The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-25
REPUBLICAN, DESPERATION.

Our Republican friends are making ap-
peals calculated to arouse the suspicion
among certain of their audiences that the
Mormon people. This argument, even if
it were less false than it actually is, has
no proper place in this campaign. Never
theless, much is made of the following ex-
tract from the local Republican platform
The length OF the national Republican plat.
form prevents its production in full in this call
. The Republicans OF Utah will an
nounce they are opposed TO the disfranchse-
ment Of any citizen, except for crime whereof
he shall have been convicted by due process OF
law, and that they will favor the free exercise
OF The power of amnesty to all citizens disfran-
chised on account Of polygamy or polyganous
relations, who will obey and uphold the laws Of
the United States.-Locat Republican platform.
This naturally arouses interest as to
what is the position of the Republican
party as whole on the Mormon question,
even though 1.-THE length of the National
Republican platform prevents its produc-
ton in fulp' by our Republican friends
here.
The attitude Of the national party to-
ward the Mormons is sufficiently indicated
by the following extract:
The political power OF the Mormon church in
the territories, as exercised in the past is
menace to free institutions. danger no longer
to be suffered. Therefore we pledge the Repub-
lican party TO appropriate legislation asserting
the sovereignty OF the nation in all territories
when the same is questioned, and In further
ance of that end TO place upon the statute
eli fvfn
the political from the ecclesiastical power, and
thus stamp out the attendant wickedness Of
polygamy.-Repu5lican National Platform.
1t is no great wonder that our local Re
publican friends deemed the "lenzthr of
the national platform too great for them.
We wish them success, however, in their
endeavors to reform the Republican party
at large.
In 1857, the territorial Republican COM
mittee Of Utah wrote letter defining with
some exactness the position Of their party
on this question. 1t as follows:
This question lpolygamyl aside. then. we de
sire to say that our objections 70 Utah becom-
ing state are still untouched. These objec-
tons, simply stated, are, the masses OF the peo-
pie of Utah are sdherents OF an ecclesiastical
system which forbids all harmonious relations
with any system Of civil government founded
on the right Of man to govern himself. The
central idea OF your system is that all lawful
government emanates by revelations from GOD
to His priesthood. and that it is the duty Of all
its followers to be advised by that Priesthood on
all subjects of q governmental as well as q
spiritual Oh aracter. The kingdom of GoD on
earth is the Mormon chuIch, as its followers as
sert, and is destined TO supplant all other gov
ments or rule through them. A people soso BE-
fiere such doctrine cannot be entrusted afifh the
po,cer OF gocsynMenf. a people entertaining these
rieus are. In our opision, unit to be trusted Hah
political po,rer. AS matter OF demonstration
We know how grossly & has been abused by
POUR people in the past when they enjoyed it
without restraint. and we see nowhere the
slightest evidence which gives rs any hope that
you have in this particular seen the error of
your ways. Has this movement originated in
real regard fog the welfare Of the people Of