The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-31
PARTY OBLIGATIONS.

It is charged against the Democrats
by the non-partisans and their organs
that they are partisans, as though to
be a partisan were to be a criminal.
The Democrats are partisans and be-
lave in party government, for since the
foundation of the government they
have known no other way in which to
administer it. They believe in certain
theories of government and that their
advancement should be accomplished
through their political application
They, as well as others, recognize the
differences and distinctions between
the foundations and powers of the ma
tlonal, the state and the municipal gov
eminent They also recognize that if
it is proper to lay aside ones political
principles in e municipal election, I'M
der the plea OF furthering the common
good. it would also be proper to lay
them aside il a state or national cleo
ton under the same plea Ii it is con-
sistent to be non-partisan in elections
for one set OF officers it is consistent
to be non-partlsan in all elections at
least until such times as there shall
cease to be strife between men as to
what are the true principles of govern
ment; when that strife is oyer forever
then viii come the proper day for ush-
ering in the reign of non-partisanism,
but not till then.
Democrats are partisang because they
believe in party government. The
charge that they are "heelers. Office
seekers and booGlers" is really too alb
surd to merit serious denial and those
who make it know it to be false. and
| their constant iteration and reiteration
! to them and make people wonder if
| they themselves are not that with
which they charge others.
And why should not partisans be true
TO their party obligations? If u par
| tisan is true to his party obligations
he VIII not be false TO any man in poll
tics, While if he viii lay aside his party
obligations under the pretext of non
! partisanism. will he not lay them aside
under some other preteXt whenever &C
! casion shah arise?
On this subject of party obligations
Edmund Burke makes the following
unanswerable comments:
! 1 find it impossible to conceive that
anyone believes in his own politics or
| thinks them TO be of any weight who
! refuses to adopt the means OF having
! them reduced into practice. 1t is the
/ business OF the speculative philosopher
TO mark the proper ends of govern
( lnent. 1t is the business of the poll
! tician, who is the philosopher in ac-
/ ton, TO find out proper means towards
/ those ends, and 10 employ them with
! effect. Therefore every honorable con-
nection VIII aVoW it as their first pur-
! pose to pursue every just method to
| put the men who hold their opinions
/ into such q condition as may enable
! them to carry their common plans into
! execution. with all the power and au-
! Uhority of the state. As this power is
attached 70 certain situations, it is
/ their duty TO contend for these aitUa-
! lions. Without 4 prescription OF others
! they are bound 10 give to their own
| PARTY the preference in al Times; A.d
! ~ no means, for private co1Siderl2-
lions. TO accent, By offers OF p3Uer IN
! which The whole body Is noe included;
nor to suffer themselves to be led, or
/ 20 be controlled, on 80 b oTerba.a!scs,i
( in Office or in council. By thuse ltho
contradict the very fundamental prin-
| ciples on which their party is formed
| and even those upon Which every fair
! connection must stand