The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-04
AN ATTACg ON POPULAR GOV
EMINENT.


politics in all that they are doing, that
there is nothing more than desire to
divorce the business Of administering
the city's affairs from politics If this
be so, why did they not call mass meet
ings Of those who, they claim, are in
favor of this? They have never at
tempted any explanation or iustifica-
ton Of their conduct in this regard;
nor have they ever attempted any de-
Of selecting candidates. Why they have
not done this is simply because they
had no use for the people except to use
them at the polls TO carry cut their
scheme OF getting control Of the city
government
They say there is no politics in city
government proper, that there can be
no question of free silver, a tariff or
anything else. In their speciousness
they overlook the important fact that
they have raised an issue that is para
mount TO all others. which is that Of
the right and capacity Of the people
for self government; that is the issue
that promoters of the non-p partisan
movement have raised. They say they
desire to divorce politics from city gov
eminent; yes, this is what they say
they are trying to do. But what do
their actions, those things which speak
louder than words, say? They say that
they have been trying to divorce the
people from the control of their own
f1;y, 10 @2ir
own hands. They have made a direct
attack on the right of local self-gov-
eminent and the capacity of the people
for the same.
Protesting to act for the people, they
refused to call the people together for
consultation about those things which
directly concern them.
They named ticket to be voted for
by the people but did not ask the peo-
pie to assist in making it.
Processing to act for the people, they
have never deigned to go to the peo-
pie and ask authority to act in their
name.
And why did they do all this? Sim
ply because they did not believe the
people had the capacity to name set
of candidates who, If elected, would be
fit to administer the affairs of this city
They say there is no political ques
ton involved in the city election, and
yet they attack popular government at
the very foundation of it. Can there
be a more important political question
than whether the people are fit and
competent to name those whom they
desire to administer their municipal af
fairs? II they are not fit and compe-
tent to do this then they are unfit and
incompetent to vote for candidates for
office when named by a self-appointed
committee. If the people of Salt Lake
City cannot be trusted to name candi-
dates for city offices then they cannot
be trusted for anything in politics. And
yet the people are told that there is no
political question involved in the mu-
nicipal eieetionl
And what is it that makes the com
mittee of twenty-three 50 eminently fit
and qualified above all other citizens
Democrats, Republicans, Popursts-to
name candidates for municipal office?
This is very pertinent question. No
mass meeting of citizens has declared
them to be pre-eminently fitted to
name candidates. Are the members of
the committee distinguished above
their fellow citizens for civic virtue and
public spirit? Is the name Of anyone
Of them identified with any public bene-
faction or charity? Has anyone of
=,
benefit of the people? Whence is it
that the members of the committee of
twenty-three have obtained a special
right to pose as the friends Of the peo-
pie and good government over ali
others? They have simply set them
selves as being better and wiser than
the rest of mankind that dwells in this
city.
1t is true that some of the gentlemen
on the committee are men of large
means, but that fact does not entitle
them TO say who shall and who shall
not be candidates on municipal tickets.
This government is based on the theory
of the rights of man and not of prop
erty, and there is no property qualifi-
cation attached to the elective fran
chise. Those composing the committee
of twenty-three have the same rights
as all other citizens. no more no less,
but they are attempting to assume
greater rlghts-the right to say who
shall manage the common affairs of
the people. And yet they say there is no
politics in their movement! They are
striking at the very root of popular
government.