The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-02-26
THE SITUATION.

The SllUAIlUN.
The arguments for and against Home
Rule for Utah are now all in The friends
of the measure have presented an array of
facts in favor of the passage of the measure
that was simply unassailable. The one as
tonishing thing in connection with the pre-
sentation OF the case before the Senate and
House committees on territories is that
anyone could be found to oppose a measure
that promised some degree Of justice to the
misunderstood people Of Utah, and at the
same time preserved to the government
every advantage it had gained in its strug-
gle against the peculiar institution of the
terrltory-polygamy. But, strange as it
may seem, it found stout opposers, and
among them men who claim to be attached
to democratic ideas OF government. Those
who opposed Home Rule were given pa
tent hearing, and now that the engagement
has taken place and the smoke of the con-
fiict has cleared away, what is the state of
the question! How stands it with Home
Rule for Utah? Just like an impregnable
Gibraltar after bombardment-not a
| tower destroyed, not q rampant thrown
down, not wall shattered, not gun dis
placed; but stern, grim and terrible it
stands unmoved, mocking the efforts of its
assailants, and demonstrates how unassail-
ably true are the principles on which it is
| founded.
AS we predicted, the only thing that the
Liberal representatives could urge against
the bill was distrust of the Mormon people;
the plea that they were insincere in their
proposition to abandon the practice of poly
gamy, insincere in dissolving the Peoples
party and dividing upon national issues.
To make this clear the history of the Nor
mon people was scanned for more than
half a century and the words and acts OF
men half and a quarter Of a century
ago, and whose tongues are now
silent in death, were introduced in
evidence. Not only were their objections
based upon distrust of the Mormon people
but upon distrust of the victory which the
civilizing forces of the nineteenth century
had gained in it's contest with the Mormon
church, and distrust in the ability of thost
t forces to maintain what they had won. Blu
after all was said that could be said from
that platform of distrust and doubt ant
fear, eternal justice uumoVed by the specia
plesdings of the apostles of distrust ant
hate, still demanded that the principles o
American government in the fullest meas
ure practicable be applied to the American
citizens living in Utah.
The opposition from the Republican re
representatives. was more strange still, be
cause not so much to be expected fror
avowed friends of the people of GU
territory. Stripped of all extraueou
matter, their objections amounted to this
j.. The advantage procured by the HON
/. Rule measure is not commensurate to tn
e cost involved in procuring it. Second,
S would delay statehood for which Utah
now prepared. The first argument
childish, and would plead as hard again'
: statehood as it does against Home Rul
b We think it unfortunate that it shoul
It ever have been made, and if the Repul
q lican delegation from Utah that oppose
L Home Rule ia Washington voiced tt
sentiments of the people of Utah in tn;
. objection, they would have furnished
. the honorable gentlemen who compose Il
committees on territories one great reasc
why Utah should be granted neither Hon
Rule nor statehood; for apeople who wou
= pause while they set a value upon u
right to govern themselves could scarce
be considered worthy of that pricele
ID boon. But, thanks to heaven, they do n
70 voice the sentiment of the people Of Uta
AS to their second objection, viz. that L
granting of Home Rule would delay t
granting of statehood, we would like
know upon what argument they base the
conclusions; what line of reasoning tn
s. follow to arrive at such result We ha
asked number who advanced that obit
ton to state valid reason why it would
so, and we are still waiting for a rep
Let it be established once that under II
improved territorial government provid
We in the Home Rule bill, that the peol
IN freely exercise their rights, snd that TIT
acts are one with their real conviction
and from every part of the Union wor
ID come the demand that Utah be accord
of her full rights in the councils of the matte
Let this be kept constantly in mind II
Democrats believe Utah is every W
by worthy of statehood, and ready for it; /
he they doubt that il can be obtained. TIL
are not SO blind as to think that the Ho
Rule bill is as good as statehood, bu
ms there is anything in Republican executt
ire talk, statehood is out of sight for so
time yet, and pending that we say give
Home Rule.
lth