Show POLITICS AND RELIGION WE hope the declaration made by presidents woodruff and smith in ia re lation to church influence in politics w will 11 prove satisfactory to all who are interested in the matter and put an end to every quibble and dispute on this subject one of the most fruitful sources of trouble just now to is the irritability of partisans parti on either side they abeso areso are so worked up in their feelings that their judgment t is sometimes impaired and small things are magnified in their eyes till they appear to be mountains of difficulty it is to be regretted that the men who were once united under the ban her ber of the Peo peoples People pleYs 8 party cannot learn how to agree to differ on questions of national politics there is an impatience and irritation exhibited by many of them that is con r among cultivated men of the world and is certainly incompatible with their position as followers of the same religious faith ept they are not alone in this manifestation fe of temper it exists among prominent men on either side and excitement cit ement is easily provoked and runs high when it is started perhaps the altitude has something to do it Z serves nerves being in a highly sensitive condition in consequence we suggest that it would koe he well for all parties to put on the brakes aid go a little slower lower with a disposition to be fair courteous and calm in politics the same as in business apart from this we are free to confess that there seem to be some causes for the dissatisfaction which has cropped out recently unauthorized persons it is said have made it appear inferentially if not directly that they reflected the views and desires of the presidency of the church and in this way have impressed others with the feeling that the presidency wished them to vote in a certain way that these persons had no right to represent the presidency in any manner ought to be clear to every sane per von who has read the repeated statements ments of the church authorities it to is to be regretted that there are any citizens or of this tt territory who have not personal convictions and strength of mind to act upon them sufficient to fortify them against all such misrepresentations but it is a fact that the radical differences between the two great parties are not clear enough to some gome minds to warrant a determined attitude in favor of one or the otner and this situation halting baiting between two opinions renders them susceptible to the influence of such unscrupulous or over zealous persons as those to whom we have have referred it is believed honestly by home gome leading men that it would not be a good thing for all the people of utah to to be massed on either side of the political conflict they think that it would be better for the interests of the territory that there should be republicans as well as democrats here and vice versa the great objection to the Mormon people in past politics was that they all voted together if this was objectionable under the peoples party would it not be equally objectionable under any other party Divi division therefore has been encouraged cou raged but it has not been dictated by the authority or consent of the church presidency they have said from the beginning as they say now let each party have an equal opportunity to present its principles let them be duly discussed and considered let every citizen make his own choice when he be has made it let him stand by it honorably and be true to his party pledges if f there have been private hints and winks and insinuations and pretended messages conveying the idea that the presidency did not mean said eadd or that they had one thing for the public and another thing for private ears ear all that is wrong and despicable insulting to our leaders and misleading to those who have been the victims of the deception it seems to up however that no one need be misled in this matter personal conviction should rule in poll bics tics as in religion another persons pers onla opinion ought not to be enough for any citizen while men can be swayed one way or the other as certain persons dictate there will be no security in political affairs lairs aff and if there thare are people who will look for the mind of others rather than their own they are told emphatically that the mind of the church leaders is that every citizen shall take his own choice freely vol unto rily honestly and from his own convictions Is not that plain enough for even the most servile or the most devoted seeker after counsel there is a feeling prevalent in this country coultry which whatever we may think of its consistency must not be ignored that is that while almost any secular class of men may seek to influence their fellows in politics I 1 persuade them deceive them got get them to change the their r politics and vote one way today and another tomorrow any apparent or supposed interference of church authorities thor ties ittes in this direction arouses a bitterness and fury from either party that leads men to the greatest extremes it springs no doubt from the abhorrence of raft which is implanted in every american freemans freemanb fre emans heart and from the determination to separate church and state effectually in the affairs flaire af of this great nation but whatever its origin and however mistaken it may be in reference to utah affairs it should not be lost sight eight of in viewing our local situation or in the policy we pursue the public however must not expect that a leading churchman shall become a political eunuch because of his ecclesiastical position he is as ao much a citizen with all the powers and liberties of a citizen as if he were a layman or an infidel but when acting as a politician he be will find it difficult to dissociate in the public mind kilo bis personality as a citizen anahis and his ecclesiastical office and therefore the utmost prudence is suggested in bis big course that he may not be misunderstood liet let this be clear to all ail people in utah the church has no dictation or persuasion for lite its member as to which party they shall join or support it any one intimates to the contrary tie he is a deceiver if any one pretends that the church leaders desire that shall be in a condition to be swayed to one side or the other as exigencies igen cies may demand he is misrepresenting those leaders and inculcating a most dangerous dane erous and delusive doctrine honor sincerity truth and righteousness are essentials in our religion and falsehood in politics is falsehood in faith alike detestable to god and to all honest men |