The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-20
A BAD BOOK IN THE SCHOOLS.

Apostle Orson T. Whitney has writ
ten what may be fairly termed com
pendulum of his larger "History Of
Utah. 1t is a small book, arranged
apparently for use in the schools. We
understand that it is in use as a text
book in the public schools in good
many places throughout the State. Tn
this city it is in the school libraries
as an authority to be consulted, aud
for reading supplementary or at will.
We have heretofore referred TO this
book as one of a deeply scctarian char
acter, pro.Mormon wherever any ques-
tion affecting the Mormon church could
possibly arise, and having such omis-
sions and misrepresentation as to give
an entirely false idea Of many of the
public events Of Utah.
Referring again to this book we note
in the chapter "Strife and Storm
I7), pretended account Of the
elections in this State from 1880
to 1888 In all Of the mat
ters recited, the Mormon view is
magnified and the Liberal view mini.
mized. The Campbell-Cannon contest is
put in such a way as to bring Governor
Murray outside Of the law and usurp-
ing autocrat. 1t states the reason why
Governor Murray gave Allan G.. Camp
bell the certificate of election in a way
to put the blame on the Governor,
whereas, the certificate which he gave
Mr. Campbell was a clear statement Of
fact and of the record. 1t stated that
Mr.. Campbell was the candidate who,
being eligible to serve, received the
highest number Of votes. Sufficient
Irregularities have been developed in
tho investigation of early naturaliza-
tion processes in Utah to show prima
facie that Governor Murray was
right in claiming that George O. Can.
non had never been naturalized;
and, as a matter Of fact, George
Q. Cannon never was able to show
that he was naturalized citizen, All
this is completely ignored by Whitney,
and bias contrary to the fact is given
to the whole matter.
Again (pagc 22G), Whitney saws:
"The Edmunds act had cut down the
voting strength OF the People IS
party This would strike any rca-
sonablc person as an absurdty, which
it is. How could any Congressional
act cut down the vote of one party any
more than another? The truth is that
the Edmunds act simply disqualified
polygamists from voting. 1t follows,
therefore, that the Whitney presenta-
tion is blind, obscure, and mislead-
ing.
Again on the same page. in treating
of the Congressional enactment allow
ing Governor Murray to appoint county
officers when the election had lapsed
and the bonds of those officers were
therefore invalidated for further SER
vice or responsibility, Whitney CLOSES
over the whole transaction and even
has the gall to omit any mention of
the test made by Judge Wenner, ap-
pointed probate Judge Of this county,
who won his suit for the probate judg.
ship of Salt Lake county, thus demon
stratiDg the validity of tho Con
gressional enactment and the appoint
ments of Governor Murray hereunder.
But Whitney appears TO push the idea
that the hold over incumbents were the
legal officials, and the appointees H.
legal. So that this work of Whitney &.
stepped in Mormonism as it is on the
positive side, suppresses the facts on
the negative side on matters which are
antagopistic TO his view, in such way
as 10 give a totally false impression
OF the events and of the facts.
A ludcrous mistake occurs in Whit |
ney s mention Of the pioneer journey
(pagc 16), where he speaks Of one Of |
the pioneers inventng a ''roado.
meter To be sure, the word is put
in quotations. but there is no indication
that Whitney is aware of the absurdity
of this illitcratc form Of tho word |
"odomcter."
The more VIC examine this work, the |
more thoroughly we are convinced that
it has no business to be used in the |
public schools. 1t is prejudiced and !