The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-17
A NEW POLITICAL MOVEMENT.

THE HERALD thinks it can say without
fear of successful contradiction that for the
first time in history the majority of the
great newspapers of the country are dis
posed to treat this territory with fairness
and decent consideration. In the past, with
remarkably few exceptions, editors have
been guided in their writings concerning
Utah politically and religiously by personal
prejudice and the universal dislike of the
Mormons. Ii was rare, indeed, that any
thing appeared on the editorial page of a
leading journal which was suggestive of
fair consideration for Utah, the average
writer being blinded to all other facts con-
corning this country than that the Nor
mons were polygamists, who were resist
ing the government in it's enforcement of
the laws against that practice. Final
", last year, when the Saints, in
the most solemn and effective man
ner possible, abandoned polygamy and
placed themselves in harmony with the
sentiment of the age, a marked change was
noticed in the tone of the press comments.
A spirit suggestive of forgiveness and for
getfulness was manifest in editorial utter
ances. Only where there was doubt as
to the sincerity of the Saints in the action
they had taken was there withholding Of
encouragement to the Mormons. AS the
months have gone by and no polygamous
marriages have taken place and polygamy
has not been preached. the feeling has
grown that the Mormons were honest in
their declaration, the result being that to-
day only here and there can an editor of
influence be found who advocates other
treatment for Mormons than he would i'm
pose upon citizens of any religious belief.
The manner in which the recently inaug-
urated movement TO abandon the
so-called political parties in this
territory and align the people with
the national organizations has been
received by the press of the country is
evidence that after all it was the polygamy
of the Mormons which the editors fought
There IS hardly al influential journal in
the country which has not commented on
the change which has taken place in this
territory, with special reference to the
present political movement, and with rare
exceptions the division on party lines now
going on is hailed as the right road to a
speedy solution of an ugly problem with
which the American nation has been wrest-
ling so long. AT the risk of wearyirg
our readers ve reproduce below an
editorial which appeared last week
in the New York Times, one of
the ablest newspapers of America,
We commend this article to those here at
home, who are hesitating in this division
matter The Times is in error as to the in
centive to the formation of political parties.
Statehood has cut no figure in the
business, and we do not believe
that half a-dozen of the men who are deep
in the division movement have thought Of
applying for the admission of Utah to the
union. The requirement of state gov
eminent is the last of our ambitions. So
far as The HERALD and its following are
concerned, our aim is to make this great
community Democratic, so that when local
self government shall come, that govern
viii be one by the people for the people,
But. Democrats and Republicans, read
what the great New York journal has to
saw concerning what is going on here:
There is to be territorial election in Utah in
August and there are indications that the peo- |
,,le are abandoning their old divisions as Nor |
mons and anti Mormons in politics and organ |
ling ON the lines of the regular parties. Last |
October the Mormon church formally withdrew 4
its sanction OF polygamy as an article Of relig |
ious faith, and it promises TO disappear as a |
factor in politics. The material growth and in
dustrial and social progress OF Utah have
doomed the practice OF polygamy, and the de-
cree of the church was practically forced upon |
II. AS the anti-Mormon element has grown in !
strength and aggressiveness and as Utah has !
come into closer relations with the sur
sounding states it has become clear to |
the younger generation that polygamy is
a handicap upon their progress and prosperity.
IT has been an obstacle to the development of
the territory and a bar TO its hope OF becom ing
a member OF the union of states. 1t is seen
that the people could get on better If the old
barrier between themselves and the rest OF the
country could be thrown down Moreover, the
increase Of wealth and the development of the
social customs which material prosperity brings