Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-11-03

and advantages. In the meantime IN.
Liberal party will maintain It's organiks.
ton aud oppose statehood with an n.
ability and power Il possesses.
STATEHOOD
have elsewhere stated the fear n
statehood Is the principal reason WIN,
the on.Mormon citizens Of Utah refussd
TO support the movement to organize tho
people on national party lines Thee
think. or at least the great majority II
them do, that admission now would be
a mistake which can be called noihirr
less than a political crime. They viii
rejoice TO see the day come when Uth
can safely be admitted. They have The
Interests Of the Territory quite as much
AZ hear, as have the men who, TO further
their party interests and their political
ambition, would hasten statehood. hN
no reflection on the good Intention of
the Mormon people to say that tile effect
Of statehood now would be To place the
territory under the conirol Of The Nor.
mon church. III chose to assume con.
troll, because is members form a large
majority Of the whole people. We
ought not 10 expect too much ofthe Nor.
mon people or put 90 too severe test
their abandonment ofcherished religion,
practices. Il should not be forgotten
that the Nlormons have during an n,
years Of their past history ran their
religious and political beliefs, and the
local polnici issues on parallel Hnes'
and the sois political issue has been the
maintenance Of church doctrine.
While the church leaders have always de.
MED that they influenced or dictated the
vote Of their people rs churchmcn, aud
claimed that the influence they ex icised
with their people was only ,lc same
political influence that the leaders Of
any political parry exercise, still, the
result ~ that when a church includes a
whole political party and each has the
same leaders, and the religious aud
political interest are blended, Il II I'M.
possible to draw the line between church
and political influence
Ordinarily, to make the assertion that
IN an American community church
could control the votes Of a majority Of
the people would be 10 ascIibc too murh
potency TO the influence OF the church
and too little 20 the intelligence and
good faith Of the people, because we
I'VE ~ a land where under constitutional
guarantees there Is supposed to be an
eiiectual divorce of church aud state.
And vet this has been the exact cond.
/ ton Of Utah In the past. II has been
but little over year since the FIRST for.
NAL announcement was made To the
/ world by the Mormon people Of their
intention to rcnounee what they have said
| was a vital principle Of their creed and
/ but little over six months since they
formally dissolved the political ofgariza.
ton which has been the chief element Of
the strength oi the Church In is contcs,
with the government. Is II unreasonable
or unkind TO suggest that II the power
and opportunity were given TO them 10
/ restore pOlygamy, before they had fully
/ uuigruwn the influence Of the past, they
I Eht do SO Is u any reflection on their
/ sincerity to intimate that human nature
does not change by the KIND OF church /,
enters, that they might be like other
| people who IN other times have made All
things subordinate to their religious scaE
and We must remember that they believe
then reward beyond the grave will be
tile greater u they enter into plural
marriage, and while believe that poly.
gamy viii never again be openly prac.
ticcd In this land, still | also believe Il
will be better for the Mormon people,
and for the American people u the matter
be placed rs Tar from doubt a. possible.
IL is but natural To expect that for some
years to come old influences will be
disecrnible, and every consideration Of
prudence and justice suggests that time
be gwen them TO complete the work OF
| emancipation.
These appear TO me to be the political
considerations involved. but there Is the
business view to be considered also.
Elsewhere have referred to the unfor.
tunate condition OF Utah In regard 10 the
common school fund--a condition that
has arisen out OF state Of aaairs which
were unavoidable. With her schools
wholly maintained by direct tax and no
provision In that respect for the future,
the burden Of statehood, with the con c.
quent Increase Of expenses for the sup.
port OF the State government In It's legis.
lativc, executive, aud ju cic | branches
aud Tor the regislrluln OF voters
and the conduct oi rlcClious, and
the other expenses now met by
the general government would, IN
my opinion, be too severe for the
welfare Of the people In tho present state
OF development In the Territory, and
especially for the agricultural class, who
form a majority oi the people, whose
incomes and profits are small, and whose
property cannot escape taxation. II Is
believed that the majority will oppose
statehood until the Territory Is more
fully developed and has more wealth.
Utah has provided for her insane, for
hayward youths, and for education. by
establishing proper institutions, and these
are now being gradually equipped and
extended as the revenues Of the Terrific.
~ will permit The demands made
upon them by these institutions and the
other territorial county and municipal
expenses entail .heayy annual burden
upon the people.
| OF course every territory ought TO DO
admitted into the union as soon a.
possible, consistent with the welfare and
needs Of the people. The territorial
system Is contrary TO the principles upon
which our government was established.
II denies 10 the people living under II
any voice In the affairs Of the general
government; but statehood should never
come until all the conditions which are
necessary TO build up great aud pa,Tio'
tic commonwealth are perfectly fulfilled.
UTAH COMMISSION.
II Is stated that at the coming session
OF congress an effort will DO made to
abolish the Utah commission.
J The demand will come from persons
who have never been In sympathy with
the law creating the commission, or
with the work ofthe commission under
the law.
IN It's sphere the commission has per-
! formed efficient work and has been a
! valuable auxiliary 10 the work OF other
federal departments In Utah. II Is well
; to remember that the non.Mormons Of
> | Ittuh ara nnt In aun,nathV t.yifh fh.. de.