The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-08
OUTSIDE COMMENT.

4
comments on our late election. Some OF
the editors seem to have reasonably cor
rect idea of the local situation, while others
are as ignorant of what is going on here
as they are of the construction of the
moons crater S. The San Francisco Ebdm-
liner has been q close observer OF affairs in
Utah. and therefore talks in.eiligently OF
our late contest. 1t says:
In Utah the chief interest. OF course. lay in
the attempt to abolish the old distinction be-
tween Mormon and Gentle, and divide the peo
pie on national party lines. The effort was par
italy successful. The Democratic and Repub-
lican parties made vigorous campaigns, and the
Mormons divided between them, but the Lib
eral party declined 10 give up. the ghost. Its
remarkable vitality was one o; the surprises OF
the election II carried Salt Lake county by
an increased majority and almost carried
Weber.
/ But the Mormons appear TO have carried out
their bargain in good faith, ana this viii prob
ably strengthen the national parties and
weaken the Liberals hereafter. The Demo
cratic and Republican tickets were ABOUT
equally divided between Gentle and Mormon
names The Liberals asserted that this was a
Mormon trick. and that when they went TO the
polls the Saints would combine the two tickets,
voting for the MormOns on each and scratching
the Gentiies. But this does not seem TO have
been done. The Democrats appear to have
made pretty clean sweep, outside Of Salt
Lake county Mormons and Gentiles workin :
Loyalty fer the ticket.
II the country could only be assured that IN s
AmericaniZation OF Utah were genuine and per
manent there would be no good reason for refus-
ing TO admit the territory as state In popula-
1T
qualified for admission. The conduct Of its
people in the near future will determine its
prospects.
The editor Of the Cheyenne Leader is
also familiar with matters hereabouts, and
he therefore writes intelligently of what
has been done and Of the outlook as the
result of the splendid beginning. These
examples of editorial observation and opin-
ion tell US that the political movement in
Utah is being watched with interest, and
they also encourage people here to proceed
with the good work. The Leader says:
The hottest campaign ever known TO Utah
in fact, campaign equal in intensity TO a
county seat war-was concluded on Monday
night. The returns are now sufficiently accu-
rate to pass some judgment on them
Previous TO this year parties have not been
! divided upon the lines of national politics in
Utah. II was Mormon or anti-Mornon, or as
they are officially known the Peoples patty,
signifying the Mormon element, and the Lib
erals as designating the Gentiles. In the
judgment OF many leading men OF
the territory the time had arrived
! when the tight on previous and as they be-
lieved superannuaied issues should be dropped
and tbs people OF the territory following their
natural inclinations should unite under tie
banner of Democracy or Republicanism. This
movement was not confined TO either represen-
tatives OF Democracy or Republicanism in
national politics. but included both, thus draw
ing into their ranks men from hoth the Mormon
and Gentle factions. While there were many
men who thus believed there were others also
including representative men of the territory,
who did not believe that the time had yet come,
TO divide the local political parties according
II their national predictions. They did not
believe that the issues which the Liberal party
had been formed 10 fglt were yet dead even
though they might be quiesoent. and proceeding
on this basis the organization was mairtsined
and the fight was therefore a triangular one IL
clud NJ Liberals. Democrats and Republicans
In commercial centres like Sal; Lake Liber-
aiisul was naturally strongest. There the po-
liticai cast assumes more or less commercial
nUe aun c0nSlceratiorS or politics are strongly
mixed up with calculations as 10 how the vie
tors OF this. that the other party might in.lu-
ence immigration or investment. Ii vas pretty
generally believed that the Liberals would
carry three counties. salt Lake which includes
Salt Lake city; Weber, with Ogden as its cen
ire, and Summit. with Park City as its county
seat. They did carry Salt Lake and Summit
counties, but Weber has gone Democratic by
very fair majority. The Democrats carried the
territory, eiecting about two-Ihirds OF The mem
bers of both branches Of the LEGISLATURE
The Leader has been one OF the papers which
from the FIRST has tavorei divisions OF parties in
Utah on the lines of national politics We be-
lieve the future viii justify the work done during
the campaign Just closed. Utah has now
reached such a position that il can afford 10
drift into the Homogeneous mass OF states and
territories Ii should no longer be held as
commonwealth apart from lis fellows Mer
monism is not now the bugaboo that it once was
ana in the nature OF things il must become less
So What il has been in the past is of inf
nitely less conce Tn than what il is now. The
territory is rapidly passing through transition
stale and the influx OF populat on 20 develop its
mines and other resources Will only tend TO en-
phasize the usual party distinctions. for each
newcomer will carry with MIN his past party
affiliations. From this distance IL looks as
though the Liberals had spent themselves ia
the campaign Just closed and that they Will in
no subsequent campaign be n sufficient factor
to merit much attention from either OF the other
two political parties.