Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1905-12-16
II n II T Fl.

methods which he applies to his bust
ness affairs, he threw down the
gauntlet.
Then began one of the fiercest and
most prolonged fights for poliaical
liberty ever waged. Both sides meas
ured their strength to the limit No |
mercy was shown. The crack of the |
Mormon presidents whip resounded. |
Senator Kearns newspapers and ora
tors urged the Gentiles to unite for
their self-preservation. 1t was close
contest, but the Americans won out,
and were it not for Mr. Kearns' native
modesty he could have accepted the
congratulations of every Gentle in
the state as n personal victory Moth
ing before had ever occurred to give
the church's prestige setback.
Mr.. Kearns has long been promi-
nent as a successful mining man; one
who has made millions through his
knowledge of pay rock; some call it
luck. He was born in Canada in 1862,
moved to Nebraska with his parents
when 10 years old; was a freighter in
the Black hills at IA and went to Utah
when 81. He worked as a miner in
Park City, gradually acquired proper
| ty of his own and soon became rich
With all his success. he has been the
most liberal with his men and pays
them better than any mine owner in
the state. He was always an advo-
cate of the eight-hour law in both
mines and mills and government
work.
How He Won.
Mr.. Kearns laid out his plans for
the fight with skill. He purchased
the Salt Lake Tribune for large
sum, kept the paper up to a high
standard and employed the best brain
and talent in the market. The fight
was boldly carried into the ranks of
the Mormons themselves. An appeal
was made to the young men to be
American citizens and not the slaves
of a religious leader. They were
shown how they must be outdistance1
in the race for success If they were
forced to pay the annual tithing of 10
per cent of their earnings, while their
competitors had this percentage in
their favor The women. who vote in
Utah, were appealed to in tho name
IF their honor and virtue to discour-
age Mormonism and secret polygamy
Day after day, week after week, the
fight never Jagged. The skeletons in
the Mormon church's closet were all
dragged out for the peoples insDec-
ton. No stone was left unturned to
prove the church an un-American and
llaw-breaking. institution. 1t is be-
lieved that in large measure the vic
tory of Mr.. Kearns is due to the fact
that he succeeded in convincing the
young Mormons of their folly in allow
ing the church to control their bal
lots and that he aroused in a measure
the spark of patriotism.
The Mormons are already maxine
desperate efforts to again bring their
organization into the perfect opera
ton that insured them victory for 50
many years, and which has been sad
ly shattered by Mr. Kearns. There is
grief, in some instances panic, in the
home of the church officials. Presi-
: dent Smith has aged perceptibly in
the last month as he saw the church
control weakening and the signs OF
disaffection. Desperate methods will
be employed to make the church agaiu
dictator of the government of the
state and city. The fight is not yet
over. The Mormons will be hard to
down. But Mr.. Kearns says he will
continue the campaign until the
church agrees to obey the law and
keep out of politics
O