The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-15
FALSE LIGHTS.

"And there were many sudden and strange
lights appeared but they were false lights, lur
ing to destruction.
Those kinds of lights alas are too numerous,
They are met with on every hand. The young
especially, not only see them, but often very
often. are deceived by them. The young man
who quits the quieter walks OF life and the as
ISOLATION of his family and the companionship of
innocent. youthful friends for the more bolster
Gus enjoyment OF the saloon and the billiard
hall, is following one of these false lights that
has CHANGED TO throw It's ray athwart his path
He is following another when he permits him
self to enter the gambling den, and either
through the banter of his companions or the
hope Of winning money in the desperate chances
given at the gaming tables. How often such a
beginnings beginning, too. that commences
with no bad intentions-ends in shame and dis.
grace in the felon's cell! What entertainments,
thefts and sometimes outright robbery itself.
are perpetrated in order to acquire means with
which 10 court the favors of this strumpet
chance, who smiles but to deceive and DESTROY!
He follows another false light when his feet are
lured into the temples Of departed virtue by the
vulgar charms of the sirens whose mission it is
10 destroy mems souls. He follows false lights
whenever he leaves the paths of honor-the old
beaten paths of duty and righteousness. recoR-
nized by society and good men, and which lead
TO peace and happiness in this life and the
brightest hope for eternity.
So with the maiden who trusts the houeyed
lies Of the dashing stranger, in preference to
the loving, anxious counsel of parents, who in
ten thousand ways have given proof of affection
and interest in her welfare. She follows false
lights when she does that, and for her sown
folly will reap sorrow.
Nov do faIca liUh4S docaiva
Whole communities are sometimes deceived by
them; not always designedly, but through mis-
take, through weak judgment or a miseoncep-
ton of facts. But whether it be innocently or
through design; through weak Judgment or
ignorance pure and simple, the disaster comes
and it mends matters but little to discover the
reason OF it, so far as the particular catastrophe
is concerned. We are of the opinion that false
lights are fitting about in Utah occasionally.
They are of political cast. They are not bold.
clear strong lights but dim and OF uncertain
color; not numerous, or very generally
followed but dangerous nevertheless hence
our reference to them. They consist
in opinions, mistaken opinions, perhaps. in re-
laton to the political situation in this territory
One Of these opinions-one of these false lights
/ is that the population of the territory should
be about evenly divided between the two great
natlonal parVleS IN order that Utah might be
favored OF both parties, sought for and petted
and at last secure her full rights This scheme
very cunning, though scarcely even plausible
to US is very dangerous experiment-one of
the falsest OF all false lights. Its danger con-
sists IN this: The scheme takes no account of
political conviction; ii is proposition made To
a Democratic territory to become well niob II
not altogether Republican territory: and mi.
TO be accomplished not by the process of con.
version but arbitrarily by just simply DIVIDING
up half and half To do this many people that
are Democrats would be under the necessitv Of
acting contrary to their convictions and Tins
stultify themselves. This is what it means lot
it be disguised under whatsoever snecions
terms may be invented; and we say it wonld
not only be damnable in inself. but must end in
disaster instead of blessing Instead of procur.
ing 10 Utah the full measure of her political
rights, which we are all anxious to secure for