The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-19
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GREEKS BEARING GIFTS.


nominally if not at heart opposed 20 grant
ing statehood to Utah. The history of the
party from the day Of its first platform
illumination down to within two weeks has
been story OF opposition to statehood for
Democratic territories in general and Utah
in particular. Here in this dependency the
mere suggestion of comforting state gov
eminent has been sufficient to set the Re-
publicans frantic with rage, and the local
madness has extended to the party in Con-
gress, where the proposition has invariably
encountered an opponent in every Republi-
can Representative and every Republican
Senator.
Let US glance briefly at the very recent
record of the party in this matter, passing
over the fact that in all its official utter
ances during its entire career the party,
as political organization, has proclaimed
its determined and unceaslng enmity to
Utah statehood.
Late last autumn the Utah commission,
fanatically Republican organization rep
resenting, and acting for, in this territory,
not only the Republican administration
but the Republican party of the nation,
special reference to what had taken place
during the previous year in the field of
local politics. 1t must be borne in mind
that nothing has occurred IN this territory
since September %, 1891, the date of the
report, to cause the commission to change
It's opinion; no election has been held, and
there has been no utterance on the part of
anybody; no change of community policy
which eau be construed into reasonable
excuse for this Republican board to alter a
word of Its official report to the secretary
OF the interior three months ago. Speak
ing On this very subject, after reciting what
mad taken place here. the commission said:
1t would seem that the American people can
Well afford to continue q policy the territorial
government) which has produced su Oh results
and await the full fruition of their hopes while
yet guiding and controlling with their hands the
movement which promises still better results
! in the future
ms commission cannot recommend that the
protecting and fostering hand of the government
be withdrawn and is most emphatic us expressing
as opinion that aCOuld not at this time be safe to
'rust to this people the re&ponSt6 sLties and duties
oJ statehood, as they so much desire
Not only would such step be mistake
which would retard Utah progress, but the
mistake might be productive of the direst
results to the people O. Utah and of the nation,
and would be without remedy, except
the remedy which is always to be de-
plored, most of all by people not yet
FULLY recovered from the effects OF internecine
war.
The above expresses in plain and unmis-
taxable language the position of the party
on the question three months ago, and
down to the 5th of the present month. In
further proof Of this let US quote from the
official report of Governor THOMAS, the
chief Republican official of the territory,
and the one above all others who represents
IN his politics the Republican administra-
ton. The report Is dated October l last,
but as it contains matter Incorporated ter
that date, it is proper to assume that it ex-
pressed the governors and the Republican
party's views up to within a very recent
day. His excellency quotes all the party
platforms, states the political history OF
the territory for a year past, discusses the
statehood question and then gives this as
the Republican position, after saying the
non-Mormons think that admission now
would be mistake which can be called
nothing less than crime"
OF course every territory ought to be admit
ted into the Union as soon as possible, con-
sistent with the welfare and needs of the peo-
pie. The territorial system is contrary to tbe
principles upon which our government was es
tablished. 1t denies to the people living under
it any voice in the affairs of the general govern
ment; but statehood should never come unit
all the conditions which are necessary to builC
up great and patriotic commonwealth are
perfectly fulfilled.
Continuing, the governor as a Republican
entered his official protest against the abo
lition OF the Utah commission, saying il
reference to the demand that the Repubii-
can and useless board be done away with
In its sphere the commission has performed
efficient work and has been a valuable auxiliar7
to the work of other federal departments il
Utah. 1t is well to remember that the non
Mormons of Utah are not in sympathy with tn,
demand, but desire that the commission shall
be retained.
Coming down to a still later period, ant
getting an opinion from one in still higher
authority in the Republican party. we vii
quote from Secretary NOBLE, in his annua
report, which was not issued until Novem-
Der 80, about six weeks ago. The secre
tary of the interior says:
There is no such claim for statehood found i,
any Of these papers, or probably existing a
} needs in the judgment of the secretary favor
able recommendation to Congress. 1
. would seem best TO delay national action TIL
territory is prospecting most favorably in mate
rial wealth and social elevation. 1t is pros
pering under its present conditions, and n
doubt the time will come when it NAV be ad
mitted into the Union with pride and safety
out is 6ete0ed that that time is not noo at haad
General NOBLE, of course, based hi
opinion on the report of his Republican
subordinates, but as their views coincide,
with the position Of his party, he, as Re
publican partisan and official, was eager t.
oppose statehood.
And now let US see what is the attitud
of the highest Republican IN the land to
wards this question. President HARRISON
who stands at the head of the Republican
party and will probably be its standard
bearer in the national political contest t
come off this year, said on December 9th
in his message to Congress:
The power of Congress over this subiec
should not be surrendered until we have salts
: factory evidence that the people of the stat
a to be created would exercise the exclusiv
power of the state over this subject in tn
same way. The question is not whether thes
' people now obey the law of Congress agains