The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-08
THE NoN-PARTIsAN MovEMENT


The movement to inaugurate nom
partisan municipal campaign in this
city will not bring about the result de-
sired, no matter how honest the mo-
tives Of the gentlemen may be who are
back of the movement.
It is urged that partisan politics are
too impure TO be mingled with muni-
cipal affairs, and vet some gentlemen
who make this argument say that they
consider partisan politics all right for
county and state elections.
1t is theory of our government that
it starts with the home. The next step
is the municipal government, then the
county, next the state and last of all
the nation. If partisan politics are
tainted with impurities, then they
should be cleansed. and as has been
pointed out by The Herald before, the
proper place to rectify the evil is to
begin when the evil is first TO be found.
If partisan politics are so bad that they
viii contaminate municipal affairs.
then the effect on county and state pol
itics viii be bad Therefore, it seems
difficult to. reconcile the thought that
partisan politics are all right for the
county and state, but not all right for
municipal elections.
We do not know what the Repub-
licans can do in the way of nominating
a first-class municipal ticket in this
city. Judging from past efforts, we
should say the odds are against them.
bic men for each and every municipal
Office, and the party will do that very
thing this fall.
The Herald had occasion some time
since to announce its policy regarding
the coming municipal election, which
was to the effect that good, capable
men must be nominated; men who have
the confidence of their fellow citizens
for integrity and capability, and that
under no circumstances would it sup
port any other class of candidates.
It will be just as easy for the men
and women in the Democratic party
who believe in good government to de-
vote their time and energy to securing
the right kind of Democratic candi-
dates. and with just as good effect, as
it Will be for them to secure the right
kind of candidates on a non-partisan
ticket
From a Democratic standpoint, what
reasonable excuse exists for entering
into non-partisan movement? What
excuse exists from the standpoint of
good government? Surely there are
within the ranks of the Democratic
party enough honorable, upright and
capable men and women to honestly
administer the affairs of the city.
What Democrat, by supporting this
movement, is willing to confess that
his party, that is now giving this coun-
ty the best and cleanest administration
it ever had, cannot be entrusted with
the affairs of the city? Aided and
abetted by the spells seeking element
of the Republican party, how can this
non-partisan movement be expected to
promote the cause of good government?
From the standpoint of Democratic
party welfare, The Herald believes it
would be a most foolish thing to do
for Democrats to abandon their local
organizations. The Democrats of Utah
should place their party in the best
possible shape for an aggressive silver
campaign next year, when congress-
man and a United States senator are
to be elected. To abandon the local
organization in the chief city of the
state, and turn the machinery of the
city government over TO an unscrupu-
lous enemy, would seriously cripple the
state organization and imperil the in
terests of the party in the state cam
paign.