The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-11-14
N0T'AN ISSUE.

AN AuduO contemporary, the DOlSe SJuteS-
man, is much troubled by the result Of the
late Congressional election in this terri
tory. The editor displays his ignorance of
the local situation by writing as if he ex-
pected different result, or as if another
result had ever been probable. Nobody
who knows anything of the people Of Utah
ever for moment thought the Liberals
could elect their Congressional candidate,
and after the platform had been formu-
lated and the nomination made the talk
of electing the nominee was simply idle
chatter. A good many Liberals refused to
stand by the platform or the man, so that
II the political parties had been numer-
1cally equal at the start the Liberal candi-
Gate would have been defeated.
But it was not of the Idaho mans igno-
rance of the local situation that we intended
TO speak; that is common fault among
journalists. and not few positively refuse
10 be enlightened. Our Boise contempo
rary keeps harping on the idea that the
defeat of the Liberal aspirant for Con
gressional honors will retard the admis
sion OF Utah to the union. In one issue it
says that statehood has been put off ten
years, and in other issues the delay is in
definite
The HERALD couldn't be induced TO saw
word which would in the least disturb
our esteemed,and progressive northern con
temporary, but we must ask now tue editor
got it into his head that there was any con-
Dectlon between the late election and the
admission of Utah to the union? There
was no mention of statehood here. Neither
party said anything about asking for a
state government in its platform or on the
stump. Nobody in the territory has the
least suggestion of an idea that a statehood
movement viii be inaugurated And what
Is OF interest and Importance as bearing On
this matter is the fact that mighty few
people IN Utah are at all eager for state
mood. On three or four occasions the great
majority OF che people have gone to Con
gress with arespectful request that the ter
rltory be emancipated and given its rights as
a free and independent state In every in
stance the appeal has been unjustly. and
almost brutslly denied The Injustice has
been made prominent and more offensive
by the admission of other territories which
could show nothing like the claims for
statehood which we have presented. Two
or three years ago the community went so
far as to formulate and adopt constitution
which bound the people to do what Con-
gress mad been saying they must do in
order to get into the union. Even that
constitution was rejected, and Utah was
again denied her rights. Since then the
people OF Utah have changed wonderfully
IN their opinions and aspirations regarding
statehood. From being eager and earnest
IN their clamor for state governm ent
they have grown lukewarn on the subject.
and long since ceased to talk about it. So
htu eco they care whether the territory
shall be kept out or taken into the union
that request for a popular vote on the
question would not fetch to the polls 30 per
cent. of the voters. THE HERALD is moi
saying this to deceive, but is stating facts
which are known to everybody who is ia
mlliar with local public sentiment. We do
not believe another statehood movement
will have its origin within the bonn
daries of the territory, no matter
how long Utah may remain ont
OF the union and be governed
from Washington. 1t is possible that in
time Congress may tire of making large
appropriations for the governmental ex-
penses Of people who are abundantlv
able to pay the costs of their own govern !
ment; 1t is possible that one of these wears
there will come a Congsess that will see
the injustice of longer holding a great com
munlty in seryitude. Either of these
events may transpire and steps NAV he |
taken for letting Utah into the sisterhood |
OF states; but our Boise contemporary and |
all others may rest their souls in peace |
that having been so shabbily treated for |
third OF century, the people of Utah have |
grown Indifferent and have made up their
minds that they can endure this thing as I
long as the nation can practice it, and can
make money by doing nothing.
Statehood may BE- delayed five. ten wears
or indefinitely, and the equilibrium of no
body here will be in the least disturbed:
but whether the delay shall be long or
short the late election will have nothing tn
do with the business, for the admission of
the territory was in no sense an issue. We
don't believe it ever will be an Issue for
the masses viii never again be clamorons
Tor statehood, or active against it, hence
there will be nothing for any party to on.
pose or favor.
Meantime, instead Of worrying about
Utan, our Boise contemporary will do we'll
to encourage its own little family to he
cheerful under the burden of statehood
which they have assumed