The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-14
SCRAPS OF HISTORY.

SChAfS UT MOL OhF.
There has been a crowd that on every
occasion. no matter Row they talked on
the street when they thought an aGvan-
fage could be gained, would go ana pros
trate themselves at the headquarters OF
that they averred was making the trouble
mere. This class of sneaks has always
been in the way OF establishing the ris sIni
here IN Utah. and they have. given the
Mormon leaders right 10 think that they
could do as they pleased. whether It
clashed with the laws of the United States
or not--TribUEe-
To illustrate: In 1S94-5 the Salt Lake
Tribune defended the right of ecclesi-
asticas interference in political affairs
which, rather than the system of plu-
raj marriages, has been the chief OBJ
lection raised to the Mormon church.
Senator Edmunds saic to the Utah
committee that waited on him years
ago: 1T is church rule in politics that
has to be destroyed; We merely strike
at polygamy because the evidences of
that are tangible
It church leaders choose to go to
voters or to members of the legisla-
tire, said the Salt Lake Tribune in
1897, and say to them that Mr.. So-and-
so has antagonized our church and
you should vote against him. it would
be their right.
When our neighbor said that it was
fawning at the feet of ecclesiastical
power.
In 1885, Mormons from all over Utah
met in great convention for the pur-
pose of protesting against ecclesiastical
interference with party conventions.
especially through religious meetings.
The Tribune did everything it could do
to discourage those Independent Nor
mons of this state. who were earnest
if ever men were earnest in this world.
Our neighbor was PROSTATE before
the throne of hierarchal rule awaiting
a senatorship then.
When Mormons took the initiative in
the work of progression and indepen-
denee of political action in 1895, the
Tribune called them loafers and Ibelers
--sriG->erdered them TO stop giving the
state a black eye and ''churning up
doubts and unjust suspicious against
this people"
1t was licking the dust from the
boots of the church authorities.
When zone after another of these
Mormon agitators got up said the Tri-
pune in commenting upon the recon-
vened convention, they declared how
necessary it was for this region TO be
free from church rule" But the Tri-
bune ridiculed them and scoffed at their
resolutions. told them the church au-
thorities had d right to turn priesthood
meetings into political prinaries-if
only it were done in the interest of the
Republican party.
1t wept bitter tears over the pros
pect of the reconvenea convention de-
feating statehood with its attendant
ssnatorships), and denounced the Dem
oeratic party for making any protest.
no matter how just grievance it might
have, because dispatches were certain
to be sent out which would have the
effect of driving capital away and
keeping emigrants Immigrants from
coming here"
How PROSTATE our sneighbor was at
the headquarters Of the church as it
deplored the radicalism it averred was
bringing this people" into disrepute,
When it was alleged three years ago
that polygamous relations had not been
severed by the manifesto or the con-
stitution, the Tribune said that those
instruments s'only went to the point of
plural marriages. which had been
taught as holy sacrament must not
hereafter be solemnized' and it said
further that in considering this mat
ter. thoughtful people wiz not lose
sight Of the fact that human passions
cannot always be killed by a proclama-
ton. or the habits of years made toI
lose their influences.
There was grovelins at the door of
the first presidents office.
The Tribune stated upon another oc-
easion that some polygamists had de
serted their plural wives through a.
mistaken idea of duty; and offered to
.,ubEsh and denounce all such if the
names were furnished. In support of
this position it made the following APP
peal:
We think our friends of the Mormon
PRESS ought 10 join US in this. We think
the Mormon church ought TO assist us.
because IL is a mighty reproach upon the
feelings of Utah- III is further. a mighty
~eoroach upon the church itself Utah IS
in f1e transition state. but that transition
~farc furnishes no justification for men
To 20 back on obligations of humanity
which they incurred in all apparent se-i-
business in the past.
There is no use of clubbing over this
and saying this is a colder winter than
that. or that dyspepsia is verse now
than it was Their. The fact of the mat
ter is. ard it is useless 10 deny it. that
NOBODY. since the division on party,
lines. has beer 50 ready to fawn at thel
feet of priestIy power. Il there was any
gain in it. as is orr self-righteous
neignhor, nor more ready to rave and
rant If the personal and political ALI
ances proposed by the local Republican
boss are .ejected-
The whole Dutch contingent of South
Africa is up IN arms against British
ineasion. Tie land grabbers have
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