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Show i NEW POUTICAL TACTICS Of THE CHURCH ECCLESIASTICS Editor of Tho Tribune; This glorious glori-ous Now Year's morning, with tho ma of 1U0S softening tho mountain air to that bnhny condition that onables ono to bo comfortable out ol' doors without au overcoat, sooms lo bo prohphctic of il'io pence and prosperity that is to he the rightful heritage of all Utahns that; aro willing to rake olf their coals and hustlo for a greater and better Utah. livery student of social and political economy knows that no .Stale nor Nation Na-tion can become- industrially great in tho abseneo of political ami religious freedom. And tlu beginning of tho now year is the time to begin anew tho strugglo for peace and industrial greatness. Not that peace that involves tho surrender to blind obodioneo and to "do as you aro told," but tho poaco that enables overy man to stand upright up-right before his maker and nay to all tho world, "God gave lo me my intelligence; intelli-gence; to him only am T responsible for its exercise." And I do not fool that T nni "lj-ing in the presence of God" when assert any right to tho free exercise of nvery function of mind and body so long as it does not in-fringo in-fringo on tho aacred rights, or rites, of others. i That every fico man in LTfcah will bo compelled to bo on guard against duplicity, du-plicity, cunning and Irc'achory on the part of those wlioso long practice in that art has made them adepts, is proved by whisperings from Utah 's sunny southland. With an air of mystery, and ''don't repeat it," thero comes from Pangnitch the story that Apostle Smoot is to be temporarily withdrawn from the political politi-cal life of Utah. It is proposed to make this seeming concession to the American Ameri-can partj as a sop to some of its alleged al-leged wavering members, and to allay the increasing fooling of unrest on tho part of thousands of iMormons because be-cause of tho condition into which Utah has been plunged by the stupidit3' of rrosident Joseph F. Smith. No member of the Amoricau party, nor of the Mormon church, should mistake mis-take tho alleged uncoiling of the ecclesiastical eccle-siastical python as an evidence of permanent per-manent relaxation of its folds on the body politic of Utah. Those who uto inclined to believe that the withdrawal of that inspired political what-is-il; from Provo means a permanent surrender sur-render should "refresh their memories br tho written word." Thev should lemcnibor with what ease President Smith broke his pledged "faith and honor" to tho people of the United States that he would surrender tho practice of those acts that, had been forbidden by tho laws of his country coun-try and by a revelation from God. 3t would appear that tho efforts of tho discredited prophet and his political politi-cal heelers are to bo exerted toward the disintegration of the American parry without any guarantee that Iho political "church" infamies of the past shall cease, and that such servile creatures crea-tures as Risliops Warburton, Iversou and (,'hristenson, and President Ic-Lachlan, Ic-Lachlan, traitors to their party for the "welfare of Zion," and in the name of the Lord, shall bo unchurched for such roligio-political work as rhat which they performed at the recent election. Fn the presence of this newly-hatched conspiracy to hoodwink the voters every Anfericau in Utah should be" alert and on guard against further political crimes against himself, or herself, and the young whose political liberty is be-iug be-iug won from tho most persistent law-defi'ing, law-defi'ing, jdedge breaking and treacher-OU3 treacher-OU3 fanati: that over nominated himself as a "prophet, seor and rovolator. " And to which that other "prophet, seer and lovelator" from Provo has sold his American birthright for a mess of political v.ottago. That Reed Smoot is even more conic con-ic mpii Wo than his inspired master is evident from the fact that ho is occasionally occa-sionally credited with moro brainu and loss fanaticism than the occupant of tho Bee Hive house. But his method of political aolf-oxallation is entirely in harmony with tho "church" policy in politics. A littlo history along t'lioso lines may prove interesting. Soon after Apostle Smoot announced his candidacy ho began, as ho tesfi-llcd tesfi-llcd before the Senate committee, a still hunt to control the primnrics and conventions in his interests. By some mischance, or perhaps by superior inspiration, in-spiration, au individual with an unusually unusu-ally unsavory reputation packed the primaries in one of the southern counties coun-ties and secured his nomination for the ensuing Legislature. Many of the brethren of the Republican party who had slept on their rights wcro .indignant and determined to defeat, him at the polls. The bishop's Republican counselor coun-selor in the principal town in the county coun-ty went from house to house and told the voters that it would "bo a disgrace lo the Latter-day Saints to have Blank represent them in tho Legislature." In substance, tho counselor said to tho voters: "Blank has an unsavory ropu-tatiou, ropu-tatiou, and it" is doHirablo that yrju cast your votes for Brothpr John Doe, who, notwithstanding tho fact that ho is a Deinncrat, is a good, moral man and a bishep of ono of tho lesser wards." It is well to stato that the counselor's ailvicn to tho saints was given beforo Mr. Jilanlc had, in writing, pledged his vote lo Apostle Smoot. By one pf those mysterious and almost al-most inexplicable incidents, the bishop's bish-op's counselor had managed to tap the inspired "private wire" of Apostle Smoot, and immediately became imbued im-bued with holy zeal for tho election of the Republican. He made another house-to-house canvass and undid all the really noble work he had done on his first rouud-up of the saints. On his second visit tho connsolor told his broth reu and sisters that Candidate Blank had pledged his vole lo Apostle Smoot, and that as Brother John Doe, ; the Democratic bishop of A , could not be depended on to cast, his vote for tho Provo apostle, the saints should support Candidate Blank. And Candidate Candi-date Blank was elected. Thus it came to pass that this man of bad reputation was, by Reed Smoot 's underground influence, elected over a decent man because Blank had pledged his vote to one of the "holy mou of Israel." And that same "hory man of .Israol" was ,iust as eager to trample on moral ethics, and to sacrifice sacri-fice every principlo of saintly deconcy in order to sccuro his election, as "Ross" Tweed, "Boss" Shepnrd, Matt Quay or aivy other "ungodly" and unscrupulous un-scrupulous politician. Tho foregoing is not writton as a "goody-goody" roar at corrupt political politi-cal methods, as that is a matter between be-tween t he people and their candidates. Bui it is an earnest protest, by ono who, with all his heart and soul, desires de-sires the welfare of his people the Mormons against such political outrages out-rages when perpetrated in tho name of God for the "welfare of Zion." Thero is another page of that Smoot-election Smoot-election historv involving the political sacrifice of a Piulc county man on the altar of Smootism that, sonio day, may be given to Tribune Tenders as further ovidenco that tho Amoricau party's work is not yet finished. J. F. GJBBS. Salt Lake City, Jan. .1. |
