| Show THE LURE OF NEWSPAPERING things about each other The Advocate can say the meanest things but the Censor shows the greater capacity for taking punishment In December the Brigham Bugler noted The Richfield Advocate is the fiercest Mormon-eating paper published in Utah today On October 17 1898 the Advocateplant burned to the ground and while it was being rebuilt new publisher took over His first act was to re-name the paper the Reaper his second was to make it clear he would not pursue the Advocateprinciples Wise decision too for 96 years later the Reaper is one of Utahhealthiest weeklies At least four other Salt Lake City dailies were opponents of the Mormon Church in that pre-turn of the century time The Evening Chronicle was labelled by contemporaries Clearly anti-Mormon frequent anti-polygamy editorials Frankly outspoken usually with dignity against everything Mormon including the people The Salt Lake Democrat which waxed hot and cold in its crusade was analyzed in these terms Seems to become more anti-Mormon Every issue contains something against the other newspapers and against the Church reflected the tenor That Mormon Some of its headlines Disgrace Democracy and Mormonism The Saints Crawfish The Salt Lake Independent which drew this brief analysis Avowedly anti-Mormon anti Tribune and anti Lockley editor of the Tribune The Utah Evening Mail about which this was said It is plainly to be seen that its chief object next to making money will be to attack Mormonism and the Mormons In retrospect when all was said and done it appears much was said and little was done The Latter-day Saints Church survived the editorial crusades The crusaders blunted their weapons againststurdy opponent And opposing schools of thought at least newspaper-wise realized it wasrather futile struggle since without exception neither convinced the other While thereno record of them therelittle doubt that editors in succeeding years had their share of confrontations some probably punctuated by fisticuffs But for the most part 277 Digital image 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah Al rights reserved |
