The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-01
FOR A FREE VOTE.

fOK p FREE VOL K.
It need surprise no one that leading
Republicans Of the dominant church
should attempt the use of their ec-
clesiastical positions to coerce voters
into voting for the party candidate, as
they were doing in this city yesterday.
They have done this regularly at every
important election since the organiza-
ton Of national parties in this state,
and they may be expected to do it
until they die.
1t matters not TO these men that the
head Of their church has repeatedly
told their people to vote as their con-
science dictates; it matters not that
such a course as they have taken serves
more than anything else to perpetuate
the bitterness engendered in Utah in
early days. Their obligations and
honor, the future welfare of their re-
hgion, their duty as American citizens,
are of less Importance to them than the
success of the Republican party.
On Friday evening Mr.. Thomas Fitch.
a well known and well paid orator of
the Republican party, addressed a par
tisan meeting at the Exposition build
ing in this city. Among those who at
tended were President Snow and some
of the apostles OF the Mormon church.
These gentlemen were present because,
in years gone by, Mr.. Fitch had been
a warm friend and was the attorney
of the church. BY arrangement of the
Republican committee, they occupied a
conspicuous place. Because they were
there, and because they were conspicu-
Gus, Republican ecclesiastics have been
secretly circulating the report among
members of the Mormon church that
the pres dent of the church desires the
election of James II. Hammond, Re
publican candidate to congress.
The Herald is advised that President
Snow has no desire to see the church
embroiled. in a partisan battle 1t does
not believe that any one has been au-
thorized to use his name for such a
purpose.
President Shows position is expressed
clearly in an authorized interview. pub
Speaking on this very subject. he said:
We'll, I can explain my own posi-
ton in short order. I have never been
in politics. 1 want to keep entirely out
of il, and am not in now. I have never
said a word to any man to influence
his political action in any way.
don't want to. I want people t. choose
7
no matter how the others feel or what
they have said"
IF any man says I ever did
aught to influence his political choice.
he says that which is not so. want
the people to be free about such things"
President Shows desire to see the
voters who belong to the church follow
their own convictions, without ecclesi-
astical dictation or suggestion. is again
forcibly indicated by an editorial of the
Deseret News, the official organ of the
church, yesterday afternoon:
THE people of Utah." says the News.
ARE free men and women, and are I'M
der no coercion or improper restraint
They are at perfect liberty 10 exercise
the right Of suffrage according to their
own Judgment
The voters of Utah, whether Jew,
Gentle or Mormon, have had all they
want Of ecclesiastical interference in
matters of state. Ali alike have suf-
fered from the bitterness that has in
evitably resulted They have been
patient, but the bishop, or
stake president or apostle-Demo-
crat or Republican-who thinks
he can use his religious faith to Sc
cure votes for the benefit of men who
have systematically misrepresented the
state, Will find that he has entirely
mistaken the sentiments of the mem
bers of his church and the voters of
this commonwealth.
Such trickery has been successful at
various times, but it is doomed to fail
ure now. Tomorrows election will show
that the large majority of the people
cannot be dubbed into an abandonment
of the political principles they hold
dear. or be made the subject Of barter
and trade between a few Republican
church officials and a boss who, mOso
of all men, has bulldozed. -libeled and
bTow-beaten the people Of this state for
years.
The Democratic organization expects,
as right. free. untrammeled express
sion of the peoples judgment at the
polls, and the people are with it in that
demand.