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Show H FOR BUSINESS MEN TO DECIDE. H Sinco what has boon referred to as a righteous Bj war was inaugurated against the church's politi- B cal interference, its monopolistic commercialism B and its well established and apparently perennial L polygamistic tendencies, local affairs have been B more or less chaotic and business has been to a B more or less degree unsettled. As a result of this, Bj many Gentile merchants are clamoring for peace, . while others as firmly maintain that there should fli be no armistice until the Mormon leaders develop B respect for the law and relax their unholy grip B' upon the industries and political machinery of th.3 Bj state. Hj Gentiles appear to be about equally divided as B to the wisesi policy to be pursued. Those whoso H Voices are raised for peace urge that no substantial B' benefit can come from the fight; that business is m being unnecessarily crippled; that by reason ot f( the internal agitation capital, which would other- B wise be invested here, is frightened from Utah'3 Bj borders, and that in consequence the normal B growth of the city and state is being hazarded. O The other class of Gentiles who oppose any i terms of neutrality with the church under the m present objeotionable conditions, admit that busi- H ness is suffering temporarily at least; but they H believe that if the fight is waged with determined H vigor, the church will sooner or later be forced m to adopt pacific measures, if only as a matter of H) self-interest. In this connection they point to the H j fact that as a result of Gentile opposition to those H, features in the church practice which are univer- Hj sally condemned elsewhere, the Mormon leaders H! during the recently adjournod conference were B entirely on the defensive, and that almost all the B sermons of the leaders were in attempted rebuttal B of charges against their misdoings and Inconsls- B tencies. This they view as a hopeful sign, since it Hi palpably places the leaders at a serious disad- Hjj vantage, threatening their former almost absolute Hjl sway over the masses of the faithful, if the fight H were relaxed, however, they maintain that the Hfi leaders would promptly resume all the old arro- Hl ganoe and continue indefinitely the old malprac- BH tices. aB As a further incentive to continue the cam- H paign, the belligerent element among the Gentiles H hold forth the belief that it is possible at the next Hj election to place in office a full Gentile ticket, or H' one which would at least be entirely free from the Hj influence of the Brigham street potentates. It is Hj their conviction that if this can be accomplished, H it "will be ample compensation for the temporary IB harm to business due to the agitation, and that Hj that advantage would be more than overbalanced Hj by the establishing of confidence among eastern H capitalists when they learned that Salt Lake City H at least was no longer under the commercial and H political control of the Mormon church leaders. H It is recognized among this element of the Gen- H tiles that the campaign now in progress will bo H almost futile if Reed Smoot is to retain his seal H in the United States Senate. The Provo senator is H really the vital issue, because if he is ousted from D his seat it is realized that this would mean that H the government Intends to aid local Gentiles in Hj overcoming admitted evils; and that it would at Hj the same time deal a severe blow at political con- H trol of the state by Mormon officials. Many Gen- H tiles most strongly opposed to the peace, which H many are urging for temporary business benefits, B admit that if Mr. Smoot retains his seat an or- H ganized continuation of the struggle would be H unavailing, except that with the increasing Gentile H immigation, Salt Lake City, and perhaps the coun- H ty, must sooner or later come under Gentile con- Bj trol. This alone Is viewed by many as being a BJ consummation which would result in such great H material benefits to the community that Its Ml Achievement amply justifies a continuance of the Hj itruggle. The present inconveniences In a busl- H1 ness way, they argue, are but a paltry sacrifice for healthy and substantial advantages to be enjoyed en-joyed later. The approaching political activity in the municipality muni-cipality will demonstrate clearly which element among the Gentiles is in the ascendency. If thos3v who oppose temporary expediency, in peace which would be galling, predominate, a straight Gentile ticket will be named for the city offices and there can be no question that it would make a formldlble showing. Otherwise, which ever party is successful, success-ful, there will probably be a duplication of the municipal conditions at present prevailing. After all It is a question upon which Gentile merchants and business men have the prerogative of pronouncing pro-nouncing the verdict. |