The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-18
SELF-PkE SERyATI0N.


The veters of this territory should under
stand the situation as regards the COMING
legislative election. One party which is
struggling so hard TO gain control in the
assembly is on record in favor of the abso-
lutte Acknowledgement OF fully two-thirds
of the people of this territory. 1t has de
clared that this should be done and has
petitioned Congress to do it. Its newspaper
organ openly advocates il. aud its orators
do not hesitate 70 shout 1t. OF course Con-
gress VIII never enact q Acknowledgement
law. 1t might have done it at one time, but
that time has passed-gone never
TO return. We do not think it prob
able that any national party Will
ever become formidable which would for a
moment entertain proposition TO deprive
a people Of the right to vote and hold Office
on account Of the religious belief OF those
people: nor do we believe that such an in
famous proposition will ever again be ad-
vocgted in Congress. 1t is dead and buried,
so tar as the national legislature is con-
cerned.
live issue, and while the danger may not
be great, still there is real danger which
can be overcome only by the emphatic
action OF the people. just SO sure as the
Liberals get control of the legislature, just
so certain is it that a bill DISTINGUISHING all
members of the Mormon church will be
enacted into law, aud 20 per cent.
of the people will be placed at
the mercy OF much less than
30 per cent, for there are many non-Mor-
mons VINO do not march in the Liberal
ranks, and who are. from principle, OPP
posed TO disfranchisement previous TO con
viction for crime, and these would have as
little say in the government as the disfran-
chised Mormons. II the Liberals were to
get msjority in the legislature, the action
OF Idaho would be repeated here, only mat
tiers would be infinitely worse, because in
Idaho but one-third OF the population has
been disfranchised, while here, rwo-thirds
would be deprived of the privilege Of citi-
zenship.
We refer to this matter that people
may vote intelligently and for purpose
next August. AL, regardless Of party,
should understand just what Liberal sue
cess would mean, and understanding this
every man who loves Utah, who desires
freedom and who appreciates American
citizenship should be careful to vote in O
way to thwart the enemy and turn aside
the danger which threatens. A vote for
the Democratic ticket will oe vote against
disfranchisement a vote in favor OF all
law abiding citizens enjoying the rights
and privileges of citizenship. TIE Demo
cratic party is pledged TO this-pledged to
oppose disfranchIsemeDt except on
conviction for crime in COM
petent tribunal; the nominees are
pledged to this, and besides they are
personally opposed to the infamous
doctrine that men should be deprived OF
citizenship because of their religious be-
lief.
husbands and sons, that it is duty which
they owe to themselv es and their families
at this time 10 vote the Democratic ticket,
and thus make their ballots count. They
cannot afford to waste any votes now.
They cannot afford 10 work their own IN
doing through the assertion of a political
principle which can be asserted a year
hence just as well as to- day. 1t seems 10 US
that under the circumstances, in the face
of the danger which threatens, il will
be little short Of a crime for man who is
DESTROYS Of preserving his political liber-
ties intact TO vote any ether than the
Democratic ticket. When the threat has
passed, when the evil which menaces has
disappeared. will be time enough to trifle
with and waste ballots in efforts to advance
peculiar political doctrines, but the law
which should govern men is that of self
preservation. Voters, think seriously and
intelligently of these things before throw
ing your votes away