The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-12
To The Editor Of The Herald:

H
To The Editor OF The Herald:
Some aspects of Senator F. ]. Can
didates and Pharisees'' seems to have
been hidden behind the bqiIliance and
1ervor of the gentleman's effort. Brave,
ii may be conceded to have been; it
was. however, the bravery of the man
at bay, and very far from the bravery
OF one facing the loss of a future that
gave every promise of success, because
OF q career behind TO justify the claim
OF high aspirations. 1t must be clearly
understood that L make no reference to
any alleged moral delinquencieS. These
are of no moment in this discussion,
though 1 can understand why some
persons actually would prefer, as their
representative, in any capacity, one who
would, at least, assume a, virtue. For
of what value is the reward promised
the VirtuouS, if the vicious are always
10 be the w6arers of the crown But
that is apart from the present discus
sion.
Whether Senator Cannon's father is
q good man, While he himself is, as he
says, a bad one; whether the resolu-
tions of the WOmans club demanding
Senator Cannon's resignation are war
ranted or unwarranted; whether Sena-
tor Cannon's conduct is wGrthier Of eX-
ample than ex-senator Browns, is of
no possible moment These all pale to
inSignifcance, even as Senator Cannon
declares, beside the proposition of the
domination by the church of the polit-
ical career of this state. I shall not
dispute Senator Cannon's charge that
ecclesiastical influence has been used;
neither shall be denied here his defini-
ton Of reacuoniStS as the becoming I'll
tie Of those prominent gentlemen of the
church who have seen fit to oppose his
reelection and in so doing, by what
ever methods, have incurred the dis
pleasure of the senator, and therefore
have received the castigation of a
tongue rich in its power Of Scoriation.
All he says may or may not be true; but
It may be submitted, as a proposition
beyond the possibility of dispute, that
If any man in this state is in a posi-
ton TO know whether church influence
has been used, or is now being used in
political affairs. that one man is Sem
ator Frank J. Cannon.
CHARGING INFLUENCE.
The whole social body, since the dt-
vision Of the voters Of this state on ma
tional party lines, has seethed and
Writhed under iterated and reiterated
charges of ecclesiastical influence in
political affairs. DenialS have failed to
convince Notwithstanding the high
standing of those denying. No cleo
ton has passed since 1894 that the
charge has not been repeated, and dur
ing all these years Senator Frank ].
Cannon has been on the ascending end
of the political teeteT. A state, con-
fessedly Democratic to an overWhelm-
ing extent, was converted into Re
publican stronghold. When the sun
went down prominent men were pro-
fir- faa
rising on the succeeding morn found
these same prominent gentleman
avowed Republicans. What transpired
during the silent watches of the night
TO produce so marked a change in what
seemed unimpregnable reasons, the
signing winds alone may have known.
And during all these years the young
David, who, with sling and stones, went
out to fight the Democratic Goliath, was
Senator Frank J. Cannon His the vic
tory; his, therefore, the crown What
he is, the methods now receiving his
drastic denunciation have made him.
Nor is Senator Cannon a striking illus
tration of the ungrateful alone. He
would now soar to greater heights, be-
come the political savior of a common
wealth, since the dominant power can
no longer be moulded to advance his
personal ends.
hold Senator Cannon no worse and
his political aims little better than
other men. However noble his aspira-
tons, however pure his intent, the
trail of the serpent is over them all. -
For is not he a seeker for position?
And if the high purpose of others seek
ing office may be called into question as
being tainted with the odor Of personal
prefarment, by what process may we
know even Senator Cannon to be wholly
above and beyond the earth earthly, he
IL. <+l,
Nor is the brilliant gentleman oVerbur-
dened with a modesty that bedims a
clear vision to his own exceeding great
worth. Utah has not been set so high
in the United States senate through the
greatness of Mr. Cannon that any one
of his competitors may not set it
higher. albeit Mr.. Cannon may not
think 50.
MR.. CANNON'S MODESTY.
On what ground does the senator Of
fer himself as a perSonitcation of the
apostrophe Of Hugo TO poverty? Many,
indeed. there be who have the rags and
crumbs, though few and far between
are the millionaireS of the mind that
poverty creates. Whatever other delln-
quencies Mr.. Cannon may have, "a
guild conceit o hisSei," as the Scotch
would say, is not one of them.
Those there are of opinion that Sen
ator Cannon'S commentator of his
father. was a bid for a continuance of
the senatorship in the family name
the senator himself failing of re-elec-
ton. Report has it that MIR. George q.
Cannon, through advantageous invest
ments in Grand Central, Bullion-Beck
and other mining stocks, is several de-
grees removed from that delightful con-
dition to which Senator Cannon SO
earnestly directed the attention of the
people OF Utah by a quotation from the
writings Of Victor Hugo. 1t is, there
fore to be understood that Nh. George
Q. Cannon, because of the possession Of
shares in the Grand Central and other
mines, is denied those riches of the
mind which I am led to believe after
hearing the senator's own statements,
are his sole possession, he being, in
deed the poorest man in the state? He
conceded the rivalry of others in ora
tory. To himself alone was applied, in
apoVheOSiS, the apoStrophe OF Victor
Hugo TO poverty. Shall Cannon pere be
denied the right TO aspire to the SEN
atorship because his foresight and thrift
have made him inferior to Cannon fills
through the possession of wealth? If
Cannon pere may aspire, why not
others of wealth, who also give to the
church-King in tithing, Powers in ad-
vice to Roberts, McCune in the means
that hard labor has brought to him?
As l give the whole subject thought,
the conclusion comes that Senator Can
non is not entitled to a position be-
cause he is poor, since that might open
the door to King and Powers and my
self. though it bars the way to his
father and to a. w. McCune. But if
Senator Cannon enjoys a financial con-
-, ff1n 1e O-aT console