Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-10-22
PARTYIsM AND POLITICS.

PARTflSM AND POLlllI9'
During the political contest preceding
the November election honorable ana
decent citizens ought 10 hold themselves
aloof from the yengeful strife dIsroput-
able methods, and paltry tricks TO
which some professional manIpuIalors
resort, making their excuse in the fall
Iaclous adage that "alIs fair In love
and war" including politics In the lat-
Ter term The old saying Is not sane
tilted by lbs nge. A false phrase is
always untrue. only that which Is
Just rs fair. and Justice Is eternal
The great body Of the people Of Utah
are under the highest obligations 20 be
truthful, faithful and tratcrnal They
are at perfect liberty to choose, each
for himself, what party he shall join.
what candidate he win support what
political policy he approves. No one
has or claims to have the right to die
tate to him IN these respectsand II any
one assumes It the pretencc ls wronG
ana should not be needed Every man
and every woman has the right TO hold
and to express individual opinion and
to use legitimate influence as a citizen
for the prevalence Of that opinion, and
to unite with others for ts mainten-
ance. But this does not include the
right to mIsrepresent to Witty, to
abuse or IN any way lnpude on the
rights or privileges n Others
II IS to be hoped that differences Of
political belief VIII not lead our people
into such strife as win destroy friend
ship, weaken confidence, or estrange
nelghbors thus dividing those who
should be united Can we not agree
70 differ IN matters ON which we DO
not sec alike? Can we not credit our
political opponents with as much sim
cerlty as we have ourselves Whot
Republican or Democrat should dog
malically assert that he is right, and
bis dissenting brother Is wrong aud
must be so because he Is on "the other
side7" Suppose one is right and con-
sequenty the other is wrong, who en-
dowed him with the authority to con.
denim his nelghbor for not seeing MS
he sees, or to assume that he Is In
cincere, or unuuthful or wilfully in the
wrong?
The disposition to swallow the most
absurd allegations when they reflect ON
the opposition, and to reject without ex-
animation anything by way OF defence
because II comes from that quarter, is
am astonishing feature Of extreme par
tisanship and ought not to influence
wise and just men. The dstrust and
GOODNESS and anger that arise because
Of a difference In political affairs, are
unworthy OF a people like the bona Tide
residents Of these valesaud they should
be cast out Of every bosom as wrong
and injurious,
why cannot we accord to our brother
or friend IN practice as we do In theo-
n.y. the fun liberty to think and act
ON hie own yolition and sense OF right
and duty, even If II IS I'm direct conflict
mlth our IDEAS OF what Is proper and
expedient, and also credit him with
right motives, and good desires and
honorable purposes? Why need we as
sail one another on personal grounds or
distort what is said by anyone or pat
tern after common party tricks to gain
an advantage or down an adversary
we should be far above that sort OF
strategy
These tactics are not politics. They
have nothing to do with true politics,
which means the science Of government
They are excrescenscs on the political
body They are mere outgrowths OF
partyism and need to be cXcsed They
are too low for people Ike ours to
stoop down to. We should rise above
them into political realities. Let our
discussions be on principle aud I'm
friendly debate We ought not to be
enemies because we differ Drop con-
tention for ambitions sake or simply
to beat the other fellow and compare
opinions and doctrines and policies fair
ly and sQuaIelW without wrath and for
the truths sake. Then we may come
out Of the smoke and din OF cane
paIgn without the scars Of outraged
honor, or the bitterness of injured repu-
tation or the conviction that we have
been abused by those whom we thought
were our friends. Let the slanderers
and sophlsts 20 ON with their contempt
ible work, but let good men and true
avoid the methods that defle an who
adopt them. Let us think and speak