The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-17
THE FACTS IN THE CASE.

Now Republican politicians are in
dustriously circulating the falsehood
that the present agitation resulting
| from the ill-advised remarks of
| President Joseph F. Smith was a
piece of political triclery on the part
| Of Judge Powers. They trace the en-
tire disturbance to him. Their theory,
started by the chairman of the Repub
lican committee-who knew better
when he uttered the untruth-is that
the Democratic party was becoming
| disheartened at the prospects of defeat,
and that the leader seized upon the
| circumstance as a pretext for ascrlbing
defeat to church influence. Also that
it was he who called the convention to
re-assemble, and that it is he who has
worked UP the excitement.
| In justice to Judge Powers, we de-
clare most emphatically that all that is
entirely wrong and without any foun-
dalton in fact. IN the first place the
news from all parts of the territory
was of the most encouraging charac-
| ter 1t matters not if Republicans re-
ceived similar tidings as to their own
cause. Whether that be true or not
cuts no figure in this matter. The DEM
| ocratic leaders were jubilant over the
! reports which came in from all quar-
ters. The cry This is a Democratic
year" was fully warranted by the
word received continually and the fig
! ures furnished at headquarters. These
are the absolute facts, known to many
hundreds of people in this city
Up TO Monday, October Z, the feelings
of confidence engendered by the contin-
ued assurances received from all points
were maintained and were uppermost
in the Democratic heart Then came
the incident which has caused so much
commotion. The storm of indignation
which agitated all classes of the peo-
Pile arose from the idea, fostered by
certain Republicans with jeers and
jokes, with sneers and sarcasms. that
the censure passed upon two leading
Democrats meant their defeat and that
of their party.
| In the midst of all that excitement
Judge Powers remained cool and dis
passionate. He counselled calmness
and elaboration. He heard all sides of
the question. He did not call for a
convention. He simply desired to know
what was best to be done under the
| circumstances Letters and kilograms
poured in upon him of most inf1am-
matory character. The tenor of all
was that the church must keep it's
hand out Of politics and that every
| citizen must be free, in the full sense of
che word. Did Judge Powers originate
! the trouble? Did he write those letters
and dispatches? Did he fire the hearts
of the men and women who protested
against a union of church and state?
| Did he say anything that would lead
| to fight with the church? Not ait any
| time. He was the most moderate of all
| the hosts that encompassed him. He
was forced to take some action He
sought counsel from the state commit
| tee and the candidates. He proceeded
by that discussion. What he has done
has been conceived in moderation,
! brought forth in wisdom, and we be-
lieve viii lead TO peace on the main
dispute and victory for freedom and
! the Democratic party.
1t will do the Republican leaders,
/ the Republican press and the Republi-
can party no good to misrepresent the
situation or to malign Judge Powers
They are doing both in their COM
ments on this matter every day. They
might as we'll, if they can, come down
to facts and leave fiction alone. But
perhaps that is impossible in Republi
canism.
1t is for the information of rational
people that we state the truth as to
this matter. The Democratic party is
not lighting the church. The church is
not fighting the Democratic party. Re-
publicans have taken an unfair and
uniustifable advantage of incautious
and rash remarks which they have
! misconsuued. Democrats have been
! greatly aroused in consequence. They
! are determined that there shall be in
the state of Utah perfect freedom of
the citizen from church control in poll
tics. They would prefer no statehood
at all to statehood under the rule of
any church That is the situation.
But the Democratic party are for
| free statehood. 1t is through that par
ty that the claims under which the Re
! publican party kept Utah under bonds
so many years are soon to be broken
asunder and ground into powder. The
principle of freedom from church rule
in politics prevailing, the Democratic
party will complete its glorious work
for Utah's freedom. and will carry her
into the Union fully absolved from
every species of bondage and endowed
with all the rights and privileges Of
American citizenship.
! And Judge Powers is as anxious and
determined to effect that grand con-
summation as any man in any party
under the sun. Honor to whom honor
is due, and shame to the party, the pa
per and the man, who bears false wit
ness against his neighbor for paltry
partizan ends and designs!