campaign work. ] organized
the Gentle population of Salt Lake city as
it had
NEVER BEEN ORGANIZED BEFORE.
l had my captains in every ward, and the
Gentle population was carefully polled
some time previous to the election. The
captains of the various wards were held
strictly responsible for the polling of every
Gentle vote under their respective iuris-
diction. But | did something which laid
the Ak at the root of the tree Of Mormonism
as it had never been laid before. l organ