Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-06-11
POLITICAL DICTATI0N AND
COERCION.


ali the past in Utah every officer has
been nominated by a Little Trinity at
the hesd OF the Church. i does no;
deny. either, that all the voles in Utah
have been cas-; by the direction OF that
power
THE DEsERET NEWS has denied
this and does now deny it, "a toto.
But this viii make no difference to
the sheet from which the above SEN
fences are copied. There is no need
TO name it or the writer. There is
no other paper or editor in the
United States that would continue,
yesr after year, to repeat a falsrhooI
which had been exploded, for which
there was 40 foundation In fact, and
TO excuse which not the faintest
attempt at proof had ever been adj
duced.
We assert once more, and chal-
ienge the production Of proof to tbs
contrary, that She voters Of Utah are
perfectly free il the casting OF their
ballots, 50 far as any Church Trinity
or power Is concerned, ami that the
officers nominated have been the
choice Of the majority OF delegates
in the conventions At which they
were selected.
We will refer 10 the latest election
in this city as an example. The
delegates to the municipal election
were chosen at the primaries by the
popular voice. There was no dicta-
ton, or direction, or suggestion in
regard to then: from any Trinity or
other Church power. The ticket
nominated was the result Of many
and repeated ballotings and dis.
cussiOns, in which every delegate
had full opportunity to express
his choice. We challenge proof
that any Church influence, die
tatiOn or control was exercised
over that convention. We appeal
to the delegates present rs to the
truth OF this statement. They know
that they were left perfectly and en-
tirsly free as to their deliberations.
ami thst The men selected were the
untr1mme!ed choice ofthe majority
Of the convention.
notwithstanding this declaration,
the same uuprinciplei person in the
same disreputable sheet will, in \
short time, repeat the statement that
the NEWS does not deny'' this;
that "the News admitsD so and g..
and, very likely, 50 garlic and mis-
quote our words rs to convey the
exact opposite Of what We affirm.
There have been times in the his
tory Of Utah when the leading men
in the Church had rluuh to say in
the affairs @: the Territory. They
had votes anu they were promi-
nent in al affairs that per-
tanned 10 the interest Of the
people. Their advice was sought I
for anil given, and was usurTy !
valued and acted upon. Sometimes /
ii WIS not asked, and ut others was 4
not followed when solicited and I
rendered. The only consequences
the latter course we.r /
the results Of a mistake in despislug
wise counsel AMI The regret tina: ex-
perieHce brought as the fruit Of the
folly.
The active and prominent men 4
who LED ont in secular affairs, how /
ever, did co as American citizens. 1
exercising political freedom and |
such influence rs their known
aul experience had /
CAMEL for them in the community. |
They had the right to do this and
the people recognized it, and when
they were led by i. they yielded
from choice and not from compuI-
sion.
The Mormon" people know
that whoever says they are coerced
In any manner or form in the ex-
cTcise Of the elective franchise.
If either greatly mistaken or will
fully lies. The writer Of the sen
fences that prccede this article is.
in our firm belief, not mistaken
but states the falSehoods knowing
" and Intentionally, with malice
rrepense and aforclhought.