Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1896-12-18

| his 1t was easy tor me to understand
and accept the principles of Christ as
explained by our church, which, as /
understand them, accord the right of
| freedom and grant the free agency of
m IN before God and among men. And
it Is because these rights are accorded
men under the gospel of Christ, as ac-
cepted by Latter-day Saints that 1 have
yielded obedience to the gospel, have
labored Tor it and love it for the labor
have given it.
This assertion may not be accepted by
you, but such activity as I have shown
in politics have been caused by an anx-
iety to preserve the reputation of my
file leaders when they gave assurances
of political honesty among the Saints,
for there were intimations-and they
are we'll known--that in pledging polit-
ical freedom to the people of Utah,
the authorities were insincere in their
declarations. My unwillingness to take
part in democratic campaigns, in face of
the course of my republican brethren,
was one of the grounds on which it was
reported that the church authorities
had broken faith. While I have loved
democracy bee luse, to me, its name
embodies all of civil liberty, yet I did
| not want to take an active part in poll
tics because of my poor health, and
because ! did not deem it wise for
one holding my position in the
church to become aggressive in the
division movement. Yet against my
own judgment, in defiance of the de-
mands of my health, and that it might
not be said of the first presidency that
their pledges were given to deceive, I
made some political speeches. For the
same reason-having in mind the honor
of the people and the reputation of thu
church leaders, and against my solemn
protest. consented that my name
should be used as a senatorial candidate.
For this act | was taken to task at
priesthood meeting. When the manifesto
was presented to me it appeared to my
mind as a command or all to recognize
the right of the church authorities to
control political concerns; it meant, so
far as l was concerned, ,recantation of
the principles had for years advocated
"a receding from the ground I had oc-
cupied during the division movement,
and, above all, it made me feel that l
would be untrue to myself. I do not
claim that | cannot be wrong; but with
the light I have, the manifesto, applied
as its construction will allow. or as 1t
would be interpreted by men whose per-
sonaI ambitions might control and sub
vert their sense of right could be oper
ated to the injury of the state. If, as
hold, the people have enough intelli-
gence to deserve citizenship, then they
have sufficient intelligence to become
acquainted with the responsibilities of
citizenship, and they have no more
right to yield their judgment in respect
of the exercise of the franchise than
have any set of men torattempt to con
troll that Judgment. Whatever the cost,
with the knowledge now guiding me 1
must still stand where l have stood for
years.
My whole life and its work contradict
the charge that should seek Office on
a platform antagonistic to any church.
l should oppose any man who stood
upon such platform. 1 did say that if
the voters of the state of "youug Utah."
believed that l represented principles
they deemed deserving recognition, and
was, therefore, rendered the United
States senatorship, I would accept. For
the information of those interested,
it must be understood that l am a Dem
ocrat, with all the word signifies. AS a
Democrat hold it a duty for every
citizen to enjoy the privileges conferred
upon him by our government, and that
is given to no man, to no corporation,
and to no body of men to control the
citizen in the exercise of his franchise.
l believe in that Democracy which
declares for equal and exact justice to
Ill with special privileges to none.
l am for a Jeffersonian government,
n which so far at least as legislation
makes to that end, there shall be no ex-
remedy rich and no abjectly poor.
l favor the principle of an income tax.
I am for the money of the constitu-
ion as interpreted in the democratic
,latform adopted at Chicago this year.
am for tariff that will realize the
mount necessary to conduct the gov
without running it into debt
I times of peace; but that tariff must be
, levied and so adjusted that its burdens
nd advantages all besborne and shared
like by all industries and by all parts of
ur common country.
| am with the slate constitution in
lie declaration that there shall be an
,solute separation of church and state:
at the state shall not control the
lurch, nor the church encroach on the
-erogatives of the state, and to this
ID l have endorsed and still endorse
e dec 'arations of the Democratic re-
nvened convention of a year ago.
invite neither the support nor the
position of the church. 1t has no
ncern in political issues. The men,
RS of my former quorum have deemed
sxpedient to deprive me of my priest
Cd If discuss their action, it is as
urch member AS citizen and
.mocrat, concede their right to dis
line me for any cause whatever. AS
member of the Democratic party, as
Izen, deny their right or their inten-
n to interfere with my politics, the
eat of the Deseret News, as the