The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-27
CAUSE ron HESITATION.

tipathy OF the Republican party tc
Utah's admission into the Union has
been. through all the years of its
malignant hostility, because of the ac-
cepted belief that Utah was thoroughly
Democratic.
The anti-polygamy excuse has been
admitted many times by prominent Re
pubIicans to have been simply a popu-
lar cry. The real objection was Utah's
Democratic proclivities. Utah had suf-
fcient population and resources, so op-
position to her political liberty had to
be grounded on something different to
that in reference to other territories.
That pretext struck the popular SEN
timent 1t suited the religious world
and also the puritanical hypocrites OF
the country. and appeared a good and
sufficient reason for rejecting Utah's
application. Whenever a Democrat
arose in either House of Congress to
champion the cause of this territory,
he was assailed as an ''apologist for po-
lygamy" The charges were rung on
that word and it was flung at men who
were known to be as much opposed to
anything unorthodox on the marriage
question as the most pronounced mo-
nogamist in the land. It was Utah's
Democracy that was the real objec-
ton.
In the case of other probably Demo
cratic states. the excuse had to be of
a different nature. They had insult
fcient population; were not wealthy
enough; were not educated up TO the
proper standard; and so on. But just
as soon as a territory gave assurances
that it would be Republican state,
all such objections vanished in a mo-
ment. There was no longer opposition
to Montana, and even Idaho and Wyo-
ming with their slim population, were
fit for admission, because they would
strengthen the Republican ranks in the
Senate of the United States and aid in
the retention in power of the Republi-
can party.
When the pretext for Utah's exclu-
sion became obsolete, doubts of her
sincerity were put forward as new
excuse. And it was not until
through recent occurrences. the
chances appeared encouraging for Re
publican capture of this territory, that
any real and hearty support of the
statehood movement has been exhib-
tied by that party.
For the sake of the nerves of Utah
Republicans, we will state here that
we are not abiding to them, but to
the national Republican party. from
which so many official denunciations
of Utah have emanated in its plat
forms and through its recognized rep
resentatives.
Because of the appearances present
led during the past few months, the
Republican heart has wonderfully
warmed toward Utah, and Republican
eyes have been suddenly opened to her
charms. The party is now so eager to
embrace the form which before it
hated so bitterly. that it has begun to
reproach the Democratic Senate for its
delay in considering bill which, it is
hoped, will make a new Republican
state Feverish haste to clasp Utah in
its arms has taken the place of that
extreme aversion that has been so
pronounced for nearly forty years.
Is there any wonder that the Demo-
cratic Senators are taking little time
to consider this matter? Let any. SEN
sible man who knows anything of
politics ask himself the question what
he would do, if he were a Senator
from an eastern state. had always I'M
derstood that Utah was surely Demo-
cratic, and now learned that instead
of grasping the friendly hand held out
to help her onward, she was kissing
the fist that had rained continual
blows upon her head?
Now we wish our readers not to be
led away with the surmises of Repub-
lean papers or their romancing cor
respondents, as to the attitude of the
Democratic party in the United States
Senate towards Utah. We have no
fears as to the result. But is it not
funny to see party that has always
made the politics of a territory its
guide as a test of qualification for
statehood. pretending to be scandal
lied at the very idea that the Demo-
cratic party should consider the same
thing for a moment?
1t must not be forgotten that the
addition of two Senators in the pres
ent constitution of the Upper House is
a serious mater. With the majority so
slim as at present careful partisans
may well pause to study the situation.
And if the certainty, or the strong
probability, is that those Senators
will change the political complexion of
that body, viii any politician claim
that it is not a weighty problem that
confronts the Democratic party? We
know beyond a doubt. by the course
of the Republican party in the past,
that if it were in the position now
occupied by the other side. the bars
would be put up without delay and
Utah might whistle and wait in the
cold until the conditions changed ma
teriaIlv.