The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-20
AN INTERESTING RECORD.

We give a synopsis Of the Republican
organs defense of its present position
compared with the one it took in OPP
position TO Mr.. Roberts candidacy in
1885. 1t says: 4 49,
I'VE opposed Mr.. Roberts then be-
cause he was a Democrat"
But little later Mr.. Roberts saw
a great light He surrendered his po-
litical principles his American man.
hood, his right as a citizen of this re-
public to advocate any cause that he
pleased, to vote any ticket that he
pleased; surrendered them all to the
priestly powers of the Mormon church,
and begged pardon for ever having
dared to assume to be an Independent
American"
The one most active in the assault
upon him and his Americanism three
years ago was the one who from seat
to seat was whipping in the brethren
to support him in convention. We OPP
posed him three years ago because he
was a Democrat, which God knows was
reason enough, but we did it fairly and
honorably, and all the time felt a thrill
of pride that he, high churchman that
he is, was still a true American, and
was a superb example to young Utah
of one who could be a devout believer
in the dominant creed of this state,
and could still hold aloft the banner of
Americanism, even as his church SUI
periors had, the previous year, declared
that all MormonS might"
Let us examine the record and see
whether the Republican organ felt "a
thrill of pride in Mr.. Roberts. or was
trying to throw cold water upon his
independence in 1895. Let us turn
through the transcript and see if our
neighbor isn't engaged in impeaching
its own testimony; if it isn't making a
complaint now that it secuted then; if
it isn't arraigring Mr.. Roberts in this
campaign on the charge of having done
what it counseled him to do.
In 1895 there had been overt acts
committed. by high ecclesiastics in an
official capacity and in religious as
semblages. 1t was believed to be suf-
ficient provocation for resentment The
Tribune said there wasn't, Today no
such occurrences are complained Of
No official demonstration has been
made. No religious gatherings have
been turned into political meetings No
endorsement of a seventy president as
a Democratic congressional candidate
has been announced. No official con-
domination of the congressional candi-
dacy of a stake president has been
heard of. 1t is a very different cam
paign from that, and what was our
neighbours position then?
After the reconvened convention of
1895 the Tribune devoted column after
column to ridicule OF the Democrats of
Utah. 1t called that action of the
party "a grand stand play" Is the Re-
publican organ doing the grand stand
act now? 1t sneeringly referred to
the Democracy as "a band of mar
tyrs." Has it joined the band? 1t
contended that Democrats had no
right to resent political opposition in
priesthood meetings; that they had no
business to nominate men to whose |
candidacy the church authorities were
opposed; it quoted approvingly from
President George @. Cannon, who said |
on Oct. 6 at a Sunday school conven- |
ton in this 'city, referring to Messrs. |
Thatcher and Roberts: Now, 1 want |
to state that the first presidency had |
no voice in the nomination of these |
men; we were not consulted"
Discussing the situation in October, |
1895, our Republican contemporary,
whose agitation is very marked at
present. said:
IF we were going to. give the Demo-
cratic central committee advice, we
would tell them to recall their call for
a reconvening of their convention. If
they do. not, they are liable to be
laughed to scorn, The bluff has done
all it can; ii has been met; the people
have seen it; it was a-losing hand from
the start; and now that it has failed,