Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1903-11-07
SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 1903.
CHURCH INFLUENCE IN POLITICS


A significant feature of the com
plant that is so often made in rela.
ton to church influence in polit les
is the fact that this complaint is
never made by the winning side.
If the Democrats score victory
they are never heard to complain OF
the interference of the church,
while if theg. o. p.succeed in turning
their adversaries down they are not
heard from on the subject of church
influence. The fact of the matter
is that either party is quite willing
that the so called church influence
should be used, if they are the bene-
fciaries. 1t has become the rule
here in Utah for the cry of church
influence to be raised by the looslng
party. There is always this source
OF consolation for them. This old
song has beer sung a great many
times, and is one OF the simplest
ditties in the book. Nobody is eX-
pected to give any particulars,
neither as to how, where, or who.
We have no recollection of ever see
ing the word church defined as used
in this connection. If we follow the
dictionary and admit the church to
be ga body of christian believers OBJ
serving the same rites and acknowl-
edgeing the same authority" it is
very difficult to see how the church
could fail to influence their every
art.if they are sincere in their be
lief. Such body should always be
found working for what their creed
teaches them is right, and church in
huence under such conditions, if the
doctrines of such church are good,
should be beneficial to the common
wealth, whether il is in the interest
OF politicians or not. But it is not
in this way, as near as we can un-
derstand, that the term is used
Judging by the manner in which it
IS charged, and trying to reconcile
the charge with common sense, it
must bethatthose whomake thecom.
pfaint mean 1t is not the church that
uses the influence but only certain
leaders, or men in authority therein,
who are accused of using their au-
thority to coerce the body over
whom they preside to take such ac-
ton in political affairs as they d.
rect. If this definition of church
influence is to be the criterion by
which the charge is tobe considered,
those who make it shonld certainly
be able TO do something more than
make the general complaint that
they are in the habit of doing Some
time, if the church authorities
are in the habit of seeking to
compel the members to do their bid
ding in political affairs, they will
try the wrong man and he will give
the scheme away. AS far as we
have been able to learn such case
has never been even cited, let alone
proven. In the municipal election
that has just occurred the stock cry
has been raised by supporters of the
tossing ticket, it being alleged thai
the ward authorities have used church
influence to defeat them. Those
who are acquainted with the ware
authorities could have told these
people that as far as their influence
was concerned they might be sur
that it would go, as it ought to do
in favor of the suppression of tn
liquor traffic; and that to expect any
thing else from them would be dc
ing men Of their we'll known temper
ance principles an injustice. But.
any man or woman among the sur
porters of the defeated ticket know
Of any one Of the ward or stake al
thorities having sought in their o.