The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-20
THE BISHOPS CHOICE.

! - AIdTLlu lut uUl5Slou W SeIN q pD tht
Board of Education for the coming
| four years. The desire OF the church
| 10 this was very pronounced. AnC
as matter of course, when the bishop:
declared the will of ''the authorities,
that settled it, and Elder Martin was
promptly sustained
1t is truo there was some opposi
ton by a portion of the meeting, this
minor faction exhibiting 4 real non
pertisanship as opposed TO the bitter
partisanship of the bishops party in
the meeting. The nonpartisanship Of
tho bishops crowd w8s extremely bit
ter in its partisanship, assailing per-
sonally the motives and standing of the
candidate presented by the nonparti-
sans. The bishops and their sustain
ers made it very clear that nothing
but their own brand of partisanship
would DO considered nonpartisan. And
so Elder Martin. the little chap Us good
as gold and who always does as be is
told, gets the commission for another
four years, always provided that the
people OF that ward ratify the choice
as thus made by the bishops for this
mission.
Bishop Iyerson made a bitter per-
sonal assault upon the candidate pre-
sented by the real uonpartiSaus in that
meeting. Not only is it a reprehensiblo
otfense to be an American, it appears,
but it is blameworthy in u man TO have
an office or to conduct his business in
a room, house, or on the premises, where
au' American also has bis business
headquarters. Bishop Iverson consid-
cred, therefore, that Amcricanism is a
sort OF disease, something like leprosy
or smallpox. We do not think, how
ever, that any such bigoted fanatics
as Iversop, Christensen, and others,
would be in the least danger Of catch
ing this disease, no matter under what
circumstances they might be exposed
to il. Their lack of intelligence, their
lack OF patriotism, their lack of pro-
gress, their reactiouary and mossback
policy generally, made them immune
from catching any such benefcent dis
ease as Amcricapism.
Bishop Christensen, apparently speak
ing from the church standpoint, repudi-
ated the idea that the dominant church
is represented more than it should be
on the school board. Meaning. doubt
less, that he considers the church, as
such, untitled to representation on that
board, This would strike most people
AS d curious idea of nonpartisausbip,
but il strikes Bishop Christensen as
quite the thing in the nonpartisan line.
To be in favor of church representa-
ton on the board is to be nonpartisan,
To oppose the representation of the
Mormon, or any other church, as such,
On the board, is a. dangerous partisan
idea. Bishop ChristcnSeU continued,
:If YOU Will cast your eye over that
board, The majority are NOS members
Of the dominant church, but we do de-
mand fair representation This de"
nand in behalf of 'wc" is made on
behalf of the church, IS such, by
prominent Official of that church. We
shall have TO challenge Bishop Chris
.ensen's representation on this matter,
is entitled to representation on the
board; and also because the majority
,f the board certainly arc members
If the dominant church, Let Us see.
There is Martin i'll the First; Giauque
IN the Second: Moyle and Newman IN
the Third: and Thomas and Hammond
n the Fourth--six. Six members out of
.cu are members of the Mormon church,
and the majority of these are there z2e-
,ifcally and earnestly TO advance the
interests of tho Mormon church in the
schools Those who arc zeaIots in this
respect are ably seconded by the ac.
i've cooperation of Mr.. Cummings
Iuomnally Gcntiie) i'll the First, and
by the non attendance and
lon-intercst generally by Mr.. Checsmap
a nor-Mormon also) in the
iccond, So that there are left but two
members OF tho board who could in the
east be depended upon TO object to any
.ort of aggression that the church
ujHuJ DO t|oPSSSN " lJIlA'1 HHpI llC
public schools of the city.
Bishop Christensen seemed TO have
he idea that somebody is saying that
'wc must keep our mouths shut and
say nothing, and accept any represen-
alton that is given U.S. ne speaking
rom the Mormon church standpoint.
n this Bishop Christensen is wrong
again; for surely nobody would want
o muzzle such a voluble "cpfaut ter
IDLE as he The more OF the sort
If talk that Bishop Christensen gave IN
he First ward on Wednesday night,
nc better it is for the American
.ausc. We would not SEQ Bishop Chris
ensen muzzled for anything, We hope
hat he may speak out freely, and al
ways speak his mind, iust as he did al
hat meeting on. Wednesday night. For
y is such as he that gives the public !
he real animus Of the church and the
real purpose underlying the spurious
lonpartisanship under which the church
,artisan purpose is disguised. We do