The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-18
WHY THE INCREASE.

The increase of American party
strength this year is phenomenal when
we consider the stage that the cam
paign has reached There are hundreds
of people of standing and affairs in
their localities in this county who have
practically severed themselves from
their old political quorums of tho
church-Republica and Democratic
and have allied themselves with the
American party. which represents the
real cause TO which they give their al
legiance. OF these many hundreds,
many scores Of the most active, are
already out in the field working in the
organization for the campaign; and an
American party roster today presents
a better appearance by far than it did
last year, when the party Haged vic
torious campaign for the city, and bet
ter than both the other parties to-
gether which are in opposition to the
American party this year in the con-
troversy for Salt Lake county.
There are many honest and splendid
gentlemen in the Republican and DEM
ocratic parties, but the majority of the
membership cannot claim these desIg-
nations; nor can the majority Of the
membership claim the plaudit for in
telligence. The Republican party is n
decaying force, for Smootism is strang-
ling it. The Democratic party is hoping
to profit by Smoot's disintcgration Of
the Republican party, and to come into
victory between the two forccs-the
solid Americans and the disintegrated
Republicans, But the Democracy itself
in Utah is held together by rope Of
sand. The majority Of its leaders
know that It's voters are held Mt tho
direction of the church, TO be moved
over into the Republican column almost
at an hours notice; and yet the great
est of these leaders is out announcing
that the church does not attempt any
dictation in politics. Take the Roberts
idea in the Democratic party and the
Powers idea in the Democratic party
and they destroy that organization rs
surely AS Smootism has destroyed Re
publicanism.
The political logic is with the Amer
ican party this year. Neither Of the
other parties is powerful enough to de-
feat Americanism, and if tho two
parties should attempt to fuse they
would both be destroyed and Ameri-
canism would be still the greater gamer.
The morality Of the political situa.
tion is with the American party. The
evil predictions which attended upon
the birth of that organization have not
been fulfilled. The city and county
have prospered in material affairs as
never before in their history, The
growth of Amcricanism here has in
vited the best of citizenship to join in
Salt Lake City's progress. The govern
ment Of the city under Mayor Thomp-
son has been one Of distinct credit.
Compare the progress and the regard
for law today with the petty scheming
and disregard for law under the Morris
administration and one cannot fail to
give the plaudit TO the American party.
The strong opposition which has been
expressed TO the continued rule of the
polygamous hierarchs has won favor.
Today the chief Of the offending cult is
in exile and his best friends do not
know, nor does he himself know, wheth-
er he dares to return and face the
charges.
With all this encouragement the
American party enters into its cam
paign of organization as confident in
the support Of the people as it is as
sured of the merit Of it's moral and po-
litical claims to a majority support.