The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-15
CHRONIC INFIDELITY.

The DeSeret News would lead one to
believe that it champions political in
fidelity and party fickleness. But. of
course. it doesn't want an uncertain
element in Utah politics, The preten-
sions of the News would lead one to
expect fair treatment, at least correct
quotation. from i. But no rank par
tisan ever twisted a statement of an
adversary like the News can do it.
The Herald said the other morning:
Political parties are q necessity, and
through them alone can economic prob
lens be solved in this republic. Then
it becomes the duty of men to work in
an intelligent and consistent way with
some such organization. The man who
leaves a party will lose his influence,
to a considerable extent, and, CORE
spondingly, his ability to bring about
the reforms in which he is interested,
unless he Identifies himself with an
other organization. Whether of right
this should be so. it is not our purpose
to discuss. But it is true. neverthe-
less"
In reply the News makes this false
statement, by implication, of the posi-
ton of The Herald:
1T is not believed by everybody. here
or elsewhere, that a man or woman is
compelled to belong to political
party at all. or to give any such or
CARNATIONS the slightest aid, comfort,
hope or encouragement. Doing either
of these things is a matter exclusively
within the control of the person. He
may attach himself to whatever party
he chooses or refuse to be attached to
any, and still be good citizen
Our evening contemporary is misrep
resentative and unfair. The contention
is that men should work for reforms
where they can accomplish the most
good. And. in the opinion of The Her
aid, man has more political influence
if he is member of some political or
garization. We are led to believe from
the rest of its argument that the News
wilfuly misstated the question.
In a spirit of non-partisan indiffer
ence and political responsibility the
News declares that man may cease
his connection with the party with
which he is acting and still not be com
PEELED by any moral reason or social
obligation TO act with any other. Or
he may act partly with one and partly
with another, not perhaps to the ex-
tent of participating in the delibera-
lions or other official proceedings of
two or more, but certainly to the extent
of voting thereon. There is no penalty
provided by law for any of these
things; the only punishment that can
be1inflicted is the withdrawal of recog-
milton as fellow member, which the
one who so acts is generally prepared
for
There is no need of commenting on
such clap-trap. No one said anything
about punishment" but the News
itself No one else suggested a pen
atty" And we are quite certain that
no one else would advocate the infidel-
ity taught by our evening moralist.
In conclusion the News says:
It does not follow that criticism
should amount to antagonism, nor that
one person or a few should control the
many; it does follow, however. that the
voice of the one or the few should not
be stifled nor should their enueavors
to be heard subject them to reproach.
Does that refer to differences in party
work or in church discipline? Let the
News read it over again, and care
fully