The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-27
NoN-PARTIsANsHIP NOW AND
. THEN.

do out-Herod Herod. Some Of the in
augurators and promoters of the non
partisanship movement in municipal
matters are new converts and have all
their fury The Tribune is one of these
Yesterday morning its leader was de-
voted to the question. It says the work
OF reforming the city government will
take years; that it cannot be done in
one on in two years. That is true, but
1t does not follow that the reform can
only be accomplished through a non
partisan administration; and it is just
as we'll to remember that the condition
into which the affairs of Salt Lake City
have gotten is not the result of Demo
cratic rule.
our contemporary was not always in
favor of non-parefsanship. Two years
ago 1t was as violently opposed to non
partisanship in the board of education
as it is violently in favor of non
craftsmanship in the city government
now Thus IN its issue of Friday, Nov.
10. 1895, it said:
The proposition for a non-partisan
school board is part of the struggle. as
we understand it, to secure the election
This year OF three Democrats out of
nFe members to be elected in the board
OF education; and this in a city that
mas a Thousand Republican majority
Ine proposition further contemplates
tnat Democrats must be conceded the
place IN the two Democratic OF close
precincts, and that one of the Repub-
acan precincts must forego its political
fRrpnnPS no f-f
nothing If there were any proposition
GO elect Republican in a Democratic
precinct, then guardianship might
mean something; but in its present
sQape the suggestion merely contem-
plates the election of a Democrat by
republican suffrance. This isn't non
craftsmanship; it is only a Democratic
play for advantage. If the Democrats
would occasionally put up a. Republican
as a nom partisan, or would allow Re
publican on-partisans to put up some
body for reasons aside from mis- being
pronounced Democrat, they would
show some sincerity; but the non
partisanship that simply seeks to give
Democrats more than their party
strength calls for is no non-partisan-
ship at all.
Are we not justified in adopting our
contemporary language and saying
| that the present move in favor of a
non-partisan city government is only a
Republican play for advantage?
The article above quoted was followed
the next day by one entitled Partisan
ship at Bottom" and which was as
follows:
The News last night referred to the
Of
the board of education in this city, in
support Of its plea for non-partisan
school elections, and instances its sup
port three years ago of one who was
recognized as among the most proni-
| nent and uncompromising Liberals, for
reasons which ii states. The News did
SO, and its act was appreciated, both
on general lines and personally. But
at that time there was no question in
this matter as between Republicans and
Democrats; still, the Mormons chose
members where they could and the
Liberals wherever they could, chose
Liberals. On the division movement
! becoming general, the party question
| was at once raised, and it was insisted
| that Democrats must elect Democrats
| where they could, and urge the Repub-
licans to concede one of their precincts
| to q Democrat. This as the News
which the News very justly pronounces
! as a principle fully as bad if not
worse than straight partisanship. II
| is so, yet that is what the Democrats
are contending for, and they contend
for it only because by this contention
they hope to capture a member impos-
| Sible otherwise for them to get. Thus
| what they strive for is not non-parti-
| sanship, either in methods or results;
| election, but that the Republicans shall
! give up a member to their party; and
! thus they would have not a non-par-
| tisan board, but bipartisan board,
| in which neither party could do any
| thing without the consent of the other
and both would go in together for an
| equal division of the petty offices, and
after a while, no doubt, of the prin-
i cipalships. and, possibly, of the teach
ers. A more detestible thing Hian BIZ
partisan control could not be imagined
| as the Tammany bipartisan rule in
| New York has demonstrated. And as
! that is What the Democrats are now
asking here, not in non-pa craftsmanship
/ but in partisanship, there is no reason
under the sun why it should be
! granted; but the only course of safety
/ is to steer clear of all such snares
Would non-partisan city govern
ment be anything but bipartisan
government? What about the party
| lines spoken of? Are they to be abol-
ished? We agree perfectly with oul
contemporary position on Saturday
Nov. Is, 1895. when applied to the pres
ent non-partisan movement: But the
only course of safety is to steer clea,
| % q n c,to1, c,araS