The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-01
RELATIVE VOTING STRENGTH.

In these columns, the other morn
ing, it was shown pretty clearly
that there are in the territory to-
day not less than $4,000 persons ELI
gible to vote. This number does not
include the 5000 or 10000 excluded
from the polls by the Edmunds act,
nor the foreign born persons OF vot-
ing age who have not been admitted
to citizenship. 1t does, however, in
clude percentage of women-nOt
a large percentage-whO under oar
laws have the right to exercise the
franchise. It is hardly to be ex-
pected that all of these persons eli
gibIe to vote will be registered, for
there are some in every community
Whe are so Indifferent to the privi-
lege of exercising the franchise that
they would not put themselves out
in the least to do so. Wehave heard
men say they cared so little
for voting, or who were in office,
that they would not cross the street
10 cast their ballots. or elect a can
didate. Such persons, if they are
not bad citizens, certainly are not
good ones. People who neither vote
nor care to do so, are usually worth
less persons in the community.
Again, it never happens that all
who are registered go to the polls On
election day. Business keeps some
away, theughtle:sness others, and
laziness, or want Of interest still
others. Ordinarily it is regarded
a"full vote" if tho returns equal
four-ffths of the registration lists.
If voting population of IS, 900 cast
$4,000 votes, it is considered extra
ordinary, and $4,000 registered
voters who deposit 1900 ballots
are esteemed as commercially faith
full to their duties in this respect.
The circumstances ir Utah at
present are different from those of
the past. There IS an incentive 10
pretty nearly all to vote; that is to
say, to all who can lawfully
exercise that privilege. We are act
ing under law that was intended to
put the very large majority into the
minority so far as voting and Office
holding are concerned. If this was
not the design Of the Edmunds act
then there was no design in it, and
its passage piece Of inexplicable
stupidity on the part of congress.
It remains to be seen whether the
Senators and Representatives reck-
oned without their host.
AS stated, the voters, or those en-
titled to vote, number $4,000. No
one is able to say definitely how
these are divided in sentiment as to
the local issues; but there is a basis
from which q reasonably close esti-
mate may be made. The parties
here, whatever may be the names
they prefer to be called by, whether
People, Liberal, Republican Demo-
crat, or any other, are simply
Mormon and Gentle. Non-Mor-
mons sometimes train with the
MormOns, and vote with them
either from conviction of right or on
account of "policy," but speaking
generally the Gentiles go together,
if they go at all, and the MormOns
likewise. The parties being Nor
mon and anti-AIormOn, it is i'm
portant to know their relative
strength at the polls. The census
showed there were in the territory,
in round figures, 10000 Mormons,
and $1,000 Of all others, meaning for
election purposes, anti-MormOns.
While the population has increased
somewhat the relative strength Of
the classes has not materially
changed. If there has been any ad-
vantage it has been on the side Of
the Mormons, through their young
man an0 women couofnO oF