The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-03

to their marital relations, and as church
should not participate in politics. 1t was
an earnest, determined fight which they
made and stubborn resistance which they
encountered, but victory came to them and
ike generous. magnanimous men, they
were content. The Mcrmons, in the most
solemn manner possible. and with all the
authority they were able to give to the act,
proclaimed against the practice OF polyg-
amy, and thus yielded to what had been
asked Of them. Most faithfully have the
SAINTS kept their pledge In this respect,
for not since the manifesto Of President
WOODRUFF issued now nearly year ago
has there been heard from any reliable
source an intimation of a violation of the
suspen sion of polygamous marriages then
proclaimed by the head OF the Mormon
church. Following this came compliance
with the other demand OF the Liberals.
Before the opening of the first political
campaign following the PRONUNCIATION
against polygamy, and when the time was
approaching for the citizens to act in the
matters of nominating candidates Tor or
fees, the Peoples party, the Mormon poll
teal organization, was officially disoanded,
and the members were left free to unite
with such other parties as held principles
with which they might agree. The faith
which has been sacredly kept with relation
to polygamy has been lived Ip to in the
matter of politics, for here we are on
election morning, having passed through
a vigorous and spirited campaign, and
the hand of the church has nowhere ap-
peared. While it was known that many OF
the leading Mormons held certain partisan
opinions, with one or two exceptions those
leaders have studiously avoided public
declaration of their political principles lest
the charge might be made that they were
using their influence as churchDen to d.
rect their religious followers in political
matters. Never have men been more free
20 pursue their inclinations than have the
ex- members Of the Peoples party. They
have Joined the Democratic or Republican
parties according as the principles upon
which those parties are founded agreed
with their own ideas of what would be
best in government, and where they have
not investigated and studied sufficiently to
decide intelligentiy, they have refrained
from taking sides. delaying in this until
they shall be able to maintain the correct
ness of their choice.
We mention these things and recount
current history for the purpose Of empha-
sizing the fact that the men who came out
of the Liberal party when that party had
achieved and been accorded all that
it claimed TO be striving for, were
right in their judgment as to
time and conditions. To-day's work
will be their complete vindicatiOn.
The people will declare by their ballots to-
day that they are done with the old style OF
strife, that they are through with the fight
when nom Mormon is arrayed against Nor
mon. and that hereafter they will wage
their political battles along the lines fol
lowed by the great national parties. 1t will
not matter how many votes the LlDeral
party casts; the decree has gone forth that
that party is only faction, with nothing to
mold it together except the cohesive power
of hate and that cannot long be binding In
this age and under the conditions now
prevailing in Utah. A political party.
in order to live, must have
principle for a foundation, must have an
honest purpose in view, an object to
achieve. As the Liberal party has none OF
these. as it has accomplished all 1t set out
to perform, as it can no longer battle e1-
cept with men of straw built and erected
by itself, it must necessarily 90 to speedy
decay, passing out Of existence into
memory. We believe that to-day's battle
will be the last in which the Liberal party
will participate as potential factor. We
believe that all our contests hereafter will
be fought by Democrats and Republicans,
and what is more comforting than all, we
believe that the great majority Of the peo-
pie of this territory Will declare before the
polls close this evening that they are Demo
Gratis in principle.