The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-07
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Representative-elect S. A. Kenner de-
fines his position on the senatorial
question in the following letter:
Dec. s, 1896.
To The Herald:
Permit me to use a little of your
space for the purpose of setting the
public right regarding a gratuitious
and malicious falsehood in yesterdays
Argus. 1 have so far carefully re-
Trained from replying to anything that
has been published regarding myself,
and the wits of feather Drained re-
porters have been strained in that di-
rection until the tension must have
been so painful that if l were ever SO
vindictive no other punishment could
be desired; 1 decidedly object to being
made so conspicuous for such slight
and tranSitory reasons as obtain in the
case; but when other names are asso-
ciated with mine and as much of odium
as can be cast upon one by wholly
unreliable and irresponsible paper is so
cast, it is indeed time to make show
ing.
/ have enjoyed the acquaintance of
the entire Cannon family for a long
time; am tolerably intimate with PreSi-
dent George O., and his son John O.,
but not sufficiently so to justify them
or either of them taking me into their
confidence to the extent spoken of by
the Argus. / do not believe that they
are, as alleged, engaged in a conSpir-
acy, scheme, plot, or design having in
view the defeat of eX-Apostle Thatcher
for the senatorship. and l know and
Solemnly assert that neither of them
has ever suggested to me in any form
whatever that / take part in any such
proceeding. Indeed, it is exceedingly
doubtful if Mr.. Thatcher's name has
been mentioned by either of us in the
presence of the other except in the
most casual way. and not at all to that
gentleman's detriment. To sum the OBJ
jectional article up in few homely
words, it is a plain case of barking up
the wrong tree.
In order that this may be made plain,
let me turn on a few sidelights. I have
been honored by the people of this
county with a position in the next
legislature. 1t is not a lofty one and
is far from being lucrative, yet it is
not inconsequential and entails upon
the occupant some duties and respon-
sibilities which he should. as fas as
possible, familiarize himself with in ad-
vance. and in a general way should fit
himself for the performance of
his laborS in such manner as
will most likely be satisfactory
to those whose agent he is for the
time being. One of these responsible
ties is the selection of some fit person
to represent the state in the upper
branch of congress. In this choice the
people have no direct voice, but to
say that they shall have nothing to say
at all is equivalent to saying either
that they are not concerned or that
they have no representation, both en-
tirely at variance with the American
plan. Holding it to be the case that
fl11r hov- -s~r1,+ II IL
as we'll as all other matters in which
they are concerned, have made it a
point to converse very freely with rep
resentative men and women on the
subject, more with view to ascertain
ing their preferences than expressing
any of my own, but when asked to
do so / have complied to the best of
my ability, though having no special
preference regarding the senator, have
had no information to give on that
subject. Also is it most emphaticalIy
true that l have no mission, personal
or vicarious, looking to the defeat of
Mr.. Thatcher or any other man. 1t is
true that on more than one occasion
the proposition for the Democratic
party to be made the means of his
vindication has been met and opposed,
and will continue to be opposed. I am
a Mormon (rather an Indifferent one,
of course), also a Democrat, and am
not prepared to surrender either ground
in order that the other may be
occupied; in plain words, let the church
keep its hands off the party, and let
the party keep its hands off the church.
Whatever vindication Mr.. Thatcher
may be entitled to by reason of his
differences with his quorum and their
outcome should come by reason of his
own presentations. merits and in
fluences, but the Democratic organiza-
ton, as such, has no jurisdiction of the
parties to or subject of the action.
1t is doubtless a matter of small
concern to Mr.. Thatcher as to how I
look upon him or his contest with his
fellow cflurchmen, but in order that
this statement may be made complete,
and vindictive mendacity be more fully
ventilated. will add: AS a Christian
gentleman. an upright citizen. public
list without fear and without reproach,
a ripe scholar and yet a diligent
student, as a thorough-going Demo-
crat, and, last, but by no means least,
as a personal friend, I hold Mr..
Thatcher in as high esteem as does
any one of those sycophantic adulators
and self-constituted champions by
whom he is surrounded. 1 do hope,
however that if the senatorial toga
shall fall to him, it will be because of
his general fitness and for no other
reason. Is this asking for very much?
Respectfully, S. A. KENNER.
@ g {.
All arrangements are complete for
the Pirates of Penzance" company to
go to Ogden on Thursday the 10th,
where they play for the benefit of the
ogden public library, at the Grand
Opera House. The cast will be the
same as that seen here. Musical Di-
rector Peabody and Stage Manager
Whitney will accompany them, as will
also the Salt Lake Theatre orchestra
under Professor Willard Weihe. The
company viii leave on a special train
over the Rio Grande Western at 4 p.
m. Upon their arrival at Ogden
rehearsal will be had at o'clock and
at 6 o'clock they will be given dinner
by the Library association at the
Union Depot hotel, after which they
will re9ort at the opera house at
o'clock. The return special train will
leave over the Rio Grande at II o'clock,
reaching Salt Lake at so in time to
get I'D town and catch cars for all
parts os the city.
From present indications there will
be . lar-e number of friends of the
company go up with them and to such
a round trip rate of 81 for railway fare,
so cents for dinner and so cents for a
seat at the opera has been secured. A
good section of the house has been re-
served for sale in Salt Lake at the Rio
Grande Western ticket office.
The Ogden people are working hard
to give the company a packed house
and a pleasant time.
ortiz -Jr-