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Show IT DOES NOT MUCH COUNT. From our friend of the Marysvale Free Lanco comes up some "words of wisdom." The Free Lance intimates that its Democratic fronds have been in the chestnut business politically, that is, that they have been pulling the ripe and roasted fruit from the flre for the benefit of the opposition- It gravely intimates that elections in Utah have become howling farces because those in ecclesiastical power have assumed and exercised ulbo the claim that they know bettor how voters should think aa vote than tho voters thenv solves. This is calculated to mako heartburnings H in most American communities. The Free Lance H believes this "evil will expand in proportion as H it is supinely endured by Democrats and tolerated H by Republicans, because 6f the spoils of ofllce or, H in plainer English, the rewards doled out for the H sacrifice of solf-respect and the prostitution of H American manhood." H We have had a suspicion of tho truth of that H for come time. On a few occasions we have mild- 'y expiessed the belief that ecclesiasMcal political rule in Utah would if persisted In, cause tho brains of tho average voters to degenerate dowii to tho level of tho priests themselves, for how can a stream rise higher than its source? The Free Lance declares the belief that "the M candidacy of Apostle Smoot was a direct bid for M Mormon votes irrespective of political affiliation." M We suspect that is true, that even such dyed in u M the wool Democrats as Elder Penrose and Hon. B. H. Roberts voted that Legislative ticket. M The Free Lance tells how a Millard county M bishop's counsellor went out and advised the peo- M pie early in the campaign to vote for the Demo- cratic candidate for the Legislature, on the score that the opposition candidate was of most un- M savory reputation, but later received "a hunch" M that the unsavory one fayored Apostle Smoot M and was forced to go back and unco all the good M work that he had performed. M The Free Lance does not believe in church M rule. It states its belief rather directly. It ex- M horts Democrats not to lay down and asks: "What M can they hope to achieve by a passive surrender M lo an ecclesiastical despotism that is repugnant M to every liberty-loving man and woman and that M cannot but be hateful to God, who .surely has no M desire to 'encompass the wellfare of Zion' by an ' M Infamous mixture of ecclesiastical and political c M debauchery?" M It thinks tho only hopo is through the Do- H mocracy, that no party like tho old Liberal party H can be revived, H The Free Lance editor is a Mormon. How H long does he expect "to feel to bo sustained" in H his present course? All he says is true enough, H only he makes too much of a distinction between H Republicans and Democrats. Last year tho or- H der went out to support a Republican, next year H it will be just as apt to bo to support a Democrat. H In point of fact there is no-more party principle H being made manifest In Utah; no more than H there Is among gamblers when they throw dice H or stock sharps when they bull or bear the mar- H ket. Just now there is a Republican President. H If year after next he should be succeeded by a H Democrat, then the order would be to support H Democratic candidates, for it is the purpose of H those in power to always degrade the political H rule of the State to a subordinate place, and still, H if possible, to keep in with the National Govern- H ment. , H They do not desire that mon shall form any H fixed political principles, holding that this is their H government and that tho people must never grow to think any differently. The advice of the Free I Lance is well enough, but for how much does It H count in a State like this? ' H |