The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-02
THEIR OWN PETARD.


With a deIicacy born of caution. a
dizziness approached only by the pro-
fessionaI gum-shoer. the federal office
holders syndicate is now explaining
how the Republican prOhibitionists
happened to smite the machine and
what the motive was back of the ac-
ton. Speaking officially, through its
repudiated organ, it suggests that the
Mormon church was responsible for The
prohibition republican convention; and
that the church adopted prohibition as
an issue because it was anxious to
align itself with other creeds and Sc
cure recognition from them which had
been denied. "They (the Mormon
church, recognized the. isolation so long
existent, and were not insensible Of the
charm of ranging their church along
side-and without challenge or ques-
tion-aIl other churches and reform or
ganizations of the land. It was a new
place. 1t was a place in the past de-
MED them. 1t had the same desirable
ity that good company always offers to
any one"
e < X
Nor is that the limit OF the Office
holders impudence. They say further
that the prohibition Republicans did
d thing which will one day be recog-
nized as vastly wrong-vastIy harmful
to their own people. Their strong de-
sire made them employ church
machinery: tacitIy permit the belief in
absolute church authority for their Ia
bors in favor of a prohibition law
. Really the Mormon church said
nothing. 1t took the only course possi-
BILE. either from established policy or
from sagaciOus foresight
Remembering the way the Oficehoid-
ers utilized Nephi Norris and Frank Y.
Taylor and the stake presidents of
salt Lake; recalling the open, avOwed
use of church machinery in the last
campaign and the results it achieved; ;
recalling Mr. Morris speech in the the
atre where ne declared he had been
asked to use his church position secret
~ for the Republican party but had de-
ciined because he was determined to 90
it openly-recaIling these things, the
horror of the bunch at prohibition use
of church machinery is almost funny.
So the Mormon church said moth
ing" declare the officeholdersi The
church didn't adopt in general confer
ence with the approval OF tens or thou
sands of communicates a set or resolu-
tiens which are interpreted by the au-
thorities as a declaration for statewide
prohibition! Said nothing, Ell? What
of APOSTLE Heber J. Grants official dec
Iaration that the church authorities
wanted statewide prohibition? What
of the part Apostles Hyrum Smith and
George A. Smith took in the organ
;zation of the protesting Republican
convention.
Next thing. the machine will be ask
ing the people of Utah to believe that
il is the official exponent of the Nor
mon creed. and that Pussy Jimmy, Cal
lister. Booth, Loose ct al have been
set apart to receive revelations as to
the political conduct of the Mormon
people.
X X X
The real grief is that the federal syn
dictate has been utilizing church ma
cbinery all along as its chief engine in
elections. but has never before found
that on a moral issue that machinery
might be turned against it. They used
Morris and Taylor and all the other
church auxiliaries, got their support on
false pretenses. won an election only
To hetray them, and are now trying TO
break the force of the reaction against
them by belittiing the sincerity Of the
men who called the prohibition eonveu-
ton and are going after the scaips or
the bunco-steerers Of the party.
But the game won't work. The fed
eral aggregation may hang on for
little while, but they have 20 dig their
toes into the bank now to hold on and
their cries for help indicate very cIeariy
the impending fall that awaits them.