Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-08-10
WHAT WAS DECIDED.


People frequently ask what the election
of week ago decided. Some say that
it decided that there were not so many
Democrats as Republicans; some say 1t
decided that no straight ticket can have
any show against the Peoples ticket, while
others say that the chances are much
more in favor of fusion ticket than any
other. All these views may be right, all
these views may be wrong; we do not
pretend to say. One thing of great i'm
portance was decided last Monday, which
was that the people of Utah are not DEM
ocrats, although in years past such has
been their claim and boast. To have def
nitely placed the people on record as to
their politics was to do much it was to do
more than has ever been done before. In
political matters to definitely locate peo-
pies politics is the first thing to be done.
1t is to politics what the definition OF
terms is to science. 1t was generally
admitted by members of the Peoples
party that the Democratic ticket was
the superior in all ways of the two
tickets that were in the field. The
campaign was strictly Democratic
campaign, and the principles ad-
vocated were strictly Democratic.
Such being the case, no other conclusion
can be drawn from the result of the cleo
ton than that the people here are not
Democrats, let them be what else they
choose. The politics of the Peoples
party may be summed up by saying that
they are the principles of the Mormon
church; they are no more, they are no
less. Further, the men who NOM
mate the ecclesiastical officers OF
the church also nominate the civil
officers for the various Territorial and
municipal offices. This becomes palmer
and palmer each year, and each year the
people are more and more frank in their
ayowal OF it. Many justify it, and many
regret it. The simple fact that the peo-
pie are looking the facts in the face as
they are is a hopeful sign, and We believe
augurs well for the future. A member of
the Peoples party a few days ago, in con-
versation with the writer, expressed the
wish that the church would cease its in
reference in political matters, as he recog-
nized that it was from such interference
that half of the trouble in the Territory
arose; but still he cast his ballot for the
Peoples ticket when he was fully aware
of the condition of affairs here and
whence arose the trouble. To recog-
nize the cause of an evil is the first thing
towards correcting an evil, and men re-
volye things in their minds and re-revolve
them long before they act in accordance
with their convictions. To expect men
to entirely change their habit of thought
in one campaign is to expect thatwhich is
unreasonable and unnatural. Much more
time is required to work out a political
problem than to evolve a personal
scheme. All these things should be
borne in mind when thinking over the
results of the late campaign and that the
Democratic ticket was not successful and
did not receive more support than it did,
should not discourage Democrats in their
hopes and their endeavors. Their ticket
had the united opposition of two political
parties, and whatever else they may have
failed in doing they succeeded in drawing
party lines in a Territory where party
lines never before had been drawn. And
they have proven to the country that
while the Mormons may pose as
Democrats when away from Utah,
in Utah they are Peoples party
men, and that the Peoples party
is no more or no less than the Nor
mon church in the political field.