The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1903-01-02
"POlITICS."

1t Is six O'Clock, and the polls are
closed. The campaign i'm many local
instances has been sharp and bitter.
Acrimonious attacks on the private
character of good citizens have been
freely made. They usually remained
unanswered. Men who have won for
themselves regulations for honorable,
upright living have been accused of
dishonesty and little contemplate
tricks that are beneath the notice Of
upright men. Real issues are lost
sight Of, and the contest descends
simply into a struggle for supremacy
between two factions. Fortunate
indeed were it II the fight could lay be-
between the two sets of men, bent on
feeding at the public crib and incid-
entially filling an Office.
The lamentable fact is, however,
that neighborhood quarrels are fresh
ened, old wounds opened and new ones
made, the evilest passions Of mems
natures appealed to, to make capital
for side or the other. When one
complains Of this disheartening state
Of affairs he is met by the grim re-
joinder that OTIS politics." If the
matter Is pressed home with the ques-
ton, ITO what will this lead?" the
answer Is, sour best men will refuse
to run for office"
We tried to get So-and-so to run
for representative. You know he is
ar upright, honorable man, capable of
filling the Office with credit to him
self and district. He answered 81
have tried to live IN upright life and
leave my children the legacy of an
honorable name. l know that the
nomination Is equivalent to election,
but to secure the nomination / must
III the gauntlet Of the vilest and
most ferociOus attacks upon my per-
sOnal integrity, by men l would not
allow entrance to my home. l am an
old man. My grandchildren believe
In me. l would not destroy their
confidence for all the honors a term
In the legislature could confer. l
could not live down, in the years
naturally allotted to- me, the doubts
and misgivings that would rise in
them"
When still further urged on his
duty to the state he sadly replied,
"Were ! younger l might undertake
It, but not now, not now. There are
young men. Elect them"
The response of this noble man,
since laid to rest, has urged me to ask
many other men why they did not go
into politics. The answer are mater.
tally the same.
The other day a little girl came
from school, crying as If heart
broken. Amid her sobs she told me
Of what she had heard at schoo of
the dishonorable traits of a dearly
loved and trusted friend. At first
she could not believe the charges,
but alleged proof was forthcoming to
sustain them. 1t was the first rude
shock to her childish, implicit conf
dence and belief in humanity; yea, in
all things true and holy and good. 1t
is a disgrace and a deep national ca
lamity that these things should be.
1t Is a sad commentary on the moral
condition Of a community that will
tolerate such ruthless onslaughts on
the character of respected citizens. 1t
Is a moral canker eating into the
hearts and minds of every child and
adult. For no matter how strongly
we battle against acceptance of the
falsities, some time they will return
to us with startling force.
Let every one anxious for the high
est good Of our people discountenance
such vicious and unwarranted attacks,
else he must face the time when good
men will refuse to enter the political
field. Furthermore, let there go up
snch a vigorous protest at coming
elections against the funds and the
political management being placed in
the hands of INSCRIPTIONS leaders as
to make these charges impossibility.
Most OF them originate in the bar
room, where disreputables congregate
and forge ammunition for campaign.
Oh, the disgrace Of it, that men of in
tegrity and worth should follow the
headings of these charlatansl