The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-27
MRS. FOSTER AT THE TABERNACLE

MRS. FOSTER AT THE TABERNACLE
Yesterday afternoon Mrs J.. Ellen
Foster, president of the Woman's Re-
I.pablican association of the United
States, addressed the congregation in
the Tabernacle. 1t was announced that
her subject would be the Christian
Citizen" The address was able and at
times eloquent, but it was almost en-
tirely devoted to the question of
the formation of a constitution
for the state of Utah. This is
a political subject and 1t is well
known that the two political parties
will strive this fall for the control of
the convention that will frame a con-
stitution for Utah. The things that will
go into that fundamental law are the
things that are most Intimately con-
nected with the welfare of the people
in their political capacity. That con-
stitution and the provisions 1t shall
contain will be the subject of hum
dred speeches by the speakers Of either
party this fall during the campaign
that will precede the election of iele-
gates this November. Is this a fit sub
ject for an address to a religious con-
gregation on Sunday afternoon in a
house dedicated to the worship cf God?
And by whom was this address made?
BY lady whose fame has been won in
the political arena, who is the presi-
dent of the Woman's Republican ASSOC
citation of the United States, and whose
"sojourn in the west" at the present
time is for the purpose of going on the
stump to make speeches for the Re
publican party and to gain adherents
to that party if possible. She is here
under the auspices of the National Re-
publican committee and to do cam
paign work.
What splendid introduction to this
work was the address in the Taber-
nacle Sunday afternoon. In all her
western work she will not again face
so large an audience. The address
there was political with few religious
invocations. Is it not political to urge
that the constitution Of the new state
dead with the temperance question, the
question on which Mrs. Fosters fame
chiefly rests? Is it not political
to urge that the constitution
to be framed for Utah
recognize woman suffrage? If these
things are not political then there is
not politics in all this broad land. To
have these things in the state cons'ti-
tuition may or may not be desirable:
the people in their political capacity
will decide on them.
Saturday night she made a political
address in Provo in behalf of the Re-
publican party. Sunday afternoon she
made an address in the Tabernacle, the
greater part of 1t devoted to what the
state constitution should be. Monday
night (tonighD she is to speak in the
old Federal court room in favor of
Republicanisn. Not only this but the
Deseret Evening News, in it's Saturday
nights issue, contained the following
note on the editorial page:
Mrs. j. Ellen Foster, will speak in
the Federal court room, Wednesday
[Monday] evening, August q. It is
hoped there will be a splendid at
tendance to greet the distinguished and
eloquent Republican.
What we want to know is why the
News hopes there will be "a. splendid
attendance to greet the distinguished
and eloquent Republican" Is that wish
to be construed as She wish IF he
official organ that it is or as the wish
of the paper as newspaper? The po-
sition it occupies in this territory is
very peculiar and its utterances are
supposed to have special weight. with
the majority Of the people of Utah.
This whole business of an address on
the Christian Citizen in the Taber-
nacle on Sunday, in which the most
prominent political topic in Utah today
was discussed, and. the known and an
object of Mrs. Fosters mission
in Utah, looks very much like a scheme
on the part of certain designing Repub-
licans to enlist religious influence for
political purposes. This must not be.
The past history of this territory should
not be forgotten. The greatest curse
that could ever come to Utah would be
to introduce the old issues, so full of
sorrow, into our politics when we be-
come a state.