The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-13
UTAH is REPUBLICAN
Democratic Leaders Make an
Attack on MOrm0ns.
SAY THE CHURCH is IN POLITICS
The Priesthood Said TO Have Disci-
plined Two Democratic Politicians
Republicans Deny II.

Salt Lake. Oct. 12.-Political circles are
agitated today over a report that at a Sc
cret meeting of the priesthood of the Nor
mon church a few DAYS ago Hon. Moses
Thatcher and B. H. Roberts were disci-
plined for participating in politics without
permission of the church authorities.
Thatcher is a candidate for the senate. and
Roberts is a candidate for representative
Democratic politicians construe this as a
notice from the church that the Republic
a ticket should be elected. Just why these
two gentlemen were singled out for disci-
pine while there are other church officials
on both tickets is something which Demo
cratic politicians claim they do not under
stand. They cite the fact that Joseph T.
Smith. one Of the counselors to the first
presidency. openly advocated and urged
the election Of the Republican ticket last
year, and that Apostle John Henry Smith
was a member and president OF the consti-
tutional convention. 10 which no exception
was made by the church officials
The Democratic party has been waeing
a vigorous campaign, with a claim that
their chances for success we're about even
but now admit that their chances IS
against church influence would be next
10 hopeless
The Republicans make the claim that IN
the last campaign the Republican church
officials who took an active part in politics
whereas in the present case such rermis-
sion was neither sought nor granted.
Judge Powers. chairman OF the Demo
cratic committee, in published interv .ew
SAYS: IF we find that our efforts are to
be thwarted. our money wasted our vic
tory surreptitously taken from US. shall
advise the state committee 70 give me at-
thority 20 call convention Of tho Demo
Gratis Of Utah. giving that convention pow
or 20 consider the pTopriAty OF taking the
Democratic ticket from the field 10 d.s-
band the Democratic party and 70 advise
the voters OF Utah 20 vote down the con
stituticn and 10 vote in favor OF terri
tor.al form OF government. until we are
certain that all our people. from the high
est TO the lowest. viii ne free 10 act politi-
caIly as their judgments and their conscf-
ences dictate. Every man I'm Utah must
have the very fullest freedom of pol teal
action. and no ecclesiastical authority can
be allowed % NEEDLE in any degree with
our political affairs"
George Q. Cannon. chairman az the Re
publican state central committee. was
seer He sad hat so far as church .a+u-
ence vas concerned. he had heard nothing
81 g. He sad Indications pointcd strong
II 20 a Republican victory, and he believed
he r1lrnor was a suhterfuge % the Dem
ocracv. who feel that they are lost and
want an excuse for f-il NJ.
TIE Argus a Republican paper n to
fav's issue saws: Much as the Argus
desires a Republican victory. we uevarthe-
less say here openly that We prefer defeat
~ ali means han that the victory va
might obtain SHOULD he tainted VIII even
ne suspicion II Mormon church control
Or dictation"
TIE Herald. ne leading Democrats ~
per SAYS. 1T Is better now that this
issue has heen raised trait 4 10 settled be
fore Ttah becomes a state than - meet
* when statehood becomes a reality"
Chairman Powers said this evening that
4 meeting ~ tle territorial committee had
been called fer Monday next 20 discuss
political matters. and Il might Result n
the calling OF another Democratic conyez-