The Dispatch. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1891-06-13
DROP THE CHESTNUT.

people to the Republican party by
dishing up to them that all the perse-
cutions, and the mobbings, and the
hardships the Mormon people ever
received has been from the hands of
the Democrats! This is not a square
deal, and we are glad to see that the
community sense it as we do. Last
week the Republicans held large
meeting in Manti, and nearly all of
the speech delivered by JOHN HENRY
SMITH was the shameful manner-6h!
yes, the shameful manner in which the
Democrats had served the Mormon
people Well may the Manti Sentinel
come out and say:
If JOHN HENRY SMITH and his CO.
laborers wished to make the people Of
Utah Democrats, he could not have
chosen a better subject than the one
he selected on Friday evening. The
fact is well known that as far as the
Mormon people are concerned, they
owe but little to either party. Neither
party can pose as the friend of the
Mormons for both have done all in
their power to injure the people of
Utah, and If one has failed to perform
their part it was solely because circum-
stances did not admit of it. We agree
with the gentleman that the people
owe allegiance to neither party on ac-
count of past favors and it is only on
the broad platform of principle that
we are justified in taxing our stand.
The answer of President VAN BU-
rem gave but little encouragement to
the prosecuted people, but according
to his ideas, he was not justified in in
terferlng, and it WAS not until years
after that the question was settled by
the arbitrament of arms. Compare
the answer Of VAN buren, to the Nor
mons, with that of BLAINE to the Ital-
ians, and is the difference so great that
the Republican party can congratulate
itself on its vast progress in half cen
tury?
The speaker characterized the Dem
ocratS as being towards. What can
we call party who pass law to re-
form what they consider abuses and
allow the law to remain a d lead letter
on the statute book? Was it anything
but cowardice in one way or another?
No ITtoh paDubliooD will nrcua tbot
it was love for the Mormons that
prompted the act. Were the Repub-
lican party unable to put this law in
force? If so the great strength claimed
for Republican principles evidently is
myth. If they had the power to en-
force it and failed, although they be-
lieved that it was necessary provi-
sion they were guilty of cowardice or
something worse, and the fact that
they did not enforce it leaves them a
choice between cowardice and bribery.
But perhaps it will be argued, the
law was passed merely to get rid of
troublesome subject. The speaker
rather left the impression that such
was the case, for, said he, 1.-THE tail still
kept waggin." In oSher words the
legislators knowing that there was no
need of such law, placed it on the
statute book merely to satisfy the un-
reasonable requests of their constitu-
ents, and supported a measure which
they knew to be wrong rather than
run the risk Of losing office, and in
that they would Prove themselves the
worst of towards, who were willing to
sacrifice their conscience rather than
run the risk of becoming unpopular,
towards who did not dare to be men
rather than demagogues.
The Democrats, according to the
speaker, put in force the laws as they
found them, and because the Nor
mons were their friends, is no reason
why they should favor them. If the
laws were wrong they should never
have been on the statue books, but
no reasonable man can blame the
officers for seeing that the laws were
executed. 1t is no particular credit to
the Republican party that they are
always anxious to admit States who are
likely to swell their ranks. The ad-
mission of State should be ques-
tion of principle. A party that prides
itself on its moral qualities should not
ask "are they our friends" but, lis it
right?"
One remark of Mr.. SMITH S requires
attention. He spoke of the sorrow he
felt when some of his co-Teligionists
charged the national government with
tyranny, knowing that in no other na-
tion could people exist holding the
same attitude to the government as
the Mormons have done, but in some
other country would have been sent to |
the lead mines where those who rebel |
against their government are sent. |
Did the gentleman mean that the
Mormon people are in rebellion against |
the United States Government, or
does he believe that they ever have
been? Has not he, in common with
those of the same faith, diSclaimed all |
such charges when made by others?
Has he not repeatedly said in the past
that the Mormons were a law abiding
people? If this is what the gentleman
meant we must certainly disagree with
him.
The Mormons, in the past, have
never been in rebellion; they have
merely done what all men will, de-
Tended their rights, their homes, their
families and their religion AGAINST The