The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-06

the fusion was accomplished in adj
vance of the conventions and could not
be repudiated by the city committee,
the only result was TO give the Repub-
leans two councilmen and lose votes
for Morris. In the Fourth, Morris suf-
fered at the hands OF the men who put
Hall on the Republican ticket. In the
Third, Fernstrom was elected. while
his Democratic colleague scraped
through with a bare plurality of sixty.
and Morris lost by Fernstrom's gain.
Throughput the city hundreds of
Democrats who wanted to vote their
ticket refused TO stand for fusion, and
went straight to the american" party
as a protest against any sort of alli-
ance with Smoot and the federal office
holders. Some OF the most prominent
and influential members of the Demo-
cratic party in the First, Second and
Fourth precincts openly avowed their
determination, TO desert the party until
straight party lines were restored and
they could be assured that no sort of
traffic could exist between the Demo-
Gratis and their natural political enc
mics, the Republicans.
X X
The Herald, in common with its par
sophically, and with such cheer as can
be mustered under disappointment,
and 1t expects TO be fair to the new
mayor. A presidential election is APP
preaching and the Republican party of
Utah. rent in twain, will offer an in
teresting and rather pitiable object of
attack. At the rate of progress it made
y-backward-there will soon
be no remnant Of respect left for the
machine that dominates Republicanism
in this city. Crushed and Inundated
as its leaders must be, they may posi-
bly, learn that so far as the. capital
city is concerned, their influence is
gone, their system repudiated. Eventu-
ally they will have to retire and make
way for Republicans who represent
something more than a hunger for Of
fee and a sinister method of influence
ing elections.
For the future, the Americans have
a great opportunity to fulfill their
pledges to the people. They have an
embarrassing financial situation to
meet. and they have promised to meet
it satisfactorily. They have the mayor
and a good working majority of the
council, so they will have all the au-
thority and full responsibility for the
conduct of the city government. Their
reign may be happy and prosperous,
and every good citizen will hope it may
be; but it requires no prophet for one
familiar with the dominant element of
the party to foresee some very serious
problems for them. So long as they
have a clean majority it is a satisfac-
ton to know that they have all the
branches of the city government and
can offer no reason for not managing
affairs to suit themselves. They are
pledged to employ no Mormon in city
office, which is bitter parody on their
own plea for "Americanism" in poll
tics; they have Sheets to take care of,
and the hungry horde of camp follow
ers who helped them win; and they
have some high-class citizens in their
councils who may leaven the party
when it is confronted with the respon-
sibility of city government.
The Herald wishes them and the city
hopes Mayor Bransford will pursue the
independent line which his friends
promise he will take. In whatever of
good he and his party accomplish, this
ance and encouragement for good pub
lie service; whatever seems wrong or
vicious, win be met with the criticism
and opposition it deserves.
* x x
No matter what the American" ad-
ministration may or may not do, Salt
Lake City is going ahead. In spite of
factions and feuds and political prob
lens, the city itself is so firmly estab-
lished as a great commercial, financial,
mining and railroad center, that there
need be no fear of it's ultimate destiny.
Remembering these things, there is no
room for pessimism or for futile grief
over a lost battle. If Christening is a
sign of affection. the Democratic party
is surely beloved Of the gods, and per-
haps that is the reason Democrats are
usually game losers. Anyway. the sun
is still shining, the mountains here
abouts are at their prettiest, Thanks
giving is not far away, turkeys are
about ripe and oysters in full bloom.
No real Democrat is going to repine
when such reasons for an optimistic
view of life abound; and The Herald is
going to stay in the optimistic business
right along, as it always has done.