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Show A HARD DUTY. It is a hard and painful duty that devolves de-volves upon us this morning when we are compelled to correct an error, a gross error, an error plainly arising from prejudice preju-dice and ignorance, which appears in this morning's Tribune. In speaking editorially editori-ally of Phil Robinson, who was in this city some two or three years ago, the Tribune, "the journal which holds the foremost place among newspapers for a thousand miles in either direction," direc-tion," says that "when Phil Robinson, Robin-son, was here he was lodged in the Lion House." When Phil Robinson Robin-son was here he was not lodged in the Lion House, and it is really surprising that a man who has been in Utah "fully a quarter of a century" Bhould be so grossly ignorant of a thing so universally known and so commonly talked about as the residence of Phil Robinson while in Salt Lake City. This is especially surprising sur-prising and mortifying when it is remembered remem-bered that it is the peculiar province of the Tribune to know to the dotting of an i, 60 to speak, all about Mormon affairs and the movements of all who come to Utah and to a greater or less extent associate asso-ciate with the Mormons. If the editor of the Tribune did not know where Phil. Robinson resided when in Salt Lake City, why did he say that he resided at the Lion House? He is certainly aware of the position that the Lion House occupies in Mormon annals, and being so aware did he wish to create a prejudice and disseminate a false impression im-pression among the readers of his paper? If such was his motive, surely it was not a very honorable or commendable one. If he did not know where Phil. Robinson lodged while here, why did he presume to say that it was one place more than another? If, on the other hand, the editor edi-tor of the Tribune did know where Phil. Robinson lodged while here he knew that he did not lodge in the Lion" House, and for him to say that Robinson did lodge in the Lion House was for him to deliberately deliber-ately and maliciously utt3r a falsehood, and for a base and sinister purpose. But it is characteristic of the Tribune to assume that its prejudices and dislikes are facts, and to give them forth to the world as such. It is that very characteristic character-istic which destroys the influence that it would otherwise have.' We have frequently fre-quently heard the remark made by leading lead-ing Mormons that the Tribune defeats its. very object and aim by its too frequent mingling of actual facts with spurious facts. Had the Tribune half the power of discernment which it thinks it has, it would be the easiest thing in the world for it to sort the actual facts from the spurious facts, and thereby le enabled to make its arguments . without the fatal flaw that usually marks them. When a man says that a horse is sixteen feet high and for the sake of consistency and false pride furiously adheres to his statement, such a course may cause men to admire his firmness, but they will also doubt and condemn his judgment. In conclusion, Ave would suggest that frequently fre-quently the Tribune would make faster headway by going a little slower. |