The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-02
THE M ETALS.
THE MAIN QUESTION.

THE MAIN QUESTION.
In the last analysis, the one question
TO be settled IN Utah tomorrow is
whether the Republican machine is to
be continued in power by the aid Of
such ecclesiastical influence as they
have invoked at the hands of Nephf
Morris and Frank Y. Taylor; or
whether the machine and all the train
OF evils that has followed it's domina-
ton shall be eliminated from politics
altogether here and the people be per-
mitted TO follow their convictions at
the polls as they do everywhere else
in this country.
The issue has been made by the ma
chine itself and its methods have been
challenged not only by the Democratic
leaders ami candidates, but by the
very large part of the church member
ship which resents ecclesiastical orders
on election day directed particularly to
the Democratic members of the church
and for the benefit Of the Smoot ma
chine.
No fair-minded man Will question the
sincerity Of Mr. Morris or Mr.. Taylor
Doubtless they both think it legitimate
to instruct Democrats TO desert their
party and betray those members of the
party who have kept the faith and
voted the ticket from year to yer as
matter of principle, regardless Of ap-
peals to religious hatred on one side
and appeals to religious fear on the
other. Both of these men-and they
are mentioned only because they are
typical-have been open in their
declarations. Both have proclaimed
from the pulpits of their meeting
houses what amounts to a renewal OF
the old political division on religious
lines and have urged their church fol-
lowers to vote the Republican ticket.
They say they have done this because
they believe their church is attacked.
their church leaders threatened with
harm by the danger of American"
success at the polls.
Mr. Taylor, who has assumed re-
sponsibility for his action in a manly
way, expects TO vote for the Demo-
cratic candidates for president and
governor although he did not say so
in his address to the Granite Stake
church members; Mr.. Morris is a Re-
publican and has advised his flock to
vote that ticket. Both defend their ac-
ton as a matter Of self-defense for
the church.
Now it will occur to the distinter-
ested that the Mormon Democrats are
perfectly well qualified to judge for
themselves as to the necessity of de-
sorting their party at this juncture,
and that IL is a gross abuse Of eccle-
siastical power for the Republican pol
;ticians to use such means to promote
the success of their ticket. Mormon
Democrats have quite as much right to
ask that the Republicans join them;
indeed, the Democrats who are in no
way responsible for the troubles of the
state have a better right to ask sup
port for their ticket from every voter.
No one has heard of any Democratic
eeclesiast asking Republicans to save
the church by voting the Democratic
ticket; no one has heard n suggestion
OF ecclesiastical influence in behalf OF
the Democratic candidates.
Mr.. Morris says that the presence OF
B. H Roberts on the stump Is as much
a case OF church influence as Morris's
address 10 his congregation, but his de-
tense lacks consistency. Mr.. Roberts
has made speeches for the Democratic
ticket this year. as he has in many
previous years. but he has not asked
Republican Mormons 10 desert theiI
party for religious reasons; he has no;
tried to scare Republican church mem
bers into betrayal of their principle:
because some vague DOGGY threatens
them. He has always based his argu.
inents on political reasons, and he i.
the last man in Utah who would at
tempt TO secure political advantage
through religious influences.
X -
The line OF demarcation between the
two parties in this respect is SO wei
defined. it has been discussed 50 otter
through long years. it has been fought
over so continuously and bitterly. that