The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-23
Mormonism's Cioven Foot.

For some time Utah has been preparing
for admission into the Union as a state,
out ii looks as though she would nave 70
continue under IL territorial form OIL gov
eminent Tor some time, at least untI
Mormonism ceases to dominate IN poh-
tics. In all the proceedings leadlnS up 10
HOW the Mormon churcn has shown
spirit of fairness, even gong so taf as 70
volunteer the proposition that statehood
be secured wholly upon lines That ellm-
mated ali forms and sects OF religion ana
reIgionists The officers OF the Mormon
church assured the public that they would
not il they could let their org2niZ2 ton
participate directly or indirectly in poll
tics, for, they said, aside from particlpa-
tIon DelnS contrary 10 d tePupl4can loiil.
of government, their faith would spread
very much faster If 1t held aloof from
pohtics But it transpires that they were
lying like horse thieves all the time.
When the smoke of the Democratic and
Republican conventions battle cleared
away 1t was found that both parties nad
not only put Mormon at the head OF
their ticket. but there was a liberal
the list of candidates. The Mormons in
sisted that no significanc could be at
tached TO that, because their church mad
nothing TO do with the nominations-not
in the remoteSt degree. They were cltI-
zens of Utah, and having been prominent-
ly identified with the terrltory's interests
Tor great many years, their NOMINATION.
was merely recognition OF that fact.
ritory were satisfied with the nominal
tons and the campaign began to wax
warm all along the line, but il so happen
ed. as it may be said it should have hap
pened, the Democracy gained from the
start. The outlook for The Republican
party was dismal enough and something
had to be done or the Democrats would
sweep the state like d whirlwind. And
something has been done. The Repub-
lican bosses somehow, they know best,
persuaded the head of The Mormon
church, President Woodruff, TO come TO
their assistance, and he came with all
the power of the church at his back. He
cited the Democratic candidates before
himself and his two counselors, ex-Con-
gresham Cannon and Joseph F. Smith
all RepublicanS-to answer to the charge
of accepting the nomination for a polIt-
ical office without first getting the consent
OF The Church OF Cod" and be "disci-
plined." The meaning of all this is that
every Mormon in the territory has orders
TO vote the Republican ticket.
The Mormon candidates on the Demo-
ocrauc ticket are not very well pleased
at the trick the church is playing, and
they are disposed to rebel, for they and
all other Democrats know that the Demo-
Gratis would have no show with the
church backing the Republican candi-
dates. The bold and tyrannical action
of the church has convinced all Demo-
Gratis and a great many Republicans that
If the Mormon hoof would protrude it,
self at this stage of the work for state
lIOOu, II NOuiu CGIldIiIly DG ulIUedTdDly ar
rogant if it had a state government to
dominate, and consequently the Democ-
racy will most likely withdraw all candi-
dates and make a fight to continue the
territory under territorial government
1t is believed that this can be done with
out half the effort that would have been
thrown into the gubernatorial campaign.
Should the Democracy conclude to do
that as it is almost sure TO do, it will
have the sympathy of all the good people
of all parties throughout the country.
1t is a cardinal principle of the Democ-
racy that no church shall dabble IN
American politics, and it has never de-
parted hairs breadth from that posi-
ton. The Mormon church, therefore,
has made the mistake of its life in show
ing the cloven foot, for it can rely upon
it that so long as there is a Democratic
party 1t will have to meet a foe every
time it enters politics that never surren-
ders. But all things considered, it is bet
ter that President Woodruff and his coun-
cilors should have allowed their impa-
thence TO control the new state of Utah
to eXBose their dabolical plot before ii
was too late TO defeat them by continu-
ing territorial government under officials
appointed by the president.-SiouX CITY
Tribune.