The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-17
Especial Correspondence.

quite a boom at the largest meeting OF
the stake conference which was held
in the tabernacle here on Saturday and
Sunday. The meeting at which the
talking was done was on Sunday after
noon, the closing services of confer
ence. President William Bulge led
out, and was vigorously supported by
Seymour b. Young and c. D. Fjel-
stead. 1t has caused any amount of
food for discussion, in fact it is about
all tie taik now, and the coming cam
paign may be said to be thoroughly
started.
President Bulge referred to the
proneness OF some of the people who
We're disturbed by occurrences OF a
TEMPORAL nature that sometimes arose
in the community. I'VE have got,
said he, ito subordinate everything,
our natures and dispositions, and eV-
cry. personal feeling, to the upbuildlnS
Of the kingdom of God. 1t is to be re-
GREETED mat we 50 often allow our
selves to be divided by little things
that pertain merely to this temporal
existence. This is the work of the
Lord. I have received confirmation OF
this, so that / do not have to go back
to former times for an absolute assur-
ance We are all sometimes affected
by our selfish interests, but OF all
things we desire, and it is the crystal
iZation of all our hopes and labors is
that we shall become united. Why
should we not become united? We are
the people of God; our aspirations are
the same; and yet we do not keep this
fact before us at all times.
POLITICAL AFFAIRS.
"As the brethren may have antici-
pated, l now refer more particularly
to our political interests. We have
had an oppol tunity TO accept, accord
ing to our judgment, such political
faith as we most favor. We have had
no trouble as to which party we asso-
ciated with There can be no objection
as to our choice, but when the time
came that matters were more practl-
cal, we forgot our good intentions, and
carried our feelings further than an
ticipated, and much anilnosity and
suspicion arose in consequence. Be
ing entirely unschooled in politics, we
did not comprehend the result of mat
tiers that We're presented, and as we
became more enlightened we made
changes consistently, which elected
criticisms which were not as friendly
as we should have made of each
other.
president Woodruff's advice at our
last general conference in the interests
of peace and economy, should be we'll
What is the object of taking an inter
est in politics at all? 1t is to better
our condition, TO bring about legisla-
ton which will be more beneficial to
us, as well as to preserve the liber-
ties which are guaranteed to US in
common with all other American citi-
zeEs by the constitution of the United
States. and also thai men shall repre-
sent US in our legislatures and county
affairs as our servants, and that they
shall be men worthy and adapted to
the work expected of them. Instead
of this We have allowed this feeling to
grow so strong within us that we have
lost sight of the real object and profit
of our elections. Take our school cleo
tons; We desire to elect men whose
interests are in sympathy with US; and
We do not care in our local matters
whether q man is Democrat or a
Republican, so long as he is laboring
for the interests of the people. This
should be not only the case in our
school elections. but also in the cleo
ton of our municipal and county Of
ficers. We want to fill offices which
affect US at home with the best men
we can find, no matter what their poll
tics may be. We want to come to-
gether where there is no sacrifice of
political principle, and say what we
want, selecting good men and true,
men likely to accomplish the work that
we want them to perform. We have
nothing to say about a. mans politics
where a political principle is involved.
What we want and most desire is to
keep the people united, and stop this
growth OF political feeling about mat
tiers Of a purely business character 1t
is so very foolish when we look at it,
to suffer SO much from excessive taxa
ton. and then when an election comes
round to lose sight of the main object
Of 5ala1-as ~
our votes continue the present IN
satisfactory condition. Notwithstand-
ing the difference of opinion that may
prevail in regard to the suffrage ques-
ton. our sisters VIII be pleased to
operate with us at the ballot box, and
their position viii manifest their good
Judgment and desire for Improvement.
"As we are now entirely free from
all political obligations. feel therefore
the most perfect freedom in talking to
the people on these matters. My re
marks are not made with a view to
criticising the past unfavorably, or any
person connected with past proceedings
but simply that we now, free from all
personal expectations and political ex-
citement, may come to profitable con-
illusions in regard to the future. Let
us not sacrifice the greater promises
and blessings for these trifiing matters
that only VeH US and disunite u.s. Who
of those who have never known the
truth? The gospel brings us freedom
and we want to avoid everything that
brings disturbance among US. The
peace of the gospel should be so priced
that all the politics and all the money
in the world could not affect us
PRESIDENT FJELsTEAD's RE-
MARKS
President c. D. Fjelstead of the pre-
siding quorum of seventies, followed UT
the same subject. You know" he
said. that some of our friends say
that we can come as spiritual advisers
but that If we say anything about pol
itics they win cry out church and
state . He then entered into that
subject. reviewing the past history OF
the children Of God to show that theil
leaders were always justified in ad-
yising the people in relation to al
things that were profitable for them
agreeable with the laws of the govern
rnents under which they lived.
Fe then said: I'VE don't propose tc
close our mouths when we can see the
Improvement of the condition of the
people is at stake. It has got so with
us that when the president of the
church comes among US, we hardly
knox the fact; but ii a politician comes
into our midst, no matter if he is q
whorefnonger, q drunkard or thief