The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-21
pRoMIsE AND PERFORMANCE.

Reading the platform of the "Ameri-
can" party for this campaign. an out
slider might think that the organization
was composed solely OF disinterested
patriots determined to reclaim a. wicked
city from selfish dictation in political
affairs Listening to the orators of the
convention, from d. c. Dunbar, of tin
sign fame down to the tail-end NOM
inator. one might be deluded into be
lieving that all the public spirit, all
the really, truly civic pride. all the adj
ministrative talent and all the benevo-
lence Of Salt Lake had been cornered
by the party and pooled for the good
of the common people.
But a perusaI of the proceedings. par
ticularIy of the resolution offered by
Mr.. Lippman, dispels the Illusion some
what; and review of the partys rec
ord in public office for two years is
convincing proof that somewhere be-
tween the promises of the convention
and the performance OF its leaders
there is as wide a gap as the one
Although he was beaten in the con-
vention by delegates who had not been
taken into his confidence. Mr. LSppman
was really representing the "Ameri-
can" party as it is in performance. Jo-
seph has been in politics a long while.
Since the days when the Jet Blacks
of the Fourth precinct registered most
Of the voters who reside IN the City
cemetery, down to the fateful hour
when he offered his resolution of Thurs
day, he has manifested a great genius
for politics of the practical kind. None
can exceed him in fertility of resource,
none knows better the value Of prom
ises, plenty of them-before election
In this case he misjudged the time and
got in too early, but he stated exactly
the purpose and intention of the party
leaders.
In effect, the LIppman resolution
bound the candidates to accept orders
from the city committee of the party,
TO resign from the ticket or from office
If the committee disapproved OF them,
10 appoint only such men to city office
as should bear certificates of their
"Americanism' from the committee; in
a word, the resolution took from the
candidates now and from the elected
officials, if the party is successful, any
voice in the administration of the af-
fairs of the city. Under the terms Of
the resolution, if the Americans"
should win, the city committee would
be the city government.
II is true that Mr.. Lippman withdrew
his resolution in Difference to objec-
tons, but as a matter of performance
the same effect is attained by the
pledges to which the American" par
" councilmen have subscribed. So long
as the cOuncilmen are under oath to
obey orders from the city committee.
the platform of the city convention
needs no supplementary resolution to
the same effect.
The council determines the fate Of
applicants for Office, il can control the
mayor ; appointments II mas prdctlCdi-
~ unlimited power in city affairs: and
its aldermanic candidates are obligated
to abdicate their power to the city COM
mittee if the party wins That is to
say. men who are before the people for
election have promised to turn over
authority from the people to an ire
sp9nsible committee Of politicians who
are answerable 10 no one. need consult
no one. and intend to convert the city
government into a brokerage depart
ment for the payment of political debts
incurred by the party in this cam
paign-if they wiz.
:. =
One Of the gems" of the party plat
form is this sentence: I'VE will never
cease to demand complete freedom in
political affairs. untouched by any
faint of apostolic control" The aver
age citizen familiar with politics in Salt
Lake will recognize a fine sense of