The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-11-13
THE LATE CAMPAIGN.


There are a few persons who affect
to believe that the democratic party
made some mistakes in the lEte cam
paign, but we must confess that we
are unable to see how its main features
could have been changed without very
serious injury.
The greater majority of democratic
voters are members of the Mormon
church, and in the past have regarded
the utterances OF church leaders ae
worthy of the utmost credence and re-
spect, in all matters both spiritual and
temporal. The division upon party
lines was to them anomalous, it WAS In
fact new condition; unity in faith
and purpose was cardinal feature Of
their religion and division on political
lines was regard ed by many as an uI-
tried element injected into an hereto-
fore united society, calculated to de-
stroy its autonomy, and cripple its or
ganization.
With these environments the MOI
mons entered politics in earnest, some
understanding or studying the prin-
ciples of both political parties, some
joining one party or the other without
much studying of their principles, and
a large number who hesita ted, and
have voted up to date for the ticket
that had on it the largest n1mber of
what they regarded as the best men.
Under these circumstances it was not
difficult to create an impression upon
the minds of the last named class
that their trusted church leaders de-
sired that one of the political parties
should have the advantage Of their
votes, and an impression was created
that some prominent ecclesiasts be-
lieved that more members of the
church should be republican voters.
The democratic party in Utah have
struggled against this impression year
after year, but have relied upon the
publicly published utterances of the
first presidency of the church to cor
rect it, but still the impression gained
ground to the extent that the conf
dence of the people in the sincerity OF
their leaders was undermined, and
assurance of an overwhelming victory
for the democratic party, was changed
into prospect of certain defeat.
Many Mormon democrats have
realized the situation for years; filled
with zeal for their religion, and de-
votion to their leaders that have in
duced them in times past to make
superhuman sacrifices for their reli-
gion on the one hand, and imbued
with such love for human libertyl IS
with them cannot find expression out
sideof democracy on the other. their
souls have been severely tried
as church members; they did
not desire to bring railing
accusations against their brethren"
neither could they feel easy when men
they revered were placed in an lnde-
fensible position; and as democrats it
was difficult to remain silent when an
impression they hoped was false, but
feared was true, was gradually and
insidiously weakening their party,
and destroying the very germ of hu-
man liberty in the prospective new
state.
With these feelings Mormon demo-
Gratis were foremost in demanding a
call for the reconvening of the Ogden
convention, and when assembled with
stern determination to strike for po-
litical liberty, and at the came time
infexibly maintain.all the sacred rights
of their church, they voted unani-
mously for the address that was issued
to the voters Of Utah, and the result
is-although not the election of many
democrats to office-that we have every
reason to hope the new state will be an
American state, and we now know how
many votes the democratic party can
depend upon. Men who are charged
with using improper political influence
are apologizing, which is confession
of weakness at least. Every Mormon
who voted the democratic ticket has
good reasons to feel proud that he has,
for himself. solved the problem that he
can be true to both his religious and |
political principles, that he has passed
through the furnace of trial and
come out pure, refined gold and is
worthy of being trusted,for he was true
in the hour of trial.
With such an army of such voters
We must succeed hereafter. We only
need to remain true to our party, trne
TO our religion and at the yerv next
election reap such victory as will
make the nation proud of Utah when
she becomes in name. as in fact she is