The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-30

Even then among politicians it was re-
garded as unprofessional TO introduce
purely personal remarks about any,
body but the candidates.
But new system has come into
vogue with the development of the
SmoOt machine. The strange hold is
en- regle gouging and biting are the
simplest strategy. the sandbag applied
anonymously Is favOrite weapon and
prevarication is one OF the mildest d.
versions OF a desperate bunch
Even these departures from usage
might be explained by the exigencies
OF situation requiring extreme meas
ures, but 1t has reached the point
where politicians OF opposing parties
are not permitted TO eat together and
have a little snifter before eating
without running the risk Of being pho
tographed and described In circus post
er type clear across seven columns as
vill-yuns OF the deepest dye. For in
eating with Former Senator Kearns
and the manager OF the Tribune: not
only did he eat, according to the mar
rative of Senator Shoots newspaper,
but he is actually suspected OF eating
literally at the expense of one of his
hosts. Still worse he had his picture
snapped after he had eaten, and then.
as a final horror. his picture was
printed so no one could recognize in
the print the debonair Chesterfield
who is chairman of the Democratic
party.
Now, il may be crime to eat with
a political opponent, but we submit
it is not a felony when the opponent
pays the meal check. II is. of course,
entirely improper TO go TO luncheon
with any but your own party asso-
ciates, particularly If you go in broad
10 a public restaurant in the
middle of the busiest part of the town.
But, being human, lots of politicians
have been known to do exactly that
thing here in Utah before without
being accused of betraying their par
ties or conspiring 10 deliver some
thousands of voters to the other fellow
without consulting the aforesaid
voters.
Incidentally it may be remarked
that the Inhibition of association with
politicians would bear
down particularly hard on the news
paper fraternity. Campaign times
stimulate a spirit of sociability, espe-
cially among the candidates; cigars,
more or less smokeable, inspiration of
sorts. T-bone steaks and trimmin's
circulate more freely on Newspaper
Row during a campaign than at any
other time
But these marks of sudden and al
most violent friendliness come oftener
from ones opponents than from the
friends who are sure of support any
way. Would the Smootites have the
absolutely refuse TO take adj
vantage of Joe Eldredge's unlimited
credit. at the Vienna, for instance?
Would they have us refuse Bill Bran
els Wheeling perfectos or refuse to sit
with Joe Lippman at table when he
shows symptoms of loosening up?
We refuse to take seriously such a
rule of conduct. Just because a man
happens TO be supporting some other
ticket is nc valid reason for lodging
him when he has a fit of generosity.
Il Is not necessarily a misdemeanor to
even shake hands with fellow who is
campaign fairy tales about |
you for political purposes Politicians
are not half as bad as they would
have folks believe of each other: and. |
besides, the election is only a few days
away and the social amenities are too
to be side tracked now that |
the worst of the agony Is in sight .l
No matter what the Republicans and |
Americans" may say about each |
other or what rules they may estab- !
fish, the Democrats viii go on the
theory that goodfellOw ship is desirable |
always and that politics is only a
painful incident in a life otherwise /
quite enjeya BILE. Meanwhile the gen
tlemen who maintain meal tickets ad |
lib. for the campaign may expect TO
find all the guests they desire or invite, |