The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-03-13
PROVO CITY. MARCH l3. 1S9
THE TIMES, MR.. CANNON,

6Bl6TOay uOTulnR 11ol dIu COb bftlhe
another Times assault upon Hon.
George . Cannon. but without other
comment than that furnished incident
ally by the head lines written over the
article, presumably by the Herald itself.
We warned Mr.. Cannon and the good
every day MOrmons of Utah last sum-
mer that the way the leading men Of
the Mormon church were mounting the
republican stump would inevitably lead
to troublesome complications, at least
for the church. Now, we confess frankly
that we didn't do this because Of our
painting desire TO serve the church
alone. We will go further and say
that our principal object was, if pos
eible, to silence some exceedingly
dangerous foes of the democratic
party-dangerous principally because
of the exalted positions they held in
the church. But no matter what our
motive may have been, the reasons we
assigned for the abstalnance of the
higher clergy from politics, were sound,
just, logical and true in evely respect.
The situation today fully bears out the
position The DISPATCH assumed last
sumner. The fact is that at this blessed
moment when the great New York
paper is throwing hot shot into the re-
publican camp in Utah, it is far more
likely to hit a Mormon leader than
republican. Today the republican
party and the Mormon church by and
through their leaders are so dreadfully
mixed up that there is hardly any
chance of separating them to the ex-
tent that a proper defense can be
framed. This paper feels every i'm
pulse which moves it to action to come
to the defense of the church, but it is
not impelled to seek the side of an as
sailed republican leader even in the
person of an lllustrlous church
man, and if it did 1t would
not know how to separate the
two characters so as to secure the
best effects of what ever defense it
might be able to make. The Tribune
published synopsis of this last letter
on Monday and the Herald full re-
port on Tuesday, but up to Tuesday
evening neither the Tribune, the News
or Mr.. Cannon himself have opened
their batteries on the foe. This makes
it just little hard for the laity, either
in the church or in politics, to assume
position. The Tribune as the un-
doubted leader of the fighting republi
can contingent is silent. Is it because
it can make no reply, or is it because it
finds itself SO deeply inyoled in its new
character as church organ that it fears
to strike because it's prentice han
might make a misslick and do more
harm than good? This new strange
and incongrous alliance must be very
difficult and bothersome. He must
look before he leaps into such fight
as that from the Tribune's stand point.
But this rule would in no sense apply
either to the News or to Mr.. Cannon
himself.
These two allies perhaps 90 not like
the emergency which forces them to
associate with so recent and so bitter
foe as the Tribune. They do not feel
entirely safe and secure and would
perhaps far rather not be forced to the
Of going backward into the
liberal camp, or of admitting the Tri-
bune into the inner sanctuary of the
Mormon council chamber. In this
emergency the cheeky Tribune mani
tests every disposition to force its
hated presence upon the forces led by
Mr.. Cannon. But to do that gentleman
credit he cannot quite repress
the disgust be feels. 1t gets away with |
him and surges over the brim of the |
bitter cup he is holding to his own pal
lid lips with trembling hands. What |
= world of worry would have been
saved if The DIsPATCH's advice had
been acted upon last summer. 1t is
ust possible that this hardness of re-
ply is part of the allied tactics. But
We assure President Cannon that the
lelay is bad politics. The sooner these
jhings are met, and the fuller and
ranker the reply, the better it is for
Ill concerned. 1t stands this way: If
me has swallowed a dose of deadly
poison, either by accident or otherwise,
he sooner the antidote is applied the
,etter. To delay is to permit the sub
lie poison to find its way into the very
sources of life before making an effort.
This curtails very greatly the chance of
ecovery and increases the danger q
thousand fold. 1t is allowing the en-
my TO deliberately choose his position
md fortify it before we attack him.
That is too internally sharp a point to
'ut upon our political chivahy today.
We utterly refuse to accept the con-
lusions plainly deducible from the re-
oort Of the Times, and we do not want
0 be compelled to wait too long for
he antidote. We have every conf
ence that there is one, but we want ,
0 see it at work at once. !
WHAT is the reason the Tribune is