The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-15
THE ISSUE OF THE HOUR.

had congratulated themselves up to tn
fateful day upon which Mr.. Joseph F
Smith uttered his thoughtless or i'll
advised words that at last we were t.
have a campaign of principle in which
church influence" so-caned, was no
to be a factor
Democrats We're jubilant that in thi
a Democratic year they were to be per
mitted to reap, unmolested, the inevi
table harvest of better times ant
superior principles. Already an AFRO
giant and boastful enemy had become
dismayed at the confidence of the
Democracy. It seemed at last that
those Influences which had beeen used
in every campaign to the injury of the
Democratic party had ceased. That
party, under the leadership of a splen-
did general, had been perfectly organ
lied into an invincible host
Such was the condition when, from q
clear sky, fell a thunderbolt which car
ried CONSERVATION to the heart of every
Democrat At the very height of the
campaign, one of the presidency of the
dominant church, by and with the
endorsement of at least one of his as
sociates, criticized before an assembly
of the chief men of that church two
of the Democratic candidates as hay
ing assumed obligations that did not
comport with their duty to the church,
adding that such conduct if persisted
in must lead to apostacy. This charge
was made in the absence of the ac-
cused officials, contrary to the order of
the church, as alleged, that they should
have been criticized, if at all, before
constituted tribunals of the church:
was made without any kind of explana-
ton, and apparently with the fun I'M
derstanding of Mr.. Smith, who hest
tated before uttering his infammatory
remarks, of Mr.. Cannon, who endorsed
them with the statement he would not
have uttered them and of the entire
audience that he was referring to the
political action of Messrs. Thatcher and
Roberts.
The strongest Democratic heart was,
for the moment at least, dismayed.
Knowing that victory depended upon
securing the doubtful vote of the ter
ritory, and that these indiscreet ut
terances Of an indiscreet man, would
be seized upon by an INSCRIPTIONS
adversary who would not hesitate to
and misinterpret them to
its own political ends to sway the bet
ter Judgment of such voters, the Demo-
Gratis lost heart.
Republicans may be pleased to de-
nounce the subsequent movements of
the Democracy as political buncombe.
Gentlemen may see fit to overlook ne I
gravity of the situation and describe
the crisis as tempest in teapot.
But they mistake. With an un-
sought and most unwelcome con-
-roversy thrust upon them, the
Democrats were confronted with
he dilemma of either CLOSING
he situation over and thus permit the
outrageous and nefarious work, of
which there are already too many
proofs at hand, to so on unchallenged,
y to take up arms against this sea of
roubles and by opposing possibly for
yer end them.
The latter course was the part of
risdom and patriotism The perma-
ent prosperity and peace of the en-
ire community demanded that the is.
ue should be manfully met and not
with. It might lead to a
torn, but after the clouds had rolled
way the atmosphere would be clearer
nd healthier.
So the Democratic party will appeal 5
} the people. 1t neither has nor seeks {
ny controversy with that great {
hurch more than one-half of whose
lembers are Democrats.
1t will not permit itself to be /
ragged into this false position. IT
i'll battle for freedom of conscience
nd action; it will denounce the at
,mpts Of men to further the interests
party by the use of religious infu-
lces; it will attempt to convert those
the people of Utah who remain I'M
inverted that the church means what
has so often said, that all Mormons
e to be left to freedom of political
'inion and action without dictation
influence from eccleastical sources:
will appeal to the manhood of the +
rritory, to stand by it in this su-
eme hour of trial, and whether the :
sue shall secure victory or bring !,
'out defeat the party will feel that i
has done its full duty to the occa- t
IN. I
While all will agree in and support /
e full right of a church to make |
ch uniform regulations for the :
idance of its members as 1t NAV see .
so long as such regulations shall