The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-23
REPUBLICAN DEMAGOGY.

We have heretofore referred to the dem
agogy which certain Republicans are prac-
ticing in their efforts to seduce the Nor.
mons into joining their party. The HERALD
will never be found condemning legitimate
political methods or finding fault with
proper arguments. If Republicans can &c
into the field and by displaying their prin-
ciples in such gorgeous word clothing as
will hide the truth and deceive the people
as to the true character of those principles,
this paper will not whine. If Republicans
shall prove more eloquent and more con-
vincing than Democrats in talking to the
people, we will not complain, but
will simply express regret at the
inability of the people to distinguish
for themselves. What we object TO is the
course which some of the Republican cam
paiRners are pursuing, of saying to the
Mormons that JOSEPH SMITH and other
Mormon leaders were Republicans, and as
the Saints had supreme confidence in these
men in other matters they should also trust
to their wisdom in partisan politics. We
object TO this, because it is demagogy pure
and simple; we object to it because it is an
ment'' is presented, in that it suggests that
he is ignorant ard incapable of deciding for
himself between the principles Of the diff
ferent parties: and we object to it because.
as we understand the matter, the allega-
ton is not true as to JOSEPH SMITH, at
least A gentleman in whom we have con-
fdence reports case which came under
bis personal observation. We give his
language:
An individual ran across a voter who had ex-
pressed his preference for Democratic princi-
pies and thus accosted him:
You're a member of the church, aren't your
Yes"
Are you not aware that the Prophet JOSEPH
SMITE was, and all the leading brethren are.
Republicans: That it was under Democratic
administration that they were driven from New
York TO Pennsylvania from PENNSYLVANIA TO
Ohio, from Ohio to Missouri, from Missouri to
Illinois. and from Illinois TO the Rocky Noun
tains here; that it was a Democratic President
MARTIN VANBUREy. who. when he was appealed
20 for aid by the messengers OF JOSEPH SMITH.
answered: Gentlemen, your cause is just. but
can do nothing for you. And yet you would
vote TO put Democrats in office.''
We say that man who proselytes in this
way is a very low type Of demagogue, even
if what he said were true; and he is worse
than that when what he says is absolutely
false, as we believe it to be in the case of
JOSEPH SMITH. 1t doesn't matter with
thinking men what JOSEPH SMITHS poll
tics were, but that he was not Republi-
eau we think can be successfully demon
strated. Indeed, he could not have been.
because the Repu blican party was not in
existence until long after his death. Had
certain Republicans not referred to this
matter and made a point Of it in their public
addresses and private canvasses among the
people, THE HERALD would never have
mentioned it, regarding this line of cam
paign as illegitimale and shameful. How
ever, the instances where Mormons have
been urged to become Republicans because
JOSEPH SMITH was said to believe in the !
principles Of that party are becoming so
that we deem it proper to give |
place here 20 the following, which is part |
Of an interesting communication on the /
subject prepared by young gentleman of |