The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-21
AN APPosITH QUOTATION.

We had no idea that the speech de
livered by Judge King as temporary
chairman of the Democratic State con
vention in Provo last Thursday would
trouble the Smoot gang in this State
so much as 1t seems to have done. The
Smoot organ in this city grinds out vi
tupcration daily against Judge King on
account of that speech, Its abuse is
voluble, constant. and bitter. We are
surprised indeed to gee the extent of
it and the great figure which Judge
Kings speech seems to have cut IN
what stands for its judgment. One can
not but conclude that Judge King hit
the Smoot gang very hard, and the
yelping and limping is not over even
yet
We gave some attention to this
speech on the day after its publication,
and called heed to the fact that
it did not quite measure up to the oc"
cnsion, There was evident an under
lying fear permeating that speech
which did not find expression in words.
That fear. of course, was the church
domination in politics. and the proba-
bility that this church influence might
be effectively exercised this year
against the Democratic party. 1t was
unfortunate, it seems to us, that Judge
King did not speak out plainly on
this point, and equally unfortunate that
the Democratic convention that day
lodged what it evidently felt to be
the real issue in Utah
Still, there were good things in
Judge Kings speech. One Of them was
where he quoted the words of NJ Bel
barrie, the French writer, on politics
and economies, viz: FWhat matters
it if we do have civil liberty if men
are denied the right of industrial lib
erty7 What is it that makes great
people7 1t is the right Of self.in-
itiative. 1t is the right Of the young
man looking out upon the brightness of
the coming day Of his life to feel that
he enjoys equal opportunities with
everyone else IN the great race of life. "
This was an exceedingly apt and
timely quotation. The words fit Utah
like a we'll made glove on the hand
For it is precisely these things which
arc denied in Utah by the selfish and
What opportunity is there in Utah for
a young man in the Mormon church TO
assert himself, to take the initiative in
anything7 The initiatiye here in all
matters wherein the church leaders can
control, and they arbitrarily control on
this point. is confined to themselves.
None outside of the ruling class is ac
corded the least right of independence,
Of self-assertion or of proposing any
thing for the welfare of the public or
of the church. There is but one man
among them who is entitled to lead.
All others must follow. Beneath him
in the ecclesiastical and temporal or
der as organized and enforced by the
church, are other ecclesiasts of vary
ing dignities and degrees. These occa.
sionally are listened 10 in the way of |
various matters temporal
and spiritual There are many of these !
degrees of the priesthood, and very |
numerous persons holding them. What |
they cannot think of must not be |
thought of at all, and any young man
who would undertake to make his voice
heard in community affairs would be
quickly squelched. and is quickly
squelched, unless he can offer ii behind
the mask Of his bishop, stake president,
seventy, or other ecclesiastical super
or
''it is the right of the young man
ookiug out upon the brightness of the
coming day Of his life to feel that he
Enjoys equal opportunities with any
SAYS NJ Belbarie, as quoted by Judge
ions III Utah the hardihood to say
:hat, the young man enjoys this right in
Utah and In Mormon communities He
Republic or in any other free country,
,reedom of the individual is recognized
3ut not so In the temporal and religious
ungdonl of the Mormon organization.
1t was most pertinent and pregnant
motation, this made by Judge King
Why did he not apply it to the local sit
iation, where it so closely fits, and in
which application he could have made
uch a center hit' Judge King in his
peech developed many points, but he
alled to apply them as he could have
ppIed them and so have made his
peech the keynote of this campaign,
md OF many more campaigns to come.
/