The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-21
WHY TIE PEOPLE WERE NOT
CONSULTED.

People" 1t was defense of the
methods adopted by those in charge Of
the non partisan movement in launch
ing the same and in naming a ticket.
The article is we'll worth examining
in detail. It begins as follows:
When the non-partiSan movement
began to crystalline in this city. its
promoters found themselves con-
fronted with two alternatives: They
must take the responsibility of issuing
z. call for primaries and a convention,
or they must take a similar respenSi-
bility and dispense with those gather
iugs. Which course should they take?
The question was discussed fully and
answered deliberately.
The course decided upon was not to
call primaries and conventions or 10
adopt any means whereby the wishes
Of the voters. Of this city were to be
consulted. The promoters Of the move
ment chose TO absolutely ignore the
people so far as the naming of cand5-
dates for the various municipal offices
was concerned. Here was a first mis-
trust of the voters Of all parties.
50 far as the right to act was con-
cerned, they had as good a right to do
one thing as the other. Suppose they
had issued a call for primaries? The
politicians would have disputed their
right to do that as vehemently as they
now dispute their right to frame a
ticket. 1t would have been said that
the call for primaries did not come
from the voters. but from a self con
stituted committee, and the name Of
the dear people" would have been in
Voked in denunciation of the leaders in
the non-Dartisan movement, just the
same as it is now
The promoters of the non partisan
movement certainly had the right to
choose whichever course they pleased;
no one has disputed this, no one will
The charge against them is that hav-
ing the choice between the popular and
time-honored method of primaries and
conventions and the oligarchic method,
they chose the latter, thereby show
ing their dis'trust of the people in the
matter of naming a municipal ticket,
From this charge it is impossible to
! free themselves.
A ward primary is a ward politicians
! golden opportunity. Take from him this
opening for getting in his work, and
! he is half defeated in advance Of the
election.
A ward primary is the place where
! the voters meet TO choose delegates to
precinct and other conventions, and if
the voters turn out to them they cam
not be worked" If those who so dis
approve the primaries would attend
them they would be performing their
duty as citizens and would find there is
less TO complain about in them than
they think.
Preparatory to the holding Of this
meeting The ward politicians organize
their forces, and if corruption is to be
forestalled, the decent voters must or
gani2e TOO. But any high-minded citi-
zen feels reluctant to Join a cabal fol
the purpose of controlling a primary;
fer by so doing he subjects himself, to
a. certain extent, to the same charges
he makes against the heelers and
FOUNDERS. Rather than do this, on the
one hand, or be defeated on the other
ne stays away from the primary.
Let the decent voters" organize, il
they find that those VINO are nos OF
their class are doing so. We are told
that amy high-minded citizen feels re-
luctant to join a cahal for the purpose
of controlling a primary" Is it any
worse for a ''high-minded citizen" tc
join a cabal for the purpose of con-
trolling primary than for high-minded
citizens to form cabal for the pur-
pose of naming a ticket and controlling
q city election? Not so far as the pub
lie can see. And the promoters of The
on-partisan movement have formed {
cabal for the express purpose of nam
ing a ticket without any consultation
of the people and to control the city
Their object is the same as that of the
! partisans, whom they affect to con
tenn, while their methods are infinitely
worse.
Had the nDu-part.san cammltter
called primaries, who would have com
Quoted them? More important still, Wih6
would have secured control of them
Might they not have been so manlgu
lated as TO reverse the purpose fol-
, which they were called, and make re-
form impossible?
That is practically an admission O
the charge thar the promoters of tat
NON partisan movement have pursued
Democratic, un-Amertcan ways
Who would have conducted non par,
tlEan primaries had they been callsd
Those who would have attended then
in response To the committees cali. 4
ci-al-r partisan could have manned SONS
other NON Dat-tizan for chairman ann
he would have been elected by the non
partisans present, and tlllsIa he woult
have announced the object of the meet
ing; and matters would have taken th-
usual COURSE No ONE not in sympath.
with the movement would have at
tempted to participate in the proceed
ihgs any more than at any othe
primaries Had there been no re5pons
to the call for primaries it would merel,
have shown that there was no publi
sentiment in favor of non aztisac
politics.
Who would nave secured control o
these primaries? Who but the non
partisans? They and they only, wpaIli
have secured control of them. though
it is not at all impossible that the dele
gates selected at them would nave beer
IN sympathy With all the aims Of TIL
promoters of the movement.
Might they Not have been SO mani
pulated as TO reverse the purpose fo
which they were called, and make re
form impossible ?'' Is not to ask tina
question to admit that the people coul
not be trusted? 1t would be i1npossibf
TO make mistrust of the people plainel
Who would have manipulated them