The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-23
A VILE ATTEMPT.

The attempt to place the Democratic
party of Utah in the attitude of fight
ing the Mormon Church, is character
istic of the meanest paper on earth.
l. e. the Salt Lake Tribune. Nearly
every day it returns to this matter,
like the dog to its vomit, and munches
it over and over again with a relish
that exhibits its tastes and instincts.
Is it not about time that those who
control that paper put stop to the
editorial efforts to rake up a conflict
on the question of church influence in
politics? If it is desirable to keep it
up, should it not be fairly stated SO
as to avoid the ill-feelings that arise
from Misrepresentation?
The priesthood meeting incident,
which the Tribune so repeatedly re-
fers to, was not construed" in the
manner it states by the Democratic
party, but by the Republicans, as a
declaration against certain Democrats,
and an intimation that they were in
disfavor and ought not to be voted
for.
The Democratic party has declared
its opposition to union of church and
state and the domination of any
church in state affairs. That is the
declarat ton of the state constitution.
The Democratic party has protested
against the pretense of certain church
dignitaries, that they were favoring
and helping the Republican party at
the instance of the church leaders.
The Democratic party has not ac-
cused the Mormon Church, nor its
President who is it's legitimate mouth
piece and chief representative, of at
tempting to dominate in state affairs
or influence church members in party
politics.
The Mormon Church is not one man,
three men. or fifteen men, but the
whole body composing it. The ma
jority of it's adult males are Demo-
Gratis in politics. as the votes at gen.
eral elections demonstrate beyond ra-
tional dispute. To say that the Demo-
cratic party in Utah fights the Nor
mon Church or that the Mormon
Church fights the Democratic party,
is equivalent to saying that each body
is fighting itself.
The Salt Lake Tribune for years
took the ground that church and
state were one and the same in Utah.
or that they were so closely and
firmly united that they were one in
action. 1t now takes the ground that
there is not only no such union, but
that no church influence of the kind
complained of by the Democratic par
ty has been exercised. 1t was false
in its former assertion; it is equally
false now, as to the latter part of it's
assertion
The Herald has made no change in
its position on this matter. 1t has
declared there was no union of church
and state when the Tribune was pub
fishing its daily falsehoods on that
matter. 1t does not claim that there
is any such union now. 1t has en-
dorsed the protest of the Democratic
party against that underhand and de-
ceptive influence which the Tribune
lOM SuQOISeS anu dSSlSlS III spreading,
to prevail upon Mormons to vote with
the Republicans simply because of the
alleged wishes of church leaders.
If the Tribune wants to rake up
closed contentious on this question, it
will find US prepared. There is moth
ing more shameful in journalism than
its former utter falsehoods about the
Mormon situation, and its daily lies
about the Mormon leaders and peo-
pie, except its present attitude in
complete antagonism to its previous
position, swallowing its own vile ac-
cusations and posing as friend and
supporter of Mormon influence, and all
to promote the private ambition of its
chief writer and its own mercenary
ends in gaining Mormon patronage.