The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-05
MAKtNa N!sTGRY.
Issue That Has Been Forced Upon
the Democratic Party.


To the Editor OF The Herald:
Utah, since 1897, has been making
history, but the most important of all
its chapters TO date is that made by
the reconvened Democratic state con-
vention held liz Salt Lake city, OctJbe.
-, 1895. 1t viii go down in history as
one Of the most important ep0chs in
The history OF the territory. AT that
convention a new declaration OF rights
was declared, anu Wnlch win IL as
memorable to the people Of Utah as
the new state constitution which we
hope shortly to ratify. This new OF
additional bill OF rights takes prece-
dence over The new state constitution
in that 1T mas been ratified and adopted
in advance by the rank and file of the
Democratic party, as well as by every
honest, patriotic citizen in Utah.
While the causes which eliminated
in the necessity for reconYening of the
state convention are not conducive to
the best Interest of a certain class OF
/ individuals in our community, the
results wall have a sdlutary effect upon
the people of Utah for all time to
come. Never before have the people
been aroused to the Importance of once
and for ali settling this vexed ques-
litical rights of the citizen. This issue
has been forced upon the Democratic
party and right nobly have they
answered it. Church and state never
did run smoothly together, they never
will, and what surprises me most is
that few men who represent the
dominant church in Utah are not
sufficiently familiar with the history of
the past not to know that in combining
y, \
with dangerous elements and if per-
sisted in would lead to disastrous re-
suits. L believe they We're, but being
strongly partisan, in them des-
peraticn to see Utah enter the Union
as a Republican state, recklessly for
sock tine path of honor for purely
selfish ends. This was made SO evil
dent that the Democratic party were
NO longer justified in allowing the
rights of the people to be sacrificed
upon the altar of greed and demanded
a halt, which will be commended by
every liberty-loving man, woman and
child in and out of Utah
The Democratic party in Utah has
no masters and they will brook no in
reference in the exercise of their
liberties by people who do. We are
party Of equal rights to all, special
privileges to none.
What must we think Of man who
q life long Republican and bishop will
| tell his people that if President Wood
ruff was to tell him that the Demo-
cratic party was right he would vote
that ticket? Is there any manhood in
! this? Is he a fit character to teach
men, women and children, especially
the latter L think not, and yet Just
such men as this can be found in
ether localities of Utah beside Moroni,
| Sanpete county. Men of this kind are
! past being educoted: they have out
grown their usefulness and should be
relegated to a back seat and not al
| lowed 20 disseminate such hereSy u
is just such teachings as these that
have embroiled men in the horrors of
war and bloodshed from time i'm
memorial, and if they themselves do
not know this it should be taught them
in a way and manner that they will
never forget We nave advanced too
far upon the highway of evolution and
| progress to he thWarted in our efforts
in securing to ourselves and our pos
terity the fullest and freest political
and religious liberty. That statehood
has been injured by the despicabIe
method of grapevine telegraph and the
partisan interference of certain church
men in high places is plain to every
man abreast with the times. But the
candid rejecting people, both in and
out of Utah will say that tine De1noc-
racy of Utah have made a straight
forward fight for their rights upon the
lines of personal liberty 1t would be
a sad calamity to the people of Utah
now to vote down statehood. 1t would
show not only bad faith but a desire
to shirk the duties of advanced man
hood nationally We have been ask
ing for statehood since 1861. several
constitutions have been framed since
that time and presented to Congress
but owing to Republicans being ir7
power, and their bitterness towards the
people of Utah we have been denied
the prerogative which by right and
justice belongs TO us. Now let us show
to THE national Democracy who. fol
the first time in many years, have CON-
troll of the national government that
we appreciate their generous offer by
voting for statehood on November s.
w. C. A. SMOOT. JR.
Sugar House, November ., 1895.