Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-07-17
THE CAMPAIGN.

Tomorrow evening the campaign viii
be opened in this county by ratification
meeting to be held in the open air in
front Of the DExocRAT Office. Who the
speakers will be we are st present unable
to say; to that meeting all Democrats
should come, and to it all citizens of ALI
parties are cordially invited. 1t is the
intention of the Democratic County Com
mittee and of the party to make the cam
paigna vigorous but respectful one- From
now until election day meetings will be
held throughout the county and the dis
trict. No party ever had better cause
than the Democratic. party in Utah, and
meyer was there seen field so needed to
be worked. That the dominant party is
overwhelmingly in the majority should
not discourage the Democrats in their
work; but should rather give them re-
newed ardor and additional zeal. They
fight for the grandest cause for which man
can fight, the cause of liberty and true
principles of government. The Demo-
cratic party knows no rank, no caste, no
priest and layman; and it re-
cognizes none but citizens and
fellow men. To it the interest and
welfare of the humblest citizen are as
dear and sacred as those of the greatest
man, be he President or be he Chief
Justice. The only rank it recognizes Is
that of superior intelligence and moral
worth, and these only when they are de-
voted to the furtherence of the ends OF
free government. The Democratic party
in Utah may look with just pride upon
the party's record in the nation, and they
may we'll hope to see that party triumph
ant in Utah in the near future. To aid in
solving the problem that exists here 1t
asks the cooperation of the people,
and not of those who have but remote
interest in Utah as part of the country.
There is everything in the principles OF
the Democratic party to attract the peo-
pie of Utah to its standard, and nothing
to repel them. Its fundamental principle
is that the strength of the Government
lies in the freedom of the people, and that
governments derive their power from the
consent of the governed, and not the peo-
pie their rights from the government.
Government is instituted to protect and
enforce the rights of the citizen, and is not
instituted to bestow them. Ii any one
in Utah challenges those principles the
the Democratic party stands ready to de-
fend them. In fact, we would suggest to
the County Committee and the candidates
the propriety of extending challenges to
those who shall be their political oppon-
ents in the ensuing campaign. At pres
ent the indications are that the Peoples
party alone will contest with the Demo
cratic party for the suffrages of the peo-
pie, and we believe it would be both in
teresting and beneficial to each party to
have chosen speakers from each party
meet in joint and friendly discussion. II
the Peoples party have better principles
than the Democratic party, they can
doubtless give convincing reasons why
they are better, and if they prove con-
vincing, they may expect the Democrats
to accept them, and vote for their candi-
dates. Democrats are likewise convinced
of the correctness of their principles, and
can give what they believe to be cogent
and convincing reasons for them. II
such their reasons shall prove, they will
be justified in expecting large accession
to their party from the ranks of their op-
ponents. Whichever principles may
prove triumphant, joint and friendly
discussion such as we propose could but
make the adherents to those principles
more firm in them. We believe that such a
discussionwould give more genuine inter
est to the campaign, and would make all
partisans more active in their work. The
members of the Peoples party have ever
been ready to enter the theological field
and discuss dogmas and creeds, and have
ever been ready to accept any challenge
to such combat, and have oft invited it,
and we believe they will not shrink from
meeting their political opponents in the
political arena.