The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-09
Indea Norrell.

Judge Norreu was asked about the
discourse of President woodruff and
said in substance:
L was one of the first to move in the
work of division on party lines and !
was quite active in the promotion of
it. I had seen 50 much bitterness here
between the people and the feeling WAS
SO intense that l was really anxious
to see it allayed. l felt that | would
be more contented if it could be DONE
and | argued that the same natural
feelings would come to all the people.
l also argued that the easiest and most
direct way to accomplish that result
was a division of the people, both nom
Mormon and Mormon, upon party Pc
litical lines and an utter abolition and
disruption of the so-called political par
ties then existing here. President
George @. Cannon viii distinctly re-
member that I. in company with my
lamented friend, Frank H. Dyer called
at his home and fully talked the mat
ter over before any steps we're taken,
and that I stated to him then that our
intention was sincere and our object
the betterment of conditions here; and
he Will no less distinctly remember
that ! stated that being among the
very first to move in that direction,
1 would also be the first to retrace my
steps when 1 became conVinced-if I
ever should become SO conVinced-that
the people We're not just as sincere.
In reply to me Mr.. Cannon said he be-
lieved the people would gladly and
sincerely divide upon party lines and
suggested a. meeting of a dozen or so
of our people with an equal number of
the Mormon people. Without going
into details, that meeting was held and
the decision reached to open the doors
and invite the people at large through
IL. i III
and align themselves with the politi
cad parties according to preference.
The sequel is already we'll known to
every man, woman and child in Utah.
was willing at that time to trust in
the honesty and sincerity of the peo-
pie and l am not yet bereft of the
opinion that they are sincere. [ fully
believe the large majority of them are
determined to carry out the ideas and
Intentions involved in the agreement
to divide upon party lines, to-Wit:
perfect freedom Of every citizen to act
politically as he thinks best for the
good of the community without dicta-
ton from anyone, be he political leader
or religious leader, and the American
idea of a thorough and unequivocal di-
vorce Of state and church. This IS the
only way in which the strife and bit
terness of the past can be aVerted, and
cannot bring myself to believe that
these people are anxious or even will
ing TO have these troubles and that
bitterness recur
L greatly deplore the words of Mr..
Woodruff. It makes me feel as if the
leaders of the dominant church in this
state are feeling the temper of the PEG
pie [ dislike very much to give the
words of Mr.. Woodruff's speech an
Interpretation he did not intend they
should have. but they nevertheless
have an ominouS sound. But what
ever may be lurking within them and
whatever omen they may presage. I
shall confidently await the verdict of
the people for will not say before
they speak that they viii stultify
themselves. If it be that finally my
judgment of them has been at fault.
there is vet time to consider means and
measures"