The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-02
VOTE FOR THE CONSTITUTION.

We presented figures in our issue of
Thursday demonstrating that state
hood would entail little or no addition
al expense to the taxpayers. We ar
gued that if it were true that such
burdens would follow, they would be
light and would seem to be but trivial
| objections to men in whose hearts
burned THE desire for the full privileges
Of American citizenship-who chafe
under the deprivation of rights en-
joyed by their fellow citizens.
There is. however, another objection
that will lead some people to vote
against the Constitution-the fear that
statehood will bring with it the dom
ination of the state by the church.
There is a suspicion in the minds Of
many, unhappily confirmed by recent
occurrences, that prominent church.
men will not hesitate to use their spir-
itual influence to further their politi-
cal desires-a dread that the church
is quiescent now in order to secure
that independence of federal control
which comes with statehood, determin-
ed all the while, statehood once Sc
cured. to assert its power in an effort
to dominate the state.
The fear is groundless. 1t may be
true. it is indeed probable, that design
ing men may seek to violate the fund
amental stipulation of the truce be.
tween our local factions by using
priestly influence in politics, but it may
be set down as certain that the Nor
mon people will neither seek to rees-
tablish plural marriage nor otherwise
to use the civil power of the state to
secure unequal or improper privileges
to their church. The most that may be
apprehended is the injection of the use
Of ecclesiastical influence by designing
individuals.
The efforts to rid the situation of
these influences will be as successful
under statehood as under a territorial
form of government. The defeat and
delay in statehood will seriously i'm
pede the progress and prosperity of
the commonwealth by engendering the
belief in the minds of capitalists that
dissensions are probable which will
endanger their investments or at least
render them less remunera tive. Be-
sides this, there is some reason for
believing that the animosities of the
past, now so happily ameliorated, will
be revived to the disruption of our
pleasant social relations and of our
advantageous business unity.
Before we shall get entirely free from
religious influences in our political af-
fairs, it will be necessary to convert
the Mormon people to the last man
to the self-evident truth that the vel
fare of both church and state demands
that such influences shall cease. Until
this is done men seeking to exercise
unrighteous dominion, and the world
will always produce such men, will
find material to work upon. The work
Of conversion has been going rapidly
forward; it will not be retarded by
tatehood, but will be more likely to
be retarded by vote of lack of con-
fldence in the rejection of the Constf-
tuition.
Thoughtful men have every reason
to be satisfied with the progress of the
people of Utah and no true patriot
will vote mo" on the Constitution by
reason of a lack of confidence in the
people or will assist in tearing open the
old wounds now so nearly healed.