Show protestation AGAINST DESPOTISM ONE of the chief recommendations made by Go govern vernar jr thomas to in his hie last officio 1 report to the secretary of the I 1 interior uter lor is still fresh in the public mind it was to the effect that the power to elect all tho the most important officers in the con counties n of this territory sh should 10 id be Advised taken from the people he Re advised that local self rule should be substituted by an autocracy in other words that the officers heretofore elective should be made appointive by some federal authority 1 ff everybody believed when the recommendation was made that arthur L thomas was the federal authority or the leading cons tItu eat of it to which he referred A reference to the measure introduced in the senate by mr edmunds an outline of which appears in our columns elsewhere gives strong evidence that the governor has managed to push his recommendation into a shape w which bich he doubtless hopes will cryst crystall alize ze into a statute that will constitute him a king unless the prevailing idea that mr lannan would in that event in the shade occupy that position be correct she utah comm commission assion would constitute for him a species of cabi cabinet net this latest measure of which senator benator edmunds appears to assume the parentage bears as can readily be seen the earmarks ear marks of mr thomas so fabas far as can be learned from the condensed sketch of it it embodies in places almost the exact language of his recommendation it ought to I 1 be entitled A bill for a law to establish despotism within the domain of the united states and to perpetuate in office and increase the powers of an appointed and imported set of federal officials namely a governor and commission it might on the surface seem anomalous to presume that the governor should give support to both the prominent anti republican measures now pending in congress the proposed disfranchisement and autocracy bills it will be seen however that mr thomas thomasa official platter is hollow on both si desso that whichever measure may pass if either does he may expect to catch plums or porridge of the two however he doubtless would prefer the passage or enactment of the latest measure introduced as it would constitute him king of utah the head af an imperium in wn perio I 1 in n showing lots hand openly in favor of disfranchisement he very probably expects in the event of the latter measure passing and utah with the great majority of her best people deprived of their political rights being admitted into the union as a state to have his service in that re gard recognized by an award of a large plum from the political pie thi we presume might bt bb properly termed political hedging the probabilities of the bill for disfranchisement becoming a law are getting gradually dimmer the gentile sentiment of this territory is largely antagonistic t it any person entitled to the che least credit for good judgment can see at a glance that it would he be destructive to the prosperity of this territory no more fatal blow could be delivered at the weal of this community this view is taking shape the rum ruba beings of popular disapproval are i begin beginning nin g to roll they are likely soon to reach the capital of the nation and break like a thunderclap the next consideration is what ought to be the popular sentiment regarding the later measure which alms aims at the accomplishment nt of a similar object under cover of a sub teruye te ruge if the gentile sentiment is and ought to be be opposed to disfranchisement of the mormons cormons Mor mons what ought it to be towards the process when it includes themselves that would be the effect of the full success of governor thomas pet recommendation after the last municipal election in this city which we contend was fraudulently carried by the other side what was the cry that went up fro from the throats of the atme leaders of the opposition and was shouted throughout the rank and file look lookup up the remnants of bf the speeches that were then made and the fact will be discovered that this statement was uttered and reiterated in august we will carry the election in this county ff now gentlemen suppose that you should sue suc eed by any process even the questionable methods applied in the municipal election in gaining in august a victory of a similar character what would be its results providing provi Ang the measure recommended om by the governor should pass you would stretch out your hands to grasp the fruit of the cou test to find it like dead sea apples resolve into dust you would have the exalted privilege of elect electing lug perhaps a sheriff a few precinct officers and a coppner corp cor ner it is not improbable however that even these insignificant officers would be absorbed by the bill for an act to ligh an autocracy in utah should it become a national statute if this is to be the result of a boasted victorious liberal campaign after the election of next august in this county the carpetbag carpet bag hoisted over the stars and stripes the emblem of the party will continue to be so far as official result is concerned an AD empty gripsack grip sack if the gentiles of utah can stand su h enactments as these in deceit steeped in bynoe hypocrisy and advanced by treachery and double dealing the mormons cormons Mor mons can afford to do it with a good deal better grace but it shall never be said concerning the latter that such infamous alowa were vere ever directed at the liberties of the sovereign people without their earnest protest aud and efforts being put forth against them those who wo would uld accept of such a situation without endeavoring to stop the 11 flood of and tyran tyranny ny are u unworthy n the name of freemen be they mormon jew or gentile for the vital spark of patriot patriotism lem has been extinguished in their hearts if it ever there had bad lodgment probably in no civilized nation of modern times outside the russian empire which is semi barbarous does such a despotic condition exist as that contemplated by the pending legislation against utah and popular liberty |