The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-13
Attacks JUDGE BAsKlN.


The Trfbunes vitriolic assault upon
Judge Baskin for expressing his honest
opinion of the anti-Roberts fight in a
private letter to a personal friend in
the east indicates that our insane con-
temporary has reached the acute stage
of its malady. 1t is swapping right and
left, biting Gentiles and Mormons
alike, Safeguarding men who entertain
opinions at variance with its own, de-
nying to American citizens the right of
free speech and incidentally allowing
some of its pent up malice to escape
malice that has been fermenting ever
since the senatorial disappointment re-
ferred to by the vice president of the
National Republican League in yester-
days dispatches.
The Republican organ is not an
American journal and. never will be I'M
der its present management. 1t would
shine as Russian court journal. 1t
evidently believes in the practice as
well as the theory of Imperialism.
What is the nature of Judge Baskin's
offending? What did he say in that let
ter which calls forth the coarse and
brutal assault of the Republican organ?
Both MI. Roberts and myself were
overwhelmingly elected by the same
constituency and by nearly the same
majority. am not aware of single
instance of a Democratic member of
the class which in former days was
commonly designated Gentle having
voted against Mr. Roberts, notwith-
standing the charges so widely
spread since his election were cur
rently made against him in the cam
paign by his Republican opponents.
Judge Baskin knows plenty of Demo-
Gratis who refused TO vote for Rob-
erts."
People who know the reputation and
character of Judge Baskin and his as
sailant will not hesitate to believe
Judge Baskin. His word is good and
SO is his bond. In the old days he
fought Mormonism. When the fight was
over he quit.
That the movement against Mr..
Roberts is political is shown by the
facts that other members of the
Mormon church against whom like
charges are made continue to hold
important Office under the appoint
ment of Mckinley. Yet not a single
word of objection to their continu-
ance in office is heard from the Re
publican politicians, who in this
state are most active in the effort TO
array public sentiment throughout
the nation against seating Mr.. Rob-
erts.
The Tribune says this is another lie
that mo one better than Judge Baskin
knows that the movement against Rob-
erts was not political"
Here in Utah the opposition to Rob-
erts was political movement, original
ed by the local Republican boss for
three reasons: First, to cover up the
Tribune's desertion TO the camp of the
goldbugs; second. to intimidate the
leaders of the dominant church into
making terms with the boss, or, at
least, TO have control of political affairs
of the church turned over to George Q.
Cannon, as it was before the accession
of the present head of the church;
third, to obtain revenge upon the
the unhoiy alliance proposed by Boss
Lannan.
That men Joined the political crusade
without understanding or questioning
the motives behind it, is not disputed.
There were men waiting, who had been
waiting for years. for an opportunity
TO revive the old fight; and there were
hundreds who, honest in their own in |
dignation and opposition, not only to
polygamy, but TO Mormonism in gen.
eral, never paused to inquire into the |
of the originators and agita-
tors of the fight. In the country at !
large the movement is largely sustained |
by religious sentiment. no doubt, but |
here in Utah it IS a fight which was be-
gun by a party boss for reasons stated; |
it was intensified by the pent up bit
terness of a soured and disappointed
who was in a position to
vent his spleen upon the heads of an
unpopular and, as he thought, an I'M
people: it was utilized by the
party of Utah. So Judge
Baskin is right and the facts he cites
in support of his position remain after
the sulphurous smoke of vituperation
has cleared away.
g 9 I.
1t is fact that President Mckinley
appointed polygamists to office, and
that he did so with all the evidence"
before him; it is fact that the Salt
lake Tribune remained silent while
these appointments were being made:
hat It supported polygamists for pub
ic Office while waging bitter warfare
Upon B. H. Roberts; that it has uttered
40 protest yet against the retention of
In active polygamist at the head of a
institution of learning in
his state. It is a fact that the Repub-
lean organ of Salt Lake City. while
Roberts. has tried TO discour-
ige the proposition to hold an official
investigation of the practice OF polyg-