The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-10
THE AWFUL OUTRAGE!

| he mud volcano has begun another
eruption, and this one is fierce and
hot, What stirred it up! Nothing,
only that circular has been sent
out BY somebody showing that large
number of the leading church officials,
including President Joseph +. Smith.
hive within two years past declared
| for prohibition. And this is denounced
by the dishonest Smoot organ as a
Democratic trek, aud as an attempt
TO drag the church into politics, ~
and so altogether vicious and repre-
henSihle.
But those who have been in Utah
for some years do not forget the ''Nug
gets of Truth - got out in behalf of
the Republican party The aim of that
little circular was to show that the
sentiment and policy of the Mormon
leaders from the first settlement III
Utah has been identical with tho Re
publican policy of home manufacture
and protection. That, Of course. was
into politiccs, Oh, no! That was sim
ply n political maneuver completely JUS
titled What justified itl Nothing eX-
cept the fact that il was in the in
tercst of the Republican party. And
so the Republican party has kept the
church in politics all the time since,
in its own interest, openly and almost
avowedly. 1t might as well have been
an open ayowal. too, because there was
not the least secrecy about it., though
has never at any time been any ccssa-
tion of this use Of the church i'll poll
lies by the Republican, party, This
has been so notorious that the charge
that the church Republican party AS
managed in recent years has been prac.
ticnlly the same thing as the old Poo
pie s party. alias the Mormon party, |
has often been made and can not hon
estly be denied. That is, it is the
means whereby the church exercises Its
political and civil influence.
But now Democrats have had the tc,
merly to come out and undertake to
use expressions and sentiments of the
'hurch leaders i'm favor of their own |
oarty's prohibition plank and in eff
'ect against the Republican party. |
What an enormous sin this is! What |
horrible attack upon the church 1t is
q "drag il into politics ''-Democratic
politics. The Republican party plot
ers who have had the church up TO
is cars in politics ever since State
rood. and even before, must indeed be
shocked st the idea of dragging the
hurch into politics!
What dumnable, stinking hypocrisy
{ all is! Here is church Republican
'arty which is the partisan agency of
he church for political and civil pur
'oses. making an outcry that the church
: being ''dragged into politics.; this
merely because in the interest of the
Democratic party somebody has got out
circular showing the position of
hurcb leaders on the prohibition ques
ion. Out upon such shameless hypoc
isy!
1t is. of course. scandal to have
he church dominating the politics of
he State But surely it can be no
sorse for the Democratic party to seek
hurch backing once in a while than
or the Republican party to receive
hurch backing all the time.
The only true rule is the American
ule; that the church should keep to
Is spiritual work. Of it has any, and if
ot, disband,) and let politics and civil
fairs alone. And the strict obscrv;
nee of that rule is all that can ever
ring peace TO Utah; that and the equal
nforcement of the laws, without fear
r. furnr