The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-13
THE PARALLEL.

senate is an evidence of church dorni-
rec affairs of the state. We
refuse to believe it. whereupon the Tri-
bune refers US to the action of the
Democratic party last summer in re
I sisting what was regarded as church
| Interference in political affairs. We
thank the Tribune for the opportunity
it thus affords us to contrast the &C
ion Of the Democratic party with the
course which our contemporary is pur-
NO The Tribune and the Republic
cans which it represents believe that
certain other Republicans in urging
the candidacy of the elder Cannon for
the senate are making a direct attempt
"to bring church influence into politics,
md to put the politics of this state
under church domination"
- tho T~fbunes complaint.
The Democrats last summer, in the
reproof administered to two of their
~sfdatas for accepting political
nominations without consulting their
ecclesiastical superiors, viewed in the
! light of the use made of the incident
by their Republican brethren and in
view of many other acts of high Re-
publican churchmen of an unfriendly
character to the Democratic par
ty. clearly saw a disposition on
the part of those high churchmen to
| interfere and dominate the political af-
fairs of the state.
That was the Democratic party's
complaint.
| Now apart from the consideration as
to whether these respective complaints
constitute real case of church inter
ference with politics or not. let US look
at the manner in which each party
meets the issue, real or imagined, that
confronts it.
The Democratic chairman promptly
reconvenes the Democratic state con-
vention, places before it the evidences
of church interference, not only in the
instance of reproof of Democratic can
didates at such a time and place as to
encourage Republicans and dishearten
: Democrats, and place in the hands of
the former such a weapon of advant-
age as to insure Republican victory
and Democratic defeat, but a whole
1 line of events tending to the same end.
But did Democrats threaten the state
with all kinds of disaster? Did they
say that the circumstance would roll
Utah back twenty years? Undo in a
moment all that had been done in the
last five years to put Utah in line as
an American state? Turn back the in
9 ix-e
distrust in neighbor against neighbor,
not only in politics but in business?
They did no such weak or cowardly
thing. They declared through their
reconvened convention that lin a free
country no man or body of men can
with safety to the state use the name
or power of any religious sect or so
ciety to influence or control the cleo
tive franchise" And again: "a trust is
imposed upon each citizen in a free
country to act politically upon his own
judgment and absolutely free from
control or dictation, ecclesiastical or
otherwise"
They moreover declared their inten-
ton to resist ecclesiastical control of
politics, or church domination of the
state by Whomsoever attempted. They
likewise declared through that conven-
ton, the most brilliant and enthusiast
tic ever held in the state. their conf
dence in the patriotism of the people
of Utah, and in their ability to put
down every attempt at church domin-
alton in political affairs.
The campaign went on to a finish
and the Democrats were defeated, but
there was no sullling over the defeat
1t was accepted bravely, cheerfully
and attended with no elimination
There was no effort made to defeat
statehood. Democrats cheerfully joined
with their Republican fellow citizens
in patriotic efforts to celebrate the ad-
vent of that statehood which had been
brought to Utah through Democratic
effort
That was the course Democrats pur-
sued.
Now what is the course of the Tri-
bune when confronted with what ii
thinks is an effort 'to bring church in
fuence into politics and to put the
politics of this state under church
domination?" Does it call for a re
assembling of it's party state conven-
ton? Does it declare confidence in the
people to settle this question of church
interference in politics? Does it pledge
itself to resist church domination? II
: makes no such manly effort, but sits
! or Of re- q IN,
clothes itself in Sackcloth, puts ashes
: on its head and piteously cries out
, against those who are, from its stand
point, using church influence" they
will undo in a moment all that has
been done in the last five years to put
: Utah fairly in line as an American
state:' their action will roll Utah
back twenty years, and take away
every possible advantage which it was
, hoped statehood would bring" they
will "close our borders against the in
flow of either people or capital;" anc
will breed such distrust that in lit
tie while the confidence of neighbor il
neighbor will be destroyed, and it will
appear not only in politics, but al
: along the line of businessp'
Can there be any doubt that the less
talk of that kind we have the better
If the Tribune has the evidence thai
church influence is being used in poll
tics in the candidacy of the elder Can
non; if it knows that there is a de-
termination to have the church domi
nate the state, let it make that appear
and make war fierce and unrelentine