The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-09-24
The ONLY WAY OUT.

; t ,ii people generally agree
lh2t the turmoil in Utah is due
solely to the presence OF Apostle smoof
IN the states politics. whether the
apostles intrusion was legitimate or
not the main fact is the disastrous re-
suit. That it was foreseen is a matter
Oh record; that it is a continuing dis
turoance is self-evident. The question
now is what are we going to do about
senator Shoots friends say we are
gong to elect his ticket, Justify his
presence in politics and send Mr.. suth-
erland, who is Shoots ancient enemy
ana present Jonathan, to the senate
his political foes say we are going to
eliminate Smoot from politics by I'm
seating him in the senate. The Herald
believes be win be eliminated before
the senate comes TO his case bv the
simple process of an election which
VIII relegate him and his party to the
oblivion they have earned twice over.
The cardinal truth in this situation is
the demonstrated unfitness Of the Re
publican party in Utah to administer
the affairs of the state. Concede ali
that Smoot's friends say in, his defense;
concede further all that Senator
kearns' friends say of his record: men
ton nothing of what Smoot thinks of
kearns or Kearns Of Smoot-and the
net total of the best that can be Of
fered is fractional fighting at home, dis
credit abroad. the loss of prestige for
the state, injury to its material affairs
and disaster TO its social life.
The very large majority of the cfti
zens OF Utah care more for the welfare
OF the state than they do for any in
diNduaPs success or defeat in politics.
Republican or Democrat, Mormon or
Gentle, 80 per cent of the voters would
hesitate little between the factions of
any party and the total defeat OF all
factions, If they could be assured that
peace would be established, the states
progress assured and injury to the
state averted.
Would Smooth's triumph. the election
OF Cutler as governor and of Suther-
land as senator bring about peace? On
the contrary, would itenot mean the
certain and sudden establishment of
the new American party on a founda-
ton that could not be shaken for years.
il ever?
Does the simplest politician in this
state suppose that the Smoot organiza-
ton can carry Utah for Cutler or for
Howell without dragging Democrats
out of their party ranks to swell the
Smoot forces?
And does any politician, however
feeble-minded, suppose this can be done
without exposing the hand that ef-
fects such a change?
-Four years ago McKinley's plurality
in Utah was 2,133, and he got only 5O.5s
per cent OF the total vote cast. Less
than half OF 1 per cent changed would
make this state Democratic, even il the
Republicans were not divided. Salt
Lake county was Republican by Csc.
but on the city election returns last
year salt Lake City alone gave Mayor
Morris a plurality of 2,27O.
Exactly the same factional trouble
exists in the Republican party now as
during the city campaign. Indeed. the |
breach is wider and more bitter. Under |
normal rules Of political contests the |
Democrats ought to carry this city by
an even larger majority than was given !
Mayor Morris.
But. il by any political skullduggery, |
the Smoot Republicans were able 10 /
carry this city, do they think the Dem |
ocratic party would accept it as a fair /
result won by fair methods? !
Don't they know. does not every rea- /
sonable citizen know. that such vic
tory would spell revolution for Utah?
This is a mighty poor season for any /
with party allegiance, either !
on personal or other grounds
Good policy and honest politics alike /
point the way-the only way--to a very
simple solution of Utah's present diff
culties. and that solution is the election
o. tho Democratic ticket.