| Show UTAH ASSOCIATION PRESS During the two decades Goodwin served as editor he became the newspapermost famous personality His editorial dueling with Charles Penrose perhaps the most brilliant provocative and widely quoted editor produced by the Deseret News attracted national attention In 1894 when members of the Constitutional Convention were elected new personality who was to play an important role in the future of The Tribune appeared on the Utah politi cal scene His name was Thomas Kearns Tom Kearns the son of immigrant Irish parents Nebraska farm boy came to Park City in 1883 In 1889 at age 27 he discovered the immensely rich Silver King Mine In 1893 he was elected to the Park City City Council and in 1901 was appointed by the Utah State Legislature to the United States Senate That same year Kearns and Keith acquired The Tribune During Kearns incumbency in the Senate the newspaper feuding continued in Utah but with subdued vehemence This was however lull beforereinvigorated storm The death of President Lorenzo Snow in 1901 deprived Kearns of his most influential supporter in the Church and Snowsuccessor Joseph Smith had other ideas as to suitable representation for the state in Washington This fact became Kearns before his four-year term ended known to and he prudently decided not to seek reelection Instead near the close of his term on February 28 1905 Senator Kearns deliveredscathing attack in Washington on the Mormon Church which Roberts an eminent Church historian wrote was constructed bydevilish cunning and made up of polished sentences and moving tropes Anti-Mormon editors greeted the speech asmasterful indictment of the Church and pro-Mormons greeted it asscurrilous and mostly false attack Because of its polished style and Kearns reputation for unpolished sentences historian Roberts attributed authorship to Frank Cannon son of the great George Cannon who had been employed by 152 Digital image 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah Al rights reserved |
