The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-11-20
THAT FEDERAL INTERFERENCE

The arrests by the United States marshal
last Sunday, of saloonkeepers detected in
the act of selling liquor on that day con-
trary to the municipal ordinance and the
territorial statute, continue to furnish the
subject for much street talk aud newspaper
discussion. Opinions on the affair are nu
merous and run all the way from the
hearty and demonstrative approval of the
course pursued by the marshal to the Wig
orous denunciation of the action of that
official. 1t is noteworthy also that every
man seems to have an opinion and the
courage to express it, although not many
are able to support their utterances with
any sort of reason or logic. On the
contrary, personal aud political
ideas OF morality and the individual ooin
ions of men concerning the marshal him
self largely control in what is said. The
real principle underlying the proceeding is
rarely taken into account. AS illustrating
this 1t may be mentioned that certain par
ties are saying that the raid was a Demo
era &c movement, inspired and carried out
with the view to assisting tbs Democracy
at the coming municipal election. That
anyone possessing ordinary intelligence
should advance such proposition passes
understanding. in the first place it is diff
hcult to link the affair with politics in any
way. What, will somebody explain. has
party politics to do with the matter of clos
ing the saloons on Sunday, when the laws
say they shall be closedl In the
next place the United States marshal is a
rampant Republican and is serving under q
Republican administration, his commission
bearing the signature of a Republican
President. Is it among the probabilities
that he would play into the hands of the
Democracy! The suggestion is ludIcrous
And finally, those who know anything of
Democratic principles, aspirations. ambi-
tons and history will never think of COM
ing to that party for justification of pro-
ceedlng like the one referred to. Demo
Gratis do not take kindly to such interfer-
ences and regret that anything savoriug of
legal excuse for them can be brought for.
ward by the intruding officials. Local self.
government is one thing on which all DEM
ocrats agree. Indeed, without the accept
ance of that principle man would find If
difficult to induce anybody to take stock in
his Democracy The Democratic party in
Utah, as in New York and Kentucky, and
everywhere, believes that local laws should
be enforced by local officials; that the
home rule should apply, and that the fed
eral power should not be exerted in munic.
ipal administration. 1t is true enough that
the United States marshal finds authority
In the law for the interference, but that
law is not in harmony with Democratic
principles, and Democrats, more than
others, are panied when advantage is taken
of an unjust statute to find excuse for fed
eral interference in matters purely local.
1t is observed that in the street
discussions the real point in all
this business is lost sight of, and in that
neglected point the marshal finds the only
ground OF justification for his conduct.
The local administration has ANONYMOUSLY
failed, and therein do the supporters of
the federal marshal excuse him for doing
what under ordinary circumstances should
inspire in every citizen feeling of indig-
nation. AS it is every thoughtful citizen
experiences sense of shame and humilia
ton when he reflects that the police ad
ministration is so incompetent inefficient
or worse that the United States marshal
can find any sort of excuse for interference
in matters which are none of his legitimate
concern. The disgrace of the thing comes
through the negligence of the
police department which has made the mar
shaps interference possible, aud the cure
lies with the people themselves. II the citi-
zens would not be thus Inundated. and
made to feel ashamed that local functions
should be assumed by federal officials they
must turn out and repudiato the gang
which is responsible for last Sundays ugly
business and for other interferences by the
United States marshal. If .the men who
claim this city as their home would take
pride IN the municipal administration and
would have the city govern itself. thew
should elect men to Office who will so en-.
force the laws that the federal officials
can ind no excuse for stepping In.
when raid like that of last Sunday or the
one of few days ago when a posse of
deputies arrested the proprietor and in
mates of gambling house, would arouse
such storm Of indignation against the in.