The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-13
THE REAL ISSUE.

nent query to the Utah Republicans:
What is the issue in this camnaign %,
Perhaps it will receive a straightfor-
ward answer. Perhaps not. National
issues are measurably shifted outside
Of our state campaign.
The silver question forms no subject
OF contention here, except when the
local Republicans pretend that their
party nationally is a silver party. Then
there is an issue, because the assertion
is so false and absurd that it provokes
response. That the national RepubIi-
can party is vehemently opposed to the
Independent free coinage of silver nv
the United States, is as certain as that
1t IS in favor of what it pleases to cali
protection" But in Utah both parties
are agreed on the necessity of silver
remonetization without waiting for for
elgn permission or agreement.
The tariff question is not a local ,s-
csue at all. Actually it is not at pres
ent a national issue. 1t NAV he
worked up into that shape for party
purposes, but the tariff law now in
force is not likely to be changed ma
terially, no matter what partisans NAV
say. The restoration of McKinleyisu
may be set down 'as4Ae extreme of i'm
probability and may be reasonably
viewed as an impossibiIity.
The bounty question locally is almost
IN the same fix. In theory it is a mat
ter of dispute. Practically it cannot
be put in force in Utah. The constitu-
ton has settled that as to ANYTHING
very dangerous. and there is not anv
likelihood of public money to any large
extent being diverted from the treas
ury Of Utah to private uses. either
corporate or individual.
The strong government theory, and
the diffusion of power doctrine. emf
no figure in local politics because the
organic law of the state has settled all
that, by defining and limiting the now
ers of the respective departments of
the state government.
The suffrage question is also Iarea,x
a thing of the past The women will
be endowed, in the new state. with tho
full political rights and privileges thar
men enjoy. Of course the disnute &c
to their right to vote at the first stare
election just the same as at subsequent
state elections, is open as a question
of equity and common sense. But so
far as the law is concerned it is ouietad
if not finally decided.
The ratification of the. state consti-
tuition is not in the nature of a partv
question. Both parties join in the de-
sire to see that instrument adopted bv
a practically unanimous vote. State.
hood is the goal to which we are all
marching forward The constitution
is approved by the best people Of the
territory of every class, party and
creed, and there is no issue between
Democrats and Republicans on that
score.
These may all be discussed during
the campaign, but can scarcely be. re-
garded as vital issues on which the
election may be determined. What
then, is the real pivotal issue now be-
fore the people of Utah? We will an
swer
1t is MEN. Citizens of the coming
state, scan the respective tickets of the
two parties and note the kind of men
for your suffrages! Put fit
men in public positions. Do not throw
away the sacred franchise upon men
totally unfit for the places that have
to be filed. This is an important
crisis in our affairs. Honest men and
wise men should be upheld. Unfit men
ought not to be supported. Let us have
a state conducted by tried men and
true who know what is needed and
can be depended upon to see to it that
it is secured and maintained. This is
especially applicable to candidates for
the judiciary.
BY this we have no reference to
creed or social status. Neither of them
should be counted. The attempt to
raise church issues ought to be
stamped upon in the start A mans
religion or non-religion should have
to do with his adaptability for
the affairs of state. Let the true
friends Of Utah choose and vote for
such true friends of Utah as are fitted
for ana capable of -capably filling the