The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-22
A DIsGRACEFUL EXCUSE.

Rule Bill for Utah, that of the expense 1t
would incur is the most contemplate. One
may have some degree of patience with
men who clutch their money hard when
asked to invest in enterprises involving |
risks of loss, or when they deny to them
selves the comforts Of life, and prefer to
live in the midst of inconvenience and !
even Indebtedness rather than part with |
cash; but what must one think of men who
viii set a price on freedom, which they do
by urging objections to home rule because,
forsooth, it would cost something to support
it! The same objection would hold good
in regard to statehood. 1t would cost our
citizens in Utah something more than our
territorial government does to have state
hood. Shall we, therefore, stifle our as
pirations for place in the great American
Union as one of the sovereign states because
it will cost US something more than our
territorial bondage does9
Has the experience of the last forty years
taught any man among US to value home
rule so lightly, or account the denial of 1T
so trifling that he would hesitate TO accept
the great boon because it would cost him
something in dollars and cents? II such
there be- we must think him one who
would abdicate his manhood and enter
servitude that would amount to slavery if
some one would only insure him food, raj
ment and lodgings, and relieve him of the
expense of manhood, care, anxiety, sorrow
and the trouble of thinking, acting and de-
Gliding for himself.
| Home rule expensive! So indeed it is.
But whenever have men-mark you, we
| say men-who understood its value, re-
fused to accept it's burdens in the way of
expensea Home rule expensive! So indeed
it is. 1t cost our American forefathers not
only treasure, but blood; but they paid the
bill, and paid it freely. Is there any de-
scendent of theirs among US who now ad
vocates hating in our pursuit of it because
it would increase our taxes to support it?
If SO, out of respect for the venerated dead
let him keep SILENT nor let our generation
see how unworthy of the sire is the son.
The people of Utah do not shrink from
home rule because of its expense. They
will gladly meet that. There is only here
and there one-perhaps one in ten thous-
and-that will ever think of the item of
|
are sorry that there should ever be one
who would be so sordid il his spirit as to
place price upon the privilege of living
under government that exists and exer-
cises its functions by the will of the people
where it is operative, and to whom it is re-
sponsible.
The Home Rule measure for Utah intro
duced in the Senate by Senator FAULKNER
is not all that Democrats in Utah desire, or
all that they think the people of Utah wor-
tiny to receive: but it is beyond all COM
perison more desirable than what we at
present have; and if there is sincerity in the
utterances of President HARRISON in his
late message to Congress, it is all
that can be hoped for under his administra-
ton. He implied in his message to Con-
gress that statehood for Utah should be
withheld lest the Mormons should from
within state lines, re-establish polygamy.
He refused to trust the people; he doubted
their sincerity and clearly advocated keep
ing them in territorial bondage for an in
definite time His position was met by
this Democratic measure, which, while it
gave the management of local affairs into
the hands of the people, swept away all
cause of the Presidents fears in regard to
the re-establishment of polygamy. This
has placed the Republicans in dilemma
They must either kill that Home Rule bill
or adopt a Democratic measure, a thing
that would be gall and wormwood to a Re-
publican. One other thing they could
do, though it would be desperate
=,
, insulting distrust of the Mormon people ex
pressed in the message of President HAIR
RIsoN and in the face of his adverse recon
, mendation go the Democrats lone better
by passing a bill for Utah statehood
Whether this is the meaning Of the bill in
troduced by Senator TELLER, or whether i
is its purpose to kill the Democratic HON,
Rule bill, let time make proof; but of thi
we are sure: if it is to kill the Home Rul
, bill, the Republicans will place themselve
on record against home rule, with not s,
much as the shadow Of an excuse for dom.
= it; if it means that the Republicans hav
f suddenly decided to outstrip the Demo
| Gratis in comforting favors on the step-chil
9 of the republic-U tah-though to do SO the,
t must reprove the insulting distrust O
t President HARRIsoN-be it So But let tn
world know this-the citizens of Utah viii
D know tit was the Democratic measur
s which forced them to that issue
q That was the spur which drov
: them from untenable groun
s and compelled them to do justice to Utah
d That is the situation. Gentlemen of til
< Republican party may do what they will
o but these are the facts in the case, an
J. nothing they can do will change them, @
t prevent the conclusion which sound reaso
y will lead men to draw that is, come HON
: rule or come statehood, Utah will be in
/ debted to the Democratic party for it.
.z<<.z--.--..--..s-.--..-1.
Y In A banquet speech at Chicago fe,
r nights since General ALGER said: