The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-27

respective quorum. The Democratic
party, believing that such remarks
were very untimely and prejudicial to
the cause of Democracy and civil lib
erty, reconvened it's convention, and
there entered formal protests against
any such unjust interference. But,
as remember the facts, the gisit of the
protest was not made so much because
there had been an interference but be-
cause it had been made at time when
the battle was almost fought, and the
tide of victory was with the Democra-
cy. This, it seems, was the point at
which all the shots of that convention
were fired. The time at which those
unfortunate remarks were made was
the essence of the deliberations of the
reconvened convention. The chief de-
sire en- the part of all was to have the
church define itself in these matters,
and to do so at a proper time and not
while political battle was Waging.
The church awaited calm, and in re-
Spouse to an almost universal demand
has declared its position clearly and
unequivocally, SO that he who runs
(f0r office or otherwise) may read. and
none need err therein.
The manifesto is a Vindication of the
past and a clear criterion for the flu
ture. 1t disclaims in the most positive
terms the right CIR desire of the church
or it's officials to encroach upon the do
main of the state or interfere with the
individual liberty of its citizens. This
declaration accompanies the so-cafled
Objectionable rule and together forms
a part of the manifesto. The rule laid
down in the manifesto is not new
thing, but as the manifesto declares,
has existed and been acted upon, in the
main, since the rise of the church. The
manifesto is then nothing more than
the declaration of common law or
rule by which the members of the
church have always been guided. 1t
is impossible for me to see how such
a rule will in any way interfere Wfth
or abridge the liberty of the citizen. II
is left to his option whether he shall
hold one of two positions (where they
conflicD ecclesiastical or political. The
church lays down the conditions under
which it's offices may be held. just so
does the state prescribe the conditions
under which it's offices may be held. II
complaint can be registered against
the one so can it against the other.
But by a forced construction, over
looking the intent and misjudging the
motive of those who framed the rule,
some would drag it into the ship of
state WITHOUT d SllduOW Vi cause, put II
into operation and because it should
work disaster to that for which 1t was
never designed, they will cry out
against its trainers, calling them the
usurpers and deStroyerS of civil lib
erty.
Mr.. Seaman, after discussing the rule
of the manifesto and the sixth declar
alton of the reconvened convention, and
stating that he couldn't reconcile them,
concluded in the following: "One says
he must learn from them, etc, and the
other says he is free to act, ETC.
1T seems to me that there is no sub
stantial conflict between the two de-
ciarations. The one declares a rule for
the guidance of the citizen as church
mem Ger, the other prescribes rule by
which he may act as a member Of the
body polite. Operate the rules in their
proper spheres and there will be no
conflict whatever. But if either is
dragged into the sphere of the other,
collision will be the result.
Let US for a moment look at the sixth
declaration upon which Mr. Seaman is
afraid of stultifying himself if he ap-
proves the manifesto. It reads: THAT
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
ly or otherwise Everyone can see
that the declaration above quoted is
beautiful sentence embodying a grand
principle of civil liberty. But in actual
practice that beautiful sentence be-
comes a hollow mockery as far as po-
litical dictation is concerned. That the
Individual is left free to act upon his
own judgment exists only in the minds
of ideaMsts Yet on the contrary, there
are countless instances where the 1ndl-
vidual becomes q mere machine in the
hands of his panty or the convention.
He is instructed and pledged ITO execute
the will of the instructors. A page in
the history of last fall will verify all
this.
The sixth declaration is the ideal for
which we are all striving, but until
machine politics are no more we shall
never be able to reach that hoped-tor
goal. Mr.. Seaman asks, Can man
support in toto this manifesto and not
stultify his act of last October?'' Most
assuredly he can if his action in ap-
proving the sixth declaration is the
strongest evidence that can be brought
ITO the aid of qualification. 1t is i'm
nossible to look into that sixth declara-
tion without seeing reflected therein
the biggest qualification of political &C
tion .that was ever recorded in the an
nails of our history. Very Respectfully,
-i''-1 RAY VAN COLT.