The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-10-19
CONTRADICTORY REASONING.

Some very Mormon reasoning char
acterizes the letter of Hon. A. e. Hyde
in Withdrawing from the Democratic
Legislative ticket in this county.
Mr.. HYDE seems to feel that The
Tribune has been unjust TO him, and
that to this paper and the American
party in some indirect fashion must
be attributed his status before the
people To the extent that hls
lengthy communication makes this in
timation, The Tribune takes direct IS
sue with him.
Mr.. HYDE is selfconfessed polyg
amist Neither The Tribune nor the
American party is responsible for
his multiplied coniugalities. He was
neither counseled nor forced into this
condition by either this paper or the
party which it represents.
Mr.. HYDE was a nominee OF the
Democratic party for the Legislature.
Neither The Tribune nor the American
party was responsible for this piece
of folly. The Democracy, which hates
the hierarchy (when the hierarchy is
not wiuking promise OF help to the
Democracy, has such reverence
for the po]ygarchy Otis two greatest
heads, Thatcher and Roberts, being
polvpamists), that it dare not offend
the class to which Mr.. Hyde belongs,
but caters to the vote of themselves
and their friends
Mr.. Hyde withdraws from the Demo
cratic ticket. Neither The Tribune
nor the American party was responsible
for his retirement He himself says
so.
Mr.. Hyde says that he received
amnesty, and thereby restoration of
his political rights after the Federal
law prohibiting polygamy had been
declared TO be constitutional. The
Tribune and the Gentiles of Utah were
in large degree responsible for this
proffer of amnesty. That Mr.. Hyde
did not accept it by fulfilling its condi-
tlons is no fault of The Tribune at any
time or Of the Genties or the Ameri-
can party.
Mr.. Hyde's statement that he re-
ceived amnesty when IL is notorious
that he did not fulfill the conditions;
Mr. Hyde statement that ne would
not retire under FIRE when he does re-
tire under fire: Mr. Hyde's statement
that he is not animated by any of the
threats of the opposition when he
withdraws and leaves his party in a
crisis; Mr. Hyde S statement that
Democrats have not urged him to with
draw. and yet he wlthdraws for
the sake of harmony; Mr.. Hyde's
admission that he is polygamist, while
denying the consequences Of his status
all these are so characteristic OF
the ruling class of the Mormon
church. with which Mr.. Hyde
afiliates in the highest and most con"
| fdential way, as to be rather an eX-
posure than an apology. That they
are presented With Mr., Hyde's we'll
known ability. that the letter will read
we'll in Democratic and Mormon cir
cles. that Mr.. Hyde has strengthened
himself with the two classes of people
to which he belongs-viz, Democrats
| and ygamlStS-cannoJ cHdhSe lho
fact that Mr.. Hyde's adroit letter is
worthy of preservation chiefly as a
proof of the illogical and evaslve
methods of defense pursued by the
Mormon hierarchy and their immediate
colleagues.
Mr.. Hyde acknowledges that he
entered into polygamy at a time when
St was an alleged law OF God. Accord
ing to that pretended commandment he
is a priest of power here, and prince
Of glory hereafter 1t is a little unfair
on the part Of Mr.. Hyde to assume
that The Tribune and the American
party have injured him in speaking
of him as a polygamist. If his faith
is true, The Tribune has merely told
that Mr. Hyde is TO be one of the
minor gods in the hereafter, while
the polygamists are performing
menial services for the elite.