The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-25
A Pertinent INQUIRY.
!. 3. Graham Seeks TO Know what
Is Pernicious Political Activity.

To The Salt Lake Herald
You will do me- and ! doubt not very
many of your readers. an esteemed favor
by defining in your columns the mean
ing of the expression. "perniciOus poht-
ical activity" coined by our late Ia
mented president. Mr. Grover Cleveland,
and so strenuously adopted by President
Last week the dispatches gave d lengthy
announcement of Mr.. Bryan and MI.
Gompers for their utterances OF alleged
nernicious policies TO catch the labor vote.
This was written by President Roosevelt
for no other possible purpose than to IN
fluence the labor vote in favor OF the
man whom, two years ago. he mad the
nerve 10 nominate as his successor, and
later to cause his nomination to be rau-
fled by a convention packed with office
holders and Mr. President not only de-
nounced Mr.. Bryan's plans but on the
side baited a hook to catch the suckers
with policies of his own.
Next day a dispatch stated that dep
uty collector of internal revenue down in
South Carolina had, under Mr.. Roose-
Velt's civil service regulations, been rep
rimanded and suspended without pay for
fifteen DAYS for pernicious political ae-
tivity his offense being participation in
a local Republican convention This dis
patch also told of two other government
employees who have been fired for being
active in politics, also of a letter carrier
who has just resigned to avoid dismissal
And now this morning comes the as
founding announcement that, as a re-
suit of Fridays meeting of the cabinet.
every member of the presidents official
family will soon go out to make political
speeches in the states where there is
doubt as to the outcome of the cam
paign in favor of Judge Taft.
This was determined upon, the dispatch
says. after the president had discussed
the situation with six members, so there
is no question it is by his direction. If not
command. that Secretaries Corteiyou.
Wright, Metcalf Wilson Straus- Root and
Garfield and Attorney General Bonaparte
will desert their foios and take TO the
political field.
How is it, Mr.. Editor. that a poor devil
of a deputy revenue collector, who takes
an humble part in his home campaign.
is condemned TO a suspension OF work
and pay at the rate of SO month, while
the president and his whole cabinet can
desert their posts at Will. let the eXecu-
tive department take care OF itself. and
take the stump with the view or con-
trolling the peoples national election
meantime drawing their salaries of many
! thousands of dollars. just the same?
In view of such ''gOings on. am | dull
in not being able to understand just what
is meant by ''pernicious political activi-
ty''2
I notice that Ohio is assigned as the
field Of labor for most of the husky cab
met contingent-not, says Chairman
| Hitchcock that there is the least danger
| of Mr. Taft not carrying Ohio, but thai
| il will be too bad if his own state does
not roll up as large a majority for him
as il did for Mr.. Roosevelt
/ Is this intended for Quiet little joke
or is it Mr.. HitchcOek's sly way of hint
| ing that, as 10 the general result the JIG
| is up?
II Ohio is in doubt. what dreadful
| thing is to happen in the doubtful states
]. B. GRAHAM.
Salt Lake Oct "a 1905