The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-03
A Letter From Hon. H. ". Smith.

A great number were disappointed in
not hearing Hon. H. w. Smith speak at the
Democratic rally held in the Grand opera
house Saturday evening, as he was ex-
pected to. Owing to legal business in
Biackfoot, Idaho, he was unavoidably kept
away, which caused him as much regret as
those who expected to see him present on
that occasion.
The following letter explains his situa-
ton on the present political conditions:
''BLACkFooT, Ida, July IS, 1891.
Hon H. P. Henderson, Ogden, Utah:
DEAR SIR-Yours of the 9th inst is
before me, informing me that ] was adver-
tised TO speak the night Of August l. l
wish to say in the beginning that it is very
doubtful if can be there. l am in the
midst of trial which began here last Fri
day. and we are not one-half through.
Now one thing further. You are aware
of the fact that my engagement here was
fixed and absolute before Liberal ticket
was thought of this summer. AS to my
Judgment upon the wisdom Of division on
party lines, L have heretofore expressed
myself in such language that no one can
mistake my position. ] not only believe to
divide is the wise thing to do, but fail to see
how any man who will lay aside his preiu-
dice and hatred could come to any other con-
clusion. Every man who gives thought to
the future of Utah must concede the anon
alous condition of affairs there cannot be
perpetual, but that at some time the very
division in which you and l and others have
taken part must be made. With this pre-
mise to start from, will any of the ''proph-
cts Of eVll'' VINO are now SO diligently
resurrecting dead past tell US when and
and under what conditions such division can
be made Everyone must admit that so long
as the Mormon people remain absolutely
united they can and will control the poll
tics of Utah, no matter whether they con-
stitute q majority or a minority, for if the
Gentiles were as two TO one, still the mi
nority Mormon vote cast solid Tor cit her
party would of necessity give it the vic
tory, unless, indeed, 1t is hoped that all
Gentiles will be members Of one national
party, and this no sane man expects. With
these seif-evldent propositions before us,
what is the wise and proper course to pur-
suel l insist that il is to go to the Nor
mon people themselves, and by the same
process which has divided ali other people
in the United States, sue to break their
political unity. and if ii be conceded that
the leaders of the Mormon people are act
ing in bad faith, land l feel certain they
are not still it is wise to pursue the course
we are pursuing because Of the abandon
ment of the Peoples party organization is
only feigned, still the very fact of
separation and political contro-
versy between themselves will
and must beget independent con-
victions in the minds of many, il not
all, that would not down at the command
of any priest or church leader. So that IN
any view of the case Of Americanism in
Utah, of true liberalism in politics, must
be advanced by division on national party
lines at this time. This proposition is so
evident to my mind that cannot compre-
bend the opposition to II by any except
those who fear that they may be, as ex-
Senator Ingalls, said of himself Estates
men out of a iob,'' if the old party orgsni-
zations are abandoned. l do not charge
that the entire opposition is made I'D of
such. / know that it is not, but in addi-
tion to these it will be found that the oppo-
sition is composed of that honest, yet I'M
reasonable, class who think of the past,
who never think of the present or dream
of the future, and who, like those of old.
will not believe that any good will come
out of Nazareth.
For my part l believe the Mormon peo-
pie are sick and tired of controversies of
the past. 1t has been losing game to
them for long time. l know that L am
tired of it. and l long to see the day when
the dark past of Utah is forgotten, and
when her whole people, in the enjoyment
OF the fullness of American liberty, will
learn to look upon each other as fellow cit
liens of a grand commonwealth, intent
only upon the common good. and do not
desire longer to keep alive the memories of
q past that has in it honor for few and good
for none. Yours truly,
"H. w. SMITH"