| Show CHURCH DICTATION mr calvin reasoner writes the following letter to the salt lake times LOGAN august ll 11 editor of the times in the tribune of the ath dinst isa is a lengthy letter presented on the editorial page with strong indorsement endorsement indor and commendation of the writer who signs his name wm win R campbell of mandod cache county and who is a presbyterian minister living at that place lace some four or five miles from logan As this letter furnishes the most substantial chargee that I 1 have noticed against the mormon priesthood for exerting an improper church influence over political affairs dur during 1 1 n 9 the recent campaign and as the tribune has frequently referred to this let letter as a confirmation of its standing indictment against Agatin st the mormon church for bad faith and covert designs in recent political movements I 1 inasmuch as I 1 was coming to logan for business pur purposes to remain probably tor for a week to investigate the subject matter about which mr campbell writes to determine for myself how far his bis statements of fact and accusation should be regarded as trustworthy tb it is worthy of notice that whereas the tribune now speaks in most commendatory mend atory terms of mr campbell if their files of some four years back be searched they will be found to contain some very severe reflections on this same divine a circumstance that leads us to wonder why it should occur just now that herod and pilate should all at once become good friends friend to get at the animus and makeup make up of mr campbell a little take this sentence of his letter kt the campaign in cache valley has been a sad disappointment to all true americans who are not office seekers now as it happens the rev mr green of logan the presbyterian pastor of a reasonably prosperous church here was a candidate Y on the democratic ticket and mr campbell was mr greens guest at the time to which he refers in his hie letter and mr campbell was under obligation to mr green for substantial favors at the time and at previous times and so far as I 1 can learn mr green stands well in this community hence the acrimonious fling in the sentence above quoted looks to me not only unjust and uncalled for but a somewhat treacherous requital of the friendliness and generosity of a benefactor but to come at once to the most material charge of mr campbell that on the saturday evening pre eding the elections the republicans and democrats both held meetings and the republican meeting closing first many went over to the democratic meeting and that when apostle thatcher spoke they tore off their republican badges V I 1 as a sign that they renounced their party his language is so effectually did he use apostolic influence in favor of democracy that the republicans began to take off their republican badges and indicate that they were no longer republican Republic ane 1 now in response to ghisi th isI will say that I 1 have made very extensive inquiry of all parties partie and sand classes and have found not one single confirmation of this statement all pronounce it false so far as they have any knowledge or informs tion I 1 have asked single individuals and on three separate occasions interrogated crowds of men on the streets ranging in number from five to fifteen but on no occasion received any confirmation whatever the circumstances cum stances were very unfavorable for mr campbell to learn by observation what he affirms as he was wag during the speaking standing about the middle of an enclosure about sixty feet square a plank floor surrounded with a board fence all around about four feet high the enclosure having but one opening which was near the stand at one side the enclosure was filled with people mainly democrats many of whom were ladies in the procession which had not previously filled we enclosure there were one hundred and seven ty five ladies marching when the republican meeting closed a number of them came over the square to hear bear the democrats Democrat sand and the enclosure being full they stood outside the fence some rods away from where mr campbell stood one lady a thorough liberal whose testimony I 1 consider unimpeachable told me that she was standing at the fence when the republicans came up and that she saw them distinctly at the time and after the thatcher speech and that not one of them took off their badges nor was there any thought or talk of it I 1 can only suppose that mr campbell in someway some way was misinformed he can scarcely claim to have been an eye witness to what he testifies As to mr thatchers speech most people say that he be spoke from two to three minutes here is a report of just ll 11 t what he said published in the to logan g an journal the day after the election it was written by a democratic lawyer and was Lie designed signed to he an absolute verbatim report As will be perceived it would require about three minutes in the delivery 1 I have taken no part whatever in this cam campaign as you all well know no man can say that I 1 have used the slightest influence to change his hia political convictions vict Viet ions I 1 have told you that you were free absolutely free and that I 1 trusted the people though the people were to vote me into everlasting oblivion yet would I 1 trust them I 1 shall not discuss the question of the hour I 1 sh shall all not tell you which party has been out our friend in the past read read and you will soon see but I 1 would not know where to turn to find in this territory forty two men who aou would id stand up in the face of contempt and abuse in defense as did the forty two who voted against the ed munds tucker act the people do know who have been their friends I 1 am done saying g that the man who would advise you to knife a gentile on any ticket because he was a gentile is no friend of the people it should be noted in this connection in order to appreciate the last sentence that there wore were some gentiles on both tickets and that some parties were trying to concoct sri an arrangement whereby the mormons cormons would be induced to scratch the gentiles on their own ticket and substitute the mormon candidates on the other ticket thatch Thatcher er was man enough to denounce all such proposals and this was what he said the next day in church that if they were democrats to vote for their prin caples and that if they were republicans to vote for their principles and to scratch no man off because he be was an outsider now in his saying this I 1 think he be showed fairness and witia the information I 1 can get I 1 am led believe that he desired the church t pie to vote fairly whatever ticket tl tb selected he was absolutely 0 op to their discriminating beaw beti church people and outsiders A glance at the figures throws a afi deal of light on the matter the refit for logan precinct is tl school election two weeks beeks previous the last election brought out only j a voters republican and den cratic at the last election there w votes cast leaving votes t tl were not out at the polls at a all thi shows that notwithstanding all ft campaigning and horn blowin blowing ir a marching there was still a larie large U ui decided indifferent element but this last election the republic republican gained 53 votes over their former v at the school election they havin having g and the democrats and the libbet als 11 all this is perfectly natal and reasonable the battle was a live liv one all election day and each pax was confident until the result W was as d ter mined mr campbell remarks that the ro suit was conceded on all handa to t republicans Republic ane on the contrary 1 democratic committee had a ia 1 count than the republicans had the doubtful ones thrown in so go t claim and they had bad a standi standing offer 1 bet on the result and it fit is IB m likely that the republicans could I 1 fi such a rare opportunity escape tile theio i if they felt sure of victory rree he fam marks too that none of the I 1 e adl church people are republica oft the contrary a great many of the boffl bials and leading mormons cormons here am members of the republican club a aua voted the republican ticket so eo thai for this aver averment ment there is no fou tion whatever it would require many MADY columns ta properly set out the circumstances instances co berning which mr campbell m kakmi charges and assertions which I 1 y forced to regard as wide from th the t trill I 1 do not say that his bis t are wilful I 1 am not able to judge that respect not being acquainted wa the mat man but I 1 cannot reconcile L statements with a belief in his I 1 in teg rity in any other way than 12 ta suppose him so bitterly prejudice that he can not see thin things 1 I most men of reli reasonable and mod orate fate temper and fairly good jid juff ment would be likely to do d fact is the logan election t out is a great encouragement T was freedom individuality earr ness argument disputation bun bunting fire crackers crinoline and aba else goes to make up a first class clan hi out and what is more important tl all the people are all learning and j ting into the spirit of it and before priests and billious preachers and no editors are aware of it they will WM running the machine all right and may it be respectfully q CALVIN M |
