OCR Text |
Show A CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION. The; campaign of the American party In Utah this year was short. But It instantly in-stantly challenged the attention of tho people, and the, Immense Interest It aroused offset to some degree the limited limit-ed time In which it had to do Its work before the day of election. It was inevitable that a certain amount of mlsundertsandlng should attend at-tend this first campaign of the new party. Some did not ugrce with the time and manner of the organization; but oven those In sympathy with the alms of the American party who did not think the time opportune, or who thought that they should have been at the head of the movement when It began, be-gan, must concede that 'the campaign of the party has been waged on a high plane; that abuse and vituperation have been studiously avoided, and that It has been a clean campaign, honorable honor-able and aboveboard, so far as the American party Is concerned. But some did not wish the party organized or-ganized at all. The strength of this antagonistic feeling rested with those of the church leaders who have been controlling the politics of the peoplo and the public affairs of the State, of the counties, and of the cities. Those church politicians saw In the American Ameri-can movement the end of their usurped and Insolent, domination. They knew that they were violating the constitution constitu-tion of tho State, breaking the rule of their church, repudiating the pledges made by the church leaders In the dark days before Statehood, when they were beseeching that Utah be admitted Into the Union of States, and defying the moral and political sentiments of the United States, In their course. Consequently, they did not wish attention at-tention called to the condition of affairs af-fairs which their faithlessness had created; cre-ated; they wanted to keep right along In their course of dominating both the Republican and the Democratic parties. par-ties. Thus they would be the unquestioned unques-tioned dictators in the State's affairs, and would have the politicians of both parties knuckling to them, nnd kneeling kneel-ing to them, asking the favor of their nods, and dreading the shake of their heads. It was hateful to thees church politicians poli-ticians and crafty manipulators to havo any party arise In Utah that would directly di-rectly and aggressively oppose them. By every means in their power they sought to minimize the effect thai- the American party might exercise. They havo mlsrcprcesnted its purpose and lied about Its acts. They havo libeled those active In forming that party and In advancing Its cause. They have persuaded the Mormon people that the American purpose Is to attack the Mormon church nd assail the Mormon masses. They have striven to mould the Mormon people peo-ple Into a solid mass, under tho pretense pre-tense that they are attacked, which Is a false plea altogether. And while the leaven of truo Americanism Ameri-canism has thus been kept from permeating per-meating the Mormon mass as it might and should have done, there has been after all, a gratifying progress. Many of the brightest minds among tho Mormons Mor-mons have seen tho light and have gladly hailed with joyous welcome the advent of the better things which the American party stands for, and havo taken prominent and helpful part In the campaign; and this without any loss of standing In the Mormon church; a fact which, In itself Is a complete refutation of the charge that the American party Is an anti-Mormon party. So the campaign, while not capturing the State, has been one of which the American party and its sponsors may well be proud. They have reason to bo proud of tho campaign Itself, and also of the vote that this new party polled, as well as of the good will which It has attracted to Itself throughout tho State. It Is a splendid beginning of a movement move-ment that will surely redeem Utah |