| OCR Text |
Show VOTES MUST DECIDE. The Democratic nominations for trie Legislative ticket in this county include some very superior men in both ability and character. They are above reproach. They could not, if elected, be bribed, bullied or coaxed into supporting unworthy men, leaders or measures. There is no taint upon them of slavery either to a creed or machine. Their nomination places earnest Republican voters in a trying situation. They do not want Utah represented in the Senate of the United States by a Democrat; at the same time they do not want a man elected to the Senate Sen-ate who will serve Utah only in a supplementary way, his highest mission being to serve the authorities au-thorities who in Utah control a religious organization. organi-zation. It is a clear case that if Apostle Reed Smoot is elected to the Senate of the United States by tho next Utah Legislature, two things are liable to be established. One is that henceforth only apostles will attain to that position from this State; the other that the man who will be called tho Senator from Utah will, admitting that he will do the best he can for Utah, at the same time, regardless of the exalted office, regardless of his oath, necessarily be subject to . a power which he has been trained from his cradle to hold aa the sovereign power of this world, subject to men who, in their official position, claim to speak by direct authority from God. If this attached only to religious matters, we would be silent, for religious freedom, and religious slavery if they want it, in this country are guaranteed to all people. peo-ple. But the claim does not stop with that. It claims the same authority in politics that it does In religion, and, that accepted, means, so far as those in power who believe in it are concerned, tho absolute perversion of the principles on which our Government was founded, and, with a Senate and House filled with Smoots, the Government would cease to be a Republic and become an absolute ab-solute Theocracy. No matter what its outside form might be, it would in truth be an oligarchy s unpitying and unyielding as ever enslaved any Portion of the people of the earth. Honce the election of Senator this winter will the most serious act that any Legislature of Utah has evtr been called upon to perform. This ls of course assuming that Apostle Smoot remains a candidate. We have been thus explicit in order that voters may have a full understanding of the situation to guide them in reaching a conclusion to eovern their votes. To elect Apostle Reed Smoot to the Senate of tu United States will be the turning down in Utah of American methods and adopting here the Methods which, since the beginning of civiliza tion, has made every people of Asia a servile people, peo-ple, for, no matter how soft the glove is, within it is an iron hand. By all this we do not mean that Apostle Smoot is not a kindly man, of fair attainments. We do not mean that he would not, if elected Senator, hrtve an earnest desire to faithfully serve the whole Republic and Utah in particular. But we mean that in that high place his first allegiance would not be to the flag and the high sovereignty it represents, but to Joseph F. Smith of Salt Lake City, who, in Apostle Smoot's estimation, is the vice-regent on earth of the Great God in Heaven. To this allegiance Apostle Smoot is bound by faith and bv oaths more binding that our Government Gov-ernment r invent. If t ,umon Church authorities were acting in good faith; if their highest desire was for the welfare of the whole county, they would serve an ultimatum upon' Apostle Smoot reminding him that no man can serve two masters; that he must take himself out of the political field or resign his apostleship. If that is not done, then voters must decide for themselves how to cast their votes foi the Legislative ticket. |
