The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-21
BEES BUSIhY BUZZ
A WHOLE REGIMENT OF UTAH MEN
CANDIDATES FOR THE
SENATE.
THE DEMOCRATIC AVALANCHE
SWEPT INTO POWER A LEGISLA-
TURE OVERWHELMINGLY OF
THAT FAITH.
SOME LEADING CANDIDATES.
why Moses Thatcher Will Secure
Many VOtes-Popularity of
Fisher s. Harris.


Following it's greatest victory the Utah
Democracy has become a mass of
struggling, discordant elements. The
political victory of Nov. 8 was most
complete 1t was not merely a sweep.
1t was an avalanche. In every county
the Bryan tide overwhelmed the Re
publican organizations. The Democracy
was strengthened almost beyond COM
putation, while the state Republican
organization, seized by the Mckinley
ties, was used in the interest of Sen
ator Brown, himself repudiated by his
party in the state for his vote on the
Dingley bill. A desperate effort was
made by the silver Republican leaders
to save the local offices, the legislature
and the congressional ticket, but it was
in vain. Judge W. H. King was elect
ed to congress by a majority approx
mating 10000 in votes. The Demo-
cratic legislative ticket in almost every
representative and senatorial district
was returned. 1t was argued with re-
sistless force everywhere on the stump
that only by the election Of a Demo-
cratic congressman and by the election
of a Democratic legislature that would
choose a Democratic successor to Sen
ator Brown could Mr.. Bryan be COM
pletely sustained The result is that
all eighteen members elect of the state
senate are Democrats, while of the
forty-eight representatives forty-two
owe allegiance to the same party.
1t is the greatness of their victory
that has been the cause of the present
Democratic turmoil. With legislature
less unanimous in its composition, there
would have been less difficulty in the
manipulation required for a caucus
majority But when tne caucus will
consist of over 95 per cent of the en-
tire legislature the support Of one-half
of the whole body becomes necessary
before any candidate can claim his full
party strength in the balloting- for SEN
ator AS a result of the unanimity of
the election, numerous candidates have
begun the work which they hope will
place them in the senate. Ordinarily
many of these men would not be con-
sidered. Certainly without their local
delegations which all-unexpectedly
they carried to victory, their potency in
the contest would be simply that Of the
claqueur. With solid delegations sup
porting them, they have become power
full, and, though unlikely of being per-
sonally successful, they are left in po-
sition to name terms of capitulation.
AS usual, too, in Utah political fight
the Mormon church is charged with
displaying too great zeal. The recent
unfrocking of Apostle Moses Thatcher
and the course of the Deseret News,
the church organ, are regarded as proof
positive by many that the church is
ii III Inf
paign of 1895, Moses Thatcher and eX-
Delegate Joseph L. RaWlins, were
nominated by the Democrats as their
candidates for United States senators.
The legislature elected was Republican
and in consequence the two men nam
Ell had to content themselves for the
time with the honor of being their
perty's choice. Thatcher's troubles be-
gan at this time. Perhaps ii would be
safer to say that at this time it be-
came generally known that Thatcher
was acting in antagonism to his
quorum in the church. His friends
say that for years George Q. Cannon,
who is one of the first presidency. has
been pitilessly and ceaselessly hound
ing Thatcher. They say that Cannon
recognizes in Thatcher the ablest of
the opposition to his regime, and that
he hopes with Thatcher's downfall to
succeed to that undisputed leadership
in the state which he now yields in
the church Thatcher was one of the
highest officers in the church. He was a
member of the quorum Of twelve, who
are next in rank to the first presidency.
OF his vast means he has always given
literally to the church. He is a man
OF blameless life. AS to this, there
has never been dispute. But when he
accepted the Democratic nomination
for senator, he was rebuked. 1t was
charged that duty to his church re-
quired- that he should first have taken
counsel; that he should have placed
the matter before his quorum in order
that it might be decided If acceptance
of the nomination would in any meas
ure incapitate him for the laborS Of
the church. Thatcher denied that the
laws Of the church required any such
action. At the semi-annual conference
of the church soon after his rebuke
q manifesto was presented to the
Saints, requiring all church officers to
take counsel before engaging in any
thing which might effect their efficiency
in the priesthood. This manifesto was
presented to Thatcher, who was Ill
at the time. He had less than two
hours for consideration of the docu-
ment. At the end Of that time he de-
clined to sign it. AS a result, his name
was not submitted to the conference
and he was not sustained as an Apos-
lie. "A lew lays ago nS w dS IOI HAL
Invested of his priesthood. Since thai
time he has become an avowed candi
date for the senatorShip. This has ex
cited the Deseret News, which asserts
in effect, that the legislature must MOI
elect Thatcher because he refused t.
obey the rules of the Mormon church
The attitude of the News is regarded
by many Mormons, as it is by all gen
tiles, as inimical to the American idea
For this reason he has much supper
for the senatorship which would natur
ally flow to other candidates. He i.
regarded as typifying a principle. tina
of absolute separation of church ant
Etate.
While Thatcher's friends are hope
full Of success, those who know the far
reaching power Of the machinery Sc
IN motion against him cannot be in
duced to believe that he will be elected
His election would be the most serious
blow ever received by. the Mormon
church, for it would be self delivered
as fifty of the sixty-three member
may be disposed toward Thatcher per
scnally, they cannot, it is believed, b.
Induced to carry their friendship t,
the point Of injuring the church fo
which every one Of them has servet
In the mission field abroad
Judge Orlando w. Powers is also
formidable candidate for the senator
ship. Easily the most skillful manip
ulator in the Democratic party and it
leader In the last three campaigns
Judge Powers would be the stronges
man in the race, were it not for hi
former leadership of the Liberal part,
when the long, hard fight against tn
church was being made The wound
then made still rankle Judge Power
remains an object of hatred to man,
Mormons, in whose minds time cal
never efface the recollection of tn