OCR Text |
Show are open to President Peterson. We w.valil like to accommodated our con-temporaiy, con-temporaiy, but this journal positively declines to apologize. (VrESIDEST PETERSON. IntaJissue of February 27 this journal commented upon language said to have been used by President Peterson at the tabernacle the Sunday previous. The irentleman emphatically denies using the . words attributed to him. The nearest approach being a reference to the pending Caine Faulkner bill. He said in substance that he did not think he was good enough to enjoy membership member-ship at present, in either party. The gentleman states he is wholly outside of politics and in no way cares to be placed on record as favoring or ad vane, ing the interests of any political faith. That he would cast reflections upon the democratic or any tther party, at any time and place, is denied by both the gentleman himself and by his friends. Mr. Peterson is usoally, in his sermons and on other occasions, in tbe. habit of speaking in a jocnlar mood)) and might be misconstrued bv those who are notgenjoying his personal acquautance. He has refrained from announcing liim-self liim-self , because he did not care to have lit said he would use bis influence in favor o either party, because he believes that church and state should be wholly divided. di-vided. President Peterson does not want it understood, or implied, that he-would he-would use his position as president of the i take to advance the interests of either republicans or democrats. The Sentinel gladly gives space to the above to present Mr. Peterson's side of the question to its readers. Since the above was put in type, The Ephram Enterprise has arrived and contains the following ill-advised article; arti-cle; "A recent issue of The Manti Sentinel Senti-nel contained a very severe attack on the personal character of President Peterson of this city, on account of the following statement which he was quoted as having mada in a sermon in tbe tabernacle at that place. " 'Judging from the looks of this congregation, con-gregation, there isn't a democrat in the house. If there is oue they don't look much liko the democrats of Ephraim for they Ephraim democrats! are funny looking people.' "An Enterprise reporter called on the president and was informed that the quotation was entirely incorrect. Further Fur-ther than this, Mr. Peterson stated that he bad never declared a preference for either party, and had none; that he was friendly to both democrats and republicans. repub-licans. He also said that the members of bis own family were representatives of both parties. The Enterprise does not approve of preaching politics from the pulpit, but we fail to see anything in the atove quotation, even if it was true, to warrant such an attack UDon his personal character. Mr. Peterson is one of the old settlers of Utah and he has given the beBt years of his life to the work of reclaiming this territory from the desert, and such assertions against him will be resented by bis many friends throughout the county. We think, after looking at the matter from all sides that The Sentinel has made a mistake, and that It owes Presi. dent Peterson an apology." The Sentinel insists that its language lan-guage shall not be misinterpreted by its esteemed friend of The Enterprise. Will that paper kindly reftr to that part of tbe article which attacks the personal character of President Peterson? Peter-son? That he is an old settler and largoly assisted in reclaiming Utah is not under discussion. The gentleman's reputation in this community is good so far as we know. Will our friend of Tto Enterprise state how carefully he looked at the side of the question charging the lan. gnage was used? The information obtained comes from very near the presidency, and includes ladies and gentlemeu The Enterprise will not care to impeach. While this paper does not care to further prolong this unfortunate matter, its columns |