Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-30
AN EXPLANATION.

| The position Of the Deseret News In
any political contest ought to be per-
fectly clear to all It's readers, from the
statements repeatedly made In these
columns. but. TO remove any misun-
Outstanding that possibly may exist,
we repeat that the News does not In
terfere with matters pertaining exclu-
sively TO the domain Of politics. what
ever its critics may say TO the eontraryI
nor does the "News' offer any susges-
ton Of a partisan nature. II has al
| ways been the endeavor of this paper 10
explain the doctrines Of the Church,
and TO defend the Church, Its members,
no less than It's leading men. when un-
Justly assalled, and this WIZ continue
10 be Its policy. We may add that
when the Church Is attacked, the poll
ties Of an attacking party should make
no difference IN the reply, u reply Is
deemed necessary. This, briefly stated.
Is as II has always been. the position OF
the Deseret News. With mans po-
litical convictions we are not concerned.
We recognise the perfect liberty OF ey-
cry citizen 10 form his own Views, In
accordance with the light he has. But
we deny the right OF any man to mis-
represent his felowmen, or to hur false
accusations against the Church, merely
In order to gain point or mako u con-
vert.
IL has, for Instance, been inslnuated
for years that the Church and State are
unduly intermised In Utah. or rather.
that the dominant Church has sought to
control the political affairs Of the COM
monwealth. This as every one knows,
Is charge not founded In any fact
whatever. and whether Il be made d.
rectly or merely by inuendo, II must be
denied In the interest OF truth and fair
play no matter who makes IT, There
Is not citizen OF Utah, or any other
State, whether he Is member OF the
Church or not, who can truthfully say
that any higher Church official has tried
to influence him one way or another
by any undue means. The cry about
Church ard State being mixed was set
up for the purpose Of influencing
certain class OF citizens against the
Church, and Il has been repeated so
often that TO some II has assumed q
semblance OF plausibility. simply by the
force OF repetition. but there is never
theIess, no vestige OF truth In Il.
Senator Shoots testimony before the |
Committee on Privileges and Elections
OF the United States Senate has some-
times been quoted as authority on the
political situation In this State. on |
page 1888, volume three. Of the Proceed
ings we find the following, which is
pertinent:
"Mr. Worthington. / win ask you
whether, az any time, either In your
own matter or In reference to other
candidates for other Offices, as far as
you know, the Church had anything to |
do about II. any more than the Presby.
terian or the Methodist Church In the |
State, excepting always what you have
told US about asking for leave OF alb
sence under the rule?
senator Smoot. No man or woman |
that lives can come and say that ] ever
asked them to vote the Republican
ticket on account of my being an Apos-
tie or Mormon or anything connected
with tho Church"
Senator smoot was also asked whefb.
er he had been dictated to In any
wise by the Church or any representa-
tive OF the Church, TO which he replied