The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-26
HERO OF MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGN DlSCL oSED.

ice at the political game, Mr.. Kearns'
good sense and intuitive knowledge OF
men won him success He il today the
most prominent figure i'm Utah politics.
In 1886 Mr.. Kearns was sent as a DEB
egate 10 the Republican national con-
vention and was one of the silver Re
publicana who withdrew from the con-
yention because OF the gold plank in
the Republican platform. His first VEN
ture into the field OF national politics
was n successful one, and i'm 1909 he
was again sent 70 the Republican ma
tional convention az Philadelphia.
Mr.. KearnS was elected TO the senate
IN 1901. During his term in the senate
Mr.. kearns began to realize more fully
the growing and grasping power of the
Mormon church, the fanatical frenzy
with which IL sought TO keep outsiders
from settling in Utah and the baneful
influence it had in politics He saw
Utahs sister states forging ahead,
while strangers who came to Salt Lake
looked the place over and left because
or the power of the church and the boy
colt which the MormOnH maintain
against outsiders. He determined to
stop such practices il possible and put
Utah on an equality with other states.
Though everyone said defeat was GER
tain, he began the campaign.
Mr.. Kearna laid out the plans for the
fight with skill. He purchased the Salt
Lake Tribune for a large sum. and the
fight was boldly carried into the ranks
o. the MormOnI themselves. An appeal
was made TO the young men 10 be
American citizens and not the slaves of
. religious leader. They were shown
how they must be outdistanced in the
race for success il they We're forced to
continue to pay the annual tithing of
l0 per cent of their earnings To the
| church. while their competitors had
this percentage in their favor. The Wo-
men, who vote in Utah, were appealed
| to in tho name of their honor and the
purity OF WOmanhOOd Ia discourage po-
| lygamy and MOrmonism. Day after day
week after week, for three years the
fight never Jagged The skeletons in
the Mormon church'a closet We're all
dragged out for the peoples inspection.
No stone was left unturned To prove
the church an un-American anG law
| breaking institution. 1t liz believed
| that in large measure the victory Of
Mr.. kearnS is due to the fact that he
| succeeded in convincing the young
| Mormon voters of their folly in allow
| ms the church TO direct their ballots,
Tho MOImCns are already making
| desperate efforts to again bring their
| Organization up 90 the perfect opera
many years. ana which Nj. Kearns
| has apparently shattered. There is
| grief almost amounting to panic, in
the home u every official al the church
| President Smith has aged percepubly in
| the last month and he saw the church
control weakening and the signs 81 dis
affection. Desperate methods viii be
| employed a make the church again
dictate; Of the government OF the state
and city.
! Tie fight is not yet over: the Nor
/ mons viii be hard Ia put down. But Nj
KearnG is determined and says no will
/ continue the campaign until tho church
| agrees to obey the law and keep it's
| hands out OF politics.
The defeat was severe blow to Reed
/ SmoOt He thought that by electing a
Republican mayor he could preserve his
prestige in the party and strengthen
/ his case. which will come up at this
! session OF congress. He was in Salt
/ Lake from his home at Provo for a
week preceding the election. and has
] been severely criticized for hiS activity
/ in urging the Mormons to vote for his
man.