The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-18
4 SOURCE oF TRouBLE,

On subject which has received con-
siderable notice lately. the Provo Dis
patch makes the following pertinent
remarks:
We. like The Herald, do not for a
moment believe that the Mormon
church authorities in Salt Lake are
endeavoring TO influence the election
of a senator at Boise. It may be that
the Mormon legislators in the Idaho
legislature stand together, as would
be perfectly natural, but that they are
controlled by any expression from Salt
Lake, we do not for one moment be-
lieye. This circumstance will prob
ably have the good effect of rendering
the Idaho MOrmonS more careful in
the future. If it does, it will not have
been in vain. There is Stin a deep
prejudice in certain quarters against
the Mormon church, albeit ii is rapidly
passing away. 1t would be a very
regretful circumstance if the affair at
Boise contributed to the checking OF
this wearing away process.
There is no use in attempting to dis
pute the fact that this matter has
been the subject of a great deal of
comment, and has caused considerable
iA-feeling at Boise and in some other
parts of Idaho. The Herald cores
pondent mentioned it as a matter OF
news. 50 die the correspondent of the
Tribune, That did not make either
paper the originator of the charge nor
Oh the report. And if other papers do
not choose to print such news, they
have no reason to find fault with
newspapers which furnish the news.
It is better to have false reports venti-
lated ana refuted, than to pretend one
does not hear them or that they do
not exist when they are subjects of
common conversation.
The trouble in this matter frequent
iy is that political Wire-puners, for
their own purposes. sometimes pre-
tend to have authority to speak for
eminent men which they do not pos
sess. They are dangerous persons.
They ought to be unmasked. They
will be, no doubt, sooner or later; the
sooner the better for the Mormon
Church and for the general peace and
amlty of all states and territories
where the Mormon people form an
important part of the population.
We agree fully with the sentiment
expressed by contemporary, from
whom we frequently differ, that a
voter, a legislator, a public Official in
any capacity, ought not to figure as q
Mormon but as citizen of the United
States. The same with a Catholic. a
Presbyterian. a Baptist or an infidel
There should also be no Irish-American
German-American or Scandinavian.
American in politics. All should be
one in United States citizenship, and
the common purpose should be to pro-
mote the welfare Of our common
country.
There is a repugnance in the eenufne
American mind to the sway of any
church in political affairs. The history
of the world proves its baleful effects
Every religion should be free, No re-
Igion should dominate the state, Ar
ecclesiast should not be deprived OF
any right or privilege of a citizen b,
reason Of his church position. No,
should he bring to bear on his fellow
EreligionistS the sacerdotal authority
- @@A1eJ 1OCOes4ILAC LII IIII, 10 lurJnGl
any partisan interest.
We do not believe the Mormon church
authorities have sought to dictate thu
election of Senator in Idaho; we Or
believe that it has been the homes
opinion of some Idaho people that sucl
an influence has been exercised, apf
that the reason for that opinion ha;
been the active interest taken by some
persons, posing as influential Mormons
in political Wtre-pulling with intipna,
tons if not open avowals of holding 6
string on their co-religionists.
That has been the cause of trouble
in the past. That will bring trouble
in the future unless it is put an end to
And the best way to stop it is to ex
pose it, and show that it is nothing bu
pretence for the personal and private
profit Of the pretenders.