The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-25
CLEVELAND GAVE
UTAH STATEHOOD
Democratic President Broad
Enough to Put Aside All
Partisan Feeling.
REIGN OF TERROR ENDED
EXHIBITION OF PETTY MEAN
NESS IN RETURN.
To The salt 10 lead:

To The salt Lake Herald;
Grover Cleveland should be revered in
Utah. IL ought not 90 be forgotten that
it was his signature TO the enabling act
that made statehood in Utah a POSSIBLE
ity, and that signature was affixed at a
time and under circumstances that would
have tempted a man OF smaller caiibre
than he to hesitate and perhaps TO with
hold his signature. A man less Amer
lean than he might have done that. and
a man who put party before principle
would have done it. II was only because
Grover Cleveland was e broad-minded,
liberal man, great Of soul and more Of an
American than a partisan, that Utah OBJ
tanned statehood as early as she did.
II viii be remembered that in 1892 the
Democrats of Utah elected Joseph L.
Rawlins delegate from Utah 20 the house
of representatives by plurality OF near
Is 3,000 which fact taken together with
the well known Democratic sentiments or
the people of Utah. gave fair assurance
that Utah would likely be a Democratic
state for some time.
Enabling Act Passed.
Mr.. Rawiins set himself AT work earn
estly to secure the passage Of the enabling
act and il will be remembered as one
OF the great achievements OF MS career
that ne succeeded. Nothing was more
natural than to believe that in the next
election. after this success. Mr.. RaWllns
would be returned to the house as dele
gate TO succeed himself, but then some
thing happened. The Liberal party or
Utah disbanded cit had cast nearly t,v1
votes IN the preceding election and the
5000 plurality given to the Democratic
candidate of two years before was
turned TO plurality Of Isis against him
and Utah generally went Republican,
much 10 the disappointment Of Demo
Gratis. at least IN Utah, and equally dis
appointing TO the party in power il the
nation.
Cleveland Did Not Hesitate.
II was under these circumstances that
Vtab's enabling act went TO the chief eX-
ecutiye for his signature. ana nOt"lth-
standing Utah had disappointed the ez-
pectation Of the administration IN sud
denly becoming q Republican state, sim.
fortunately for Utah, the Democrat then
president of the United states was Dig
enough to do an act Of justice toward the
people OF our state. and without a hesl-
tatiOn or complaint, signed our enabling
act and the long-deferred hopes OF the
people Of the dead sea state crystatllzed
into accomplished fact, because there
was a big man in the White House. who
believed I'm the institutions or MS coun-
try and who placed principle above party
advantage.
Petty Injustice Recalled.
One other thing should be mentioned
IN regard TO Grover Cleveland relation
ship TO Utah. An injustice once done MN
by petty partisan. politicians should %
recalled, if not 10 be corrected. to be re-
membered and scOrned- During the -FOUR
wears preceding Grover Cleveland sec
ond term there had been almost a cruel
administration Of the congressional laws
respecting the marriage system then
practiced by the Mormon cnurcn. A re-
ientless crusade was inaugurated against
this offense. and 3 reign OF terror may
be said to have existed Many prominent
citizens were in exile and those who were
arrested and brought bSfore the courts
received almost without exception, the
extreme penalties prescribed BY ths laws.
New Judges Sent TO Utah.
Then Grover Cleveland was elected IN
1892 and new judges were sent under MS
appointment to Utah They came in
sfrlIcted of course. 20 administer the
laws and make them respected but were
also instructed 10 do this IN somewhat
more mercifui manner than had obtained
in the preceding administration. Some
element Of mercy was brought into the
administration OF these laws and the
heavy hand was sOmeWh THAT lfted- II was
soon discovered that extreme penalties
were not to follow convictions In every
case and as a result hundreds OF men
who had been in exile OF had avoided the
officers OF the law now came forward or
their own free will and surrendered them
selves 10 The courts III 0IAEI AA-5lA Atl5F
might get behind them the Offenses with
which they were charged.
Reign of Terror over.
They sought this mercy thai was TO
be had in the courts and IL resulted IN
| general easement Of the hard conditions
fben prevailing. The reign OF terror was
over. but because under these circum-
stances a larger number Of convictions
were had and greater numbers Of men
were in the prisons. there were not want
ing those who were little enough and
mean enough 10 make IL part OF the po-
IiticaI argument In the campaign that
| followed that more men were convicted
under Clevelands administration than
under the one which had preceded IT,
and from these grounds made an appeal
| to the religious prejudices OF the peopls
10 encompass the defeat Of the Demo-
cratic party in Utah. one recalls such
Detty littleness as this Nith a sense u
| humiliation But it is a part Of the his
/ tory of those times. and II is well. now
| thar we are taking a final leave OF the
great man who was just 10 the people OF
orr state that We recall this thing that
1t NAV be once more despised. Grover
Cleveland was a brOad-minded statesman.
a noble citizen, one Of the few great pres
| idents worthy OF the great republic OF
modern times. X