The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-15
AN IMPERIAL CONVERT.

In long. lugubrious editorial the
morning goId5ug undertakes to prove
that the Democratic party founded by
Jefferson, supported by Jackson, led
by Bryan is d party of traitors to the
government. II has only required a
few lessons in the Hanna school to
bring our tractible contemporary
around to this opinion. And it for
gets or seems to forget, that it has
been but a few short months since it
-aas advocating the principle it now
( condemns. as traitorous and occupy
ing the position it now assails.
Driven from one cover to another by
the searchIight of inquiry into its own
record, the Tribune has taken refuge
under that last resort of scoundrels-
the bloody shirt of the rebellion, while
its editor hurls the charge of traitor
against Democrats who served in that
war and were not backward about
sending their sons to this one.
After the wearers of the blue and
gray had Joined in doing honors to the
heroic dead of the north and the south,
after the veterans of both sides have
clasped hands above the grave of pO-
litical and sectional differences, after
the sons and husbands of all the states,
members of all parties, representatives
of all creeds ana conditions marched
shoulder TO shoulder up the San Juan
heights, or hand in hand through the
jrngles of LuZon, or watched above
each other in the pest camps provided
for them by Patriotic Alger, that ideal
hero and war horse of this Republican
administration, it is not only the poor
est of taste the slimmest of judgment,
to make patriotism a party matter. but
1t shows a depravity of mind, a mean
ness of disposition that passes under
standing.
1t comes with particularly bad grace
from the Salt Lake Tribune, which has
held the Republican leaders of this
nation up to scorn as traitors, corrup-
fionists, enemies to the people, JuGases
and Benedict Arnolds, to reverse itself
SO suddenly and declare. as it did yes
terday, that whenever for any reason
foe 10 this country concludes 10 fire
upon the flag. he looks TO the DerNo-
cratic party for sympathy.
Is there no patriotism in this coun-
try? According to our contemporary
there is none among the representa-
tives of the administration party. The
leaders are the same this year as
they were last year, and last year the
Tribune told US that whoever raked
UP the sectional differences of the civil
war again deserved a coat OF tar and
feathers. Last year it said that the
presidents war policy was cut out for
Sim by Messrs. Hanna, Elkins, Gage
& CO. Last year it said that the only
love the Republican party bore the
soldiers and sailors was on account of
the excuse they furnished for the issu-
anee OF gold bonds. Last year il called
attention to the fact that the Repub-
lican party had paid the Union soldiers
in deprecated currency and base in
gratitude; wherefore the party's pre-
tensions 10 stldier love and financial
integrity were hypocritical and de-
served to be repeated only to be re-
bukcd.
Nor does it remove the odfum of its
baseness. its duplicity, by placing the
bulk of the blame for opposing the poll
cies it condemned a few months ago
upon the leaders of the Democratic
na,.ty: for the rank and file are with
Bryan. Just as the rank and file of the
Republican party are with Hanna.
If. in order to disshct the attention
oetbe public from ~ change of front
ion the silver question, the widely
known editor finds it absolutely neces-
sary to return to the archaic weapons
of the past, let him pick out those, if
there be any, which escaped his recent
New Years. resolves, rather than those
he has broken. and the use of which
he has already condemned as dishonest
and ba-barous-
These sudden discoveries that the
silver party is one of anarchy, repudia-
ton and rank treason, while the gold
party has monopoly OF patriotism,
lsolicitude for the soldier and the credit
of the country, courage and devotion
ITO the nas, are like finding gold where
If is placed on purpose TO be found.