Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-24
The Last Campaign Before Statehood
Comes.
FOR CONTROL OF THE CONVENTION
The Religious Question Plays but a
Small Part.
SILVER AND THE TARIFF
Correspondence Of The ETening Star.

to Utah is now on with full force, and both
parties are battling with their utmost
strength for the control of the constitutional
convention, which, ii will fix the legis-
1ative apportionment for the new state, Il
regarded as the most important thing to
be fought for. 1t is almost certain that the
party which secures control of the conven-
ton can make such a districting that IL will
be almost impossible. to break its power In
the state for years to come. and as the
first legislature will have the duty of elect
ing the two Senators. the contest for IL
overshadovs the election for delegate TO
Congress and for county officers. But out
side the Importance of apportionment, the
fight for the convention is centering TO a
great extent on the question OF bounties.
as 1t Is the openly expressed intention of
the democrats to place in the constitution a
provision against the giving Of any kind OF
bounty by the state. and the republicans
want to make an affirmative declaration on
this. This was the principal question that
agitated the last legislature. and IL is he
ing fought on both sizes with unusual
virulence, those who would benefit by pros
pective bounties throwing all their strength
for the republicans.
Still, however. the candidates for delegate
to Congress, though the favored one is
unlikely to ever take his seat, as a repre-
sentative will be elected before the next
Congress meets, are representing their par
ties as the leaders, and i'm such capacity a
strong personal canvass is being made for
each one of them. The democrats are max
ing the most of. the splendid record made
by j. l.. Rawlins in the last Congress, and
are magnifying his efforts in pushing
through the statehood bill, the bill icturn-
ing SjUO,OU worth of escheated property to
the Mormon church, the bill to open the
great Indian reservations and other meas
ures asked for by the people of the terri
tory. They are also maxim; 4 strong show
ing on his record on silver, made by his
two speeches in the House while i'm Wash
ington. The republicans. who have re-
nominated Frank j. Cannon, Rawlins' op-
ponent of two years ego, however, are COM
batting the claims that Rawlins was re-
sponsible for all the legislation favorable
to Utah that was pushed through the last
Congress. They say he came TO Washing
ton and found the conditions Iacusary
favorable for making record, sp6 he
simply did what prospector would do If he
should find a gold mine. They IRE placing
dependence to great extent on the per-
sonal magnetism and popularity of their
candidate, who two years ago cut down
the democratic majority in the territory
from li.OUJ to $500, and saying that he will
show to better advantage than Rawlins if
given an opportunity.
Difficulties of Campaigning.
Though Utah is a great state in extent
and the railroad facilities are not good
both candidates have made a thorough tour
of the territory from the northern TO the
southern limits. travelling much of the way
| at night in frontier uckboards'' over the
heavy mountain roads. and across some OF
the long, weary stretches of sandy ana al
kali desert The Journeys have been hard,
but in every county, in what might be
termed the packwoods districts. the people
have been awakened as they never were be-
fore, and Mormons, who have never known
more of politics than to vote whichever way
they thought their religious leaders would
have them go, are showing a keen interest
in the questions of the day that has proved
surprising to many of the old Gentle
campaigners, who have fought the Mormon
church for years
There is no longer any division on relf-
gious lines as there has been With. two
years. Mormons and gentiles now com
pose the two national parties and on eacn
side are working shoulder to shoulder for
victory. HoweI er, the Mormon people are
SO deeply religious and are still so attached
to the traditions and leaders of their
church that religious questions could not
help being brought into the campaign. With
the provision IN the statehood bill giving
full citizenship to many of these who had
been convicted OF polygamy and served
terms In the penitentiary some of the lead
ing men in the church felt free to enter
into politics and work for either party
The two highest leaders, the aged President
Wilford Woodruff and his first counselor
George Q. Cannon, the most vigorous lead
er in the church, have apparently taken
no active part in the fight but Joseph F.
smith, nephew of the prophet and sec
ond counselor to the president, and a num-
Der Of the twelve apostles have declared
themselves and taken the stump.
For this and other reasons the history
of the Mormcns has been brought into
play. The democrats have the best Of the
argument on this because 1t has happened
that most Of the harsh federal measures
designed to put down the practice Of DO
lygamy and which have worked hardship
on the Mormons, have been passed while
the republicans have been in control OF
the government, while about the only legls-
lation favorable to the Mormon people
has been passed during the eighteen months
of the life of the present administration
This Is being SHOWN on every democratic
stump; and in defense the republicans
have been compelled to resort to a pam
phlet that was sent out in the campaign of
two years ago. 1t is called Nuggets of
Truth" and is made up of the savings of
various leaders Of the church, from the
Prophet Joseph Smith down to President
MILFORD Woodruff, and taking In Presidents
Brigham Young and John Taylor, as well
as other leaders. These sayings are IN the
form of short sentences. in which the
persons quoted are supposed 10 favor the
republican principles.
The Mormons I'm Politics.
These religious topics have caused a rals-
ing over of Mormon history from the DAYS
Of Nauvoo down to the present time and
all sorts Of things are being brought ir.o
the campaign to win the support Of such
Of the fanatical Mormon people as live IN
the bsckwoods districts. But more than
this II Is said by the democrats that per-
sons throughout the thinly settled I.arts of
the territory have gone to the voters and
represented that 1t is the wish Of the first
presidency OF the church that the repub.
licans shall be victorious, and this claim
Is given color by the fact that the repub-
lcan nominee for delegate is a son of the
nominal head of the church, George O.
Cannon, while Raw lins Is an apostate. But
the church authorities on this score claim
that such things are unauthorized and pre-
tend that they will be discountenanced IL
any proof shall be made that such things
have been carried on. They have gwen
voice officially to d declaration that the
Mormons shall choose I'm politics, without
Interference from the leaders.
How this religious fight is likely 10 turn
out no one can say. If there should be no
Interference Of a positive nature from the
highest authorities it looks as though the
democrats had the best of the argument
and would win everything In sight, but II
Is not known what may turn up within a
week ana the democrats are on tenter
hooks lest there shall be a plot to cheat
them out of victory at the last minute.
Outside OF the religious question silver is
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