The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-10-15
iITAH's GREATEST NEED.

Il
Even at this early stage i'm the cam
paign. it is evident that the men and
parties i'm Utah who base their hope
of success on appeals TO religious
prejudice this fall are destined TO fail.
This is true OF Republicans and
americans alike
The Republicans who hitherto have
made their plea quietly and in secret
have abandoned any pretensa of con-
cealment and now bid for church
vote on the ground that their candi-
dates are being assailed because they
are members of the dominant church:
the Americans" with equal insincerity
and equal obtuseness. ask support Of
their ticket ON the ground that Il repre-
sents hostility to the dominant church.
Plainly. both these appeals are lille
Ultimate and unworthy. a sufficient
answer to the Republican claim is the
fact that some of the most influential
members OF the church are opposing
openly and frankly the Republican
party and its ruling clique. They are
loyal churchmen. but they recognize
the fact that an appeal to religious
prejudice is outrageously improper
that il is menace alike To the church
and the state; they believe that party
or a candidate has no right u suggest
that support should be given on
churchly grounds. To them such
campaign slogan is almost as obnoxious
as the cry of the Americans, which
is the cry of hate and revenge
To be more specific. these Mormon
Democrats who are opposing the Re-
publican party and have expressed
their opposition TO Senator Smoots
presence in politics as an office-holder
and party leader, are quite As loyal
10 their religion, quite as sincere in
their devotion. quite worthy Of ere
dence as Senator Smoot OF any 81 the
men who follow his leadership. These
Mormon Democrats have no particular
dislike for Senator Smoot as man. but
they do object. and rightly. to the poll
tician and his methods
Believing as they do. that lis ac-
tivity as a political factor has Thought
immeasurable harm 10 the state they
are opposing him and the oarty That
elected him. They could not 10 other
wise and retain the independence which
Is their hnalenable right They ,nean
TO remove the cause of the bitterness
and distress which have followed in his
political train: and they will do it--not
Hy any appeal to religious prejudice.
but by plain statement of the situa-
ton. known of every one. and Q plea
for support on comnon-sense. political
grounds.
Allied with these men are the non-
Mormon Democrats who want 10 sec
Utah's problem settled right: " ho be-
Iieve that the "Americans'' and Repup-
licans have feud which can never be
ended except by the defeat Of SUth
and the election Of men identified with
neither OF those factions. These non
Mormon Democrats have no axes TO
grind. they are not aspirants for office
or for political power; they have no
favored contractors or squads OF heel
ers in their ranks AMI looking for
reward TOT tEelG votes itltN are B12Jat-
ing for peace. but fighting on leglti-
mate lines.
If the Republicans we've elected il IS
known in advance what they would 90:
They would continue the policy that
has concentrated party management i'm
a few hands and black balled all meni-
bers Of the party who do not agree
with them and submit to their dicra-
ton. They would strengthen the ma
chine as far as Offices and SPOTS would
permit They would invite a continue
ance of the guerilla warfare with the
seeding American "-Republicans and
the invitation would need no repetition.
They could only embroil the state ami
its people in their own quarrel and sac
rifice the best interests OF the tate and
its communities 20 the perpetuation OF
their OVID. crowd i'm party control.
Just as certainly. the election "a; the
Americans would mean prolonga-
ton of the present conditions. the
alienation OF friends, the defamation
Of the state, the wrangling and bick-
ering and personalities Of campaign
that knows no ethics, no regard for