The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-04-27
INTOLERANCE.

One would never think to seek for
any form of intolerance or illiberslity,
especially so far as mere opinions go, II
Utah, or among people who have snf
fered so much from these evils as Jhese
people have. Yet take the newspapers
of Utah and note, il you please, tb,
amount and character of the rugged in
tolerance exhibited, especially when
it comes to a question of morals, o.
even of social usage. or even of law,
The framing OF our new constitution
dipped deeply into the prejudices OF
the people In many cases and upon
many subjects. In every case these
were found to be extreme, veteran and
deeply seated. So much 30, that srgu
ment, reasoning and even palpable
policy failed to remove, bend or even
ameliorate them. Take the one single
matter Of womsn's suffrage. Owing
TO fortuitous circumstances and greatly
by mere accident, great majority ci
the members of the convention favored
female suffrage, perhaps mainly from
aQuixotir idea of the sacredness of a
30 called political convention pledge.
So great was the force Of this that even
In cases of gentlemen who have been
lifelong opponents of the heresY, wht
still oppose it, as matter Of principle,
yet they worked for its Insertion in the
constitution assiduously, voted for it,
and even were found among the most
pronounced and uncompromisinG adyo-
eotes, simply because of the fancied
pledge. Delegate Goodwin, one of the
ablest Opponents of woman's suffrage
and one of the Rtron gest writers against
it, was one of its most able, powerful
and adroit advocates, on the floor of
the convention, In this case surely we
have the force Of an intolerant deYo-
tion to fanciful pledge truly and as
toundingly Quixotlc. Take the Salt
Lake Herald an able and fearless ex-
ponent and advocate of democratic
doctrines and theories, and it in devo-
ton to this same anti democratic
pledge, became a blatant, intolerant
and uucompromising advocate of fe-
male sufrage-the pet republican fad of
Kansas, Iowo, Colorado and Wyoming.
Flashing its blade in the forefront of
bitter fight for principle which is dis
tinctively sumptuary, anti-dem rcratic
and positively republican. Not this
alone, but this persecution of anti-suf-
frage democrats in and out of the con-
vention, the battle against the brave
AMI devoted Roberts, the champion of
the anti-suffrage forces, carried to the
point ofpersonal persecution. is an ev;-
dence OF the intolerance of which we
complain. Nor was there the least
necessity for the bitterness from the
standpoint OF even the ultra suffrag
lists because it was plain from the very
start that there was an overwhelming
majority In the convention in its favor.
Now it would be extremely fffcult
for these extremists to say, or to give
one really valid reason for their dis
temperature, earnestness or devotion.
They certainly do not love women bet.
ter or with more unselfsh devotion
than do the opponents of suffrage
Yet they were not satisfied with Sim
ply out.voting them but must needs
prosecute them also. all this is true
also Of prohibition, bounty, and indeed
every other matter of Importance
VII ch came before the convention.
Oar idea is that in matters of this kin
lhe best results are only procurable by
"a course OF calm, unprejudiced and dis
passionate inquiry, into which not the
slightest injustice or intolerance can
be injected with propriety. But keep
ing in view the ''best good OF the
greatest number" it we're wicked and
wrong in every way to persecute for
opinions sake.
Then, too, for party good, all efforts
10 split or lrrltate or separate should
have been carefully avoided. The
democratic party of Utah may need the
votes of the men some of its orators
and journals attempted to outrage be-
CAUSE they could not see things as
these orators and papers did. Con-
lessedlY tue presence Of the suffrage
plank in the party platforms was mere
matter of policy, but where is the pol
cy in the course pursued in the con-
'ention and since the matter was set
led there? Seeds were sown in this
hing which will produce a trouble
ONE crop in the future, if we are moi
9reful.