The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-06
THE SUDDEN CRY FOR NoN-PAR-
TISANSHTP.

Inc non-partisan movement in mu-
nieipal affairs appears TO be taking
very well throughout the state" says
the Tribune Hardly so well as our
neighbor would have the people believe.
But What is the necessity for nom
partisan movement in municipal affairs
throughout the state? Is there such a
condition Of affairs in the cities and
towns of the state as is pictured by the
1on-partisans in their address as ex-
isting in Salt Lake City? Do the peo-
PIE Of Utah who live in the cities and
towns IN various parts Of the state di-
VIDE themselves into political parties
merely for. the sake of stealing from
ehelf ioed1 treasures and that they may
IurniSh places for party workers? That
Is what the non-partisans charge
against all who do not choose to come
and bow obedience at the beck and call
of a few gentlemen who would arrogate
to themselves the power to say who
shah and who shall not be candidates
for municipal Office
1t has been said that the conditions
which exist in Salt Lake City is what
gave rise TO the non-partisan move
ment in this city. But the deplorable
financial condition of this CITY is not
that Of other cities and towns in the
state There has been no complaint by
their citizens about extravaganza and
Mismanagement. so how is it that they
are in need Of municipal reform move
ments? Is il anticipatory?
There is something about this sud
den demand for non-pa rtisanshin in
municipal elections that arouses the
suspicious of the people who have di
vided honestly on party lines. They
! note the fact that only few years ago
/ they were urged to divide on party
lines, and they did Since then they
have held municipal elections and neye:
word was said about the desirability
of nom partisanship. Is it strange that
they now wonder why nothing but non
partisanship in municipal elections viii
do? They are given this reason and
that reason. but they were equally ap-
nlicahle at the last municipal election
as we'll as at the present one.
When the people divided on party
lines they did SO after mature delibera-
/ tion and because they were convinced
that party government was the very
| best thing for Utah. And now the eff
fort is being made to convince them
that non-partisan government is the
best thing for Utah. People with po-
! litical convictions are not TO be de-
ceived or cajoled in any such way.
II the people of Utah accept the the
DRY that non-partisanship is the proper
thing in municipal elections, how long
will it be before the same combination
that is teaching this false and pernici-
Gus theory will be saying that non-par-
tisanship is the thing for county cleo
tons and for state elections? And if it
i is good for one election it is good for
Pail, just as it IS true that if party gov
eminent is good in state affairs it is
coed in county and city affairs. To in
IL; &c nom artisanship into the poll
tic If this state is to introduce an in
| sidious poison into it; it is step back
ward and net step forward; it is re-
dictionary and not progressive; it is a
reYersion to old conditions instead Of
building UP the new ones. It is an old
saying that when the fox breaches the
people should look out for their chick
ems; and this cry Of non-p artisanship in
municipal affairs is nothing but the
| preaching of the fox.