The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-02-05
In the Evening.

In the Evening.
The audience was sufficiently large to
comfortably fill the pavilion, and the best
part of the programme, a concert by the
two brass bands from Ogden and Park
City, came first.
1t was nearly o'clock when Sir Oracle
Varian called the meeting to order and in
yited Rip Van Wrinkle Baskin to the stand.
Rip rubbed his eyes, stroked his ancient
beard, and said:
1t is impossible for me to express the graft
tude l feel over this assemblage. For more
than twenty years we have been in this fight
and whenever the clouds were darkest, they
never failed to do something for the party. The
GentileS of this territory knew what statehood
meant and when that cry was sounded, the ranks
OF the Liberals commenced to close no. Then
the Democrats saw they had made mistake
and commenced to crawfish. The delegate in
Congress announced that he was not asking for
statehood. But short time after there came
from his hand the Faulkner bill, and that ex
planned everything to Rips entire satisfaction.
On this occasion he wished tc thank the oppo-
sltlon for the Teller and Faulkner bills, be-
cause it brought home to the Liberal party the
thought that It's mission was not yet fulfilled
The occasion of the day was grave, and they
must act determinedly TO meet it. Were they
prepared to permit this thing to be done: He
believed the opposition would be disappointed
in the result OF this movement. All the Lib
erals had to do was to enlighten the people of
the east as to the real danger, and the outrage
would never be consummated. The other side
would send strong lobby to Washington,
backed by a tithing fund, and he. the great Rip,
would be called a fanatic. A few days ago the
opposition was very confident, and it therefore
behooVed the American patriots here to send
true men on to Washington. He believed that
the victory was won and Utah would be saved,
Then in five or ten years he hoped to see Utah
a state. All they had to do was to stand by
| their guns They had great work to do, both
for themselves and their children.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
E. P. Ferry then announced that the
committee on resolutions was ready to re-
port. They had passed upon every letter
and resolution submitted, and accepted put
one, which was from the labor delegation.
MIR. Ferry then proceeded to READ the re-
| port of the committee, which was as fol-
| lows:
| Your petitioners, q great convention repre-
Senting the people of nearly every county of
Utah territory, respectfully and most earnestly
| lmplore the lawmakers Of this nation to defeat
! two measures now pending before you, known
respectively as the Faulkner Game Home Rule
Dill for Utah. and the Teller Dill providing for
statehood for Utah; and for such legis alton
beg to present the following statement of fact:
Utah was first settled by people tn It had
been driven beyond the borders of civilization
because they had insisted upon being d law TO
themselves, and claimed divine right to es-
tablish government OF their own, which
should be perfect theocracy wherein one man
should be as king and all others as subjects.
| Upon their coming. they were embittered to-
| wards and estranged from the government OF
the United STATES: they taught their children
| that bitterness for forty years; they so abSO-
lutely held the fealty of their people 10 their
own government that thousands and tens OF
| thousands of them grew TO manhood and
womanhood without the slightest knowledge OF
the government of the United States or It's laws
On coming here, moreover they declared that
polygamy was an ordinance of God, and that
upon practic ng it depended the highest exalta.
ton OF mortalS when they should put on immor
tally.
Twenty years ago. some brave and true mer
within the organization. at mighty risks
social financial, and personal-set up the
standard of revolt against the tyranny of this
institution; others joined it. AS true mer
from other states came here. they waived theu
fealty TO the national political parties, with
which they had before acted. to combat the
common danger which they found Threatening
their country and their homes in Utah.
The record OF the party thus created is one of
the brightest in American history. At least
laws were passed to destroy polygamy. and
through the courage OF the United State
courts backed by the Liberal party, those law.
have began to be enforced This added TO The
bitterness which already prevailed, and made
OF Utah place OF unrest contention and hate
At last, under the pressure of the execution
OF those laws, progress began to be made
Hundreds were convicted under them, and
with increasing population, Summit county
Weber county ana Salt Lake county, contain
ing half the population of the territory ant
paying 80 per cent. of the taxes of the territory
were Wrested from church control and put IL
accord with American institutions, in spirit anC
in truth.
Under the pressure the head of the theocracv
in September 1890, declared that he had re
| ceived permits ion from God 10 suspend tn,
|, practice of polygamy. This was ratified at til
great annual Mormon conference held in Octo
, Ter. 1890, and again in October, 1891.
, Early IN the spring OF 1881, Gy SDOntaQeOu
movement the party that had always beel
known as the church or Peoples party was dis
solved; throughout the counties cities an
hamlets of the territory, Republican and Demo
cratic clubs were formed ana the people at ono
joined these clubs. Al the same time trifin
percentage OF the other party. known as tn
Liberals, withdrew from the organization the
, had so long adhered 10 and went of on nationa
, party lines.
Out of this small percentage. backed by tn
. hosts who year ago were Intent upon build
ing up kingdom and becoming a distnc
people," these bills, which We pray Congress t
destroy, were evolved.
, This convention notes the changing cond
/ tons, and waving any doubt as to The SINGER
ity OF the acts OF the masses of those who ar
seeking the passage Of the one or the other bill
protests against their passage on the ground
' First-That the great majority OF the Mormo
people have but just begun TO cultivate
knowledge of American institutions or an a
: lection for them.
! Second-Because the people are not lik
foreigners coming here from abroad but ar
/ people who have been brought UP as alien
within the republic and the ooedent follower
I of a power which, from their cradles. they hay
been taught 10 believe is divine; which powe
4 | still teaches that daily revelations from Go
o are part of ever true saints belief. And TIL
2 is, too. people who are still largely in ma
: jority in Utah.
n The convention further submits that the tel
e ritory is prosperous; that the rights of all me
d are carefully guarded; that there is no need
" the proposed legislation, and that a fair tin
: for education should be given before the go
eminent surrenders its sovereign and mercif
d authority over one-twentieth part OF the area
the republic.
And, moreover, be it
y Resolved. That the Liberal party of Utah b:
70 no king, dictator, car, junta. directory. a
i visory board or boss 1t has but one ruler
II the will of the people OF Utah properly e.
4 pressed in regular and lawful way" 1t reco,
:. nizes no organ save the independent press
'b Utah, and authorizes none but its regular
II elected or delegated representatives to vol
ID its utterances.
v Resolved, That the Liberal party re-af1irn
Ie its fe8lty to the principles upon which 1t WI
20 founded; it welcomes exultingly the progre
- that has been made through its efforts; it r
joces over the changing conditions which a
going on in Utah; IL looks forward hopefully
-, the time when all the people of the terrific
10 can unite In petition for statehood.
10 Resolved That as the Liberal party il al