The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-30

To The Salt Lake Herald:
Now that the throes and contention OF
our national presidential election have
passed. il may be that as citizens of our
great and common country. We can look
back and consider our political conditions
and tendencies with more elaboration and
wisdom than We could do in the heat and
excitement of a political contest, such as
always precedes our presidential elections.
Inc history or our republic has given
aounCant evidence of the posltiveneSS. te-
nacity and strength of character of Amer
ican citizens. generally. so that we may
wen assume that the average American
cluzen and voter is a positive character
ana not usually an easy mark for the
demaSogue. but notwithst landing that fact
II Is clear TO any thinking mind that il is
not the voter who is OF the staid and fixed
ciass- the voter who is not susceptible to
changer which usually turns or changes
cur elections 1t is claimed land with
some evidence of truth that changes of
governmental administra ton. and political
revolutions are usually brought about by
that class of voters which is subject to
suuuen change of sentiment or policy. and
usually charges up the present misfor-
tunes and hard times when such there be.
10 the political party in power and in con-
troi OF the affairs of the government. The
uhthinking citizen. the one who is rather
d passive than a positive character. is
thereIore the individual generally. and
such is the class in a majority of cases
10 winch the politician looks and caters
10 control an election. 1t must be admit
ted that there is class of voters in al
most all or our communities fortunately
not usually very large) that is looking for
material benefits to the class. or TO the
Ihoivlduals belonging to the class to which
ne belongs, rather than to any fixed or
permanent principle of judicious govern
Ment, that is calculated to establish a set
tied policy or rule, or that will outline
the future trend of national policy.
1t would be pleasanter and more sat
lsIactory thought to believe that all who
are ntrusted with power of the elective
Iranchlse would use it from the stand
point OF the greatest good to the greatest
NUMBER, rather than TO be influenced by
any motives of a sordid nature, or affected
Dy material interests which make a per-
sonal appeal to the self-interest of the
voter We have however TO meet condi-
tons and deal with them as they are and
cot as We think they ought TO be. There
are many influences that enter into and
aiIect our elections TO a greater or less
extent which the thinking. fairminded cit
zen may we'll wish were otherwise, for the
sood or our commonwealth and for the
freedom and purity of the ballot and
prominent among those influences which
ought TO be eliminated is the active par
uclpatlon OF the nations chief executive
IN politics. Offensive partisanship. and
pernlcious activity i'm politics of officials
Oh the United States has been and is
ground Tor the removal of subordinate Of
i fs from their official position. If Of
1ensiVe craftsmanship and pernicious politi-
cal activity is to be condemned I'm subor-
dlnate officers and those of less political
power. how much more Objectionable must
IL De IN OFFICERS of great political power
Sucn as governors of states and how
much more Objectionable and inconsistent
must II be in the chief executive of the
United states to openly depart from the
long established precedents of the former
presidents of the United States and onanIv
and VIGOROUSLY use the bowers and onnor-
tumtles OF his great office for partisan
purposes, and for the object of either per-
petuating himself or his political protege
in office, and his own party In nower1
Inc policy of the laws of the United
states in relation to civil service and civil
service reform. is to exempt the members
or the service from undue influence of
principal executive officers of government
and relieve them from forced political con-
tributions and from being coerced by the
executive officers of the government
Quaere, is the chief executive immune
from the spirit and purpose of the civil
service rules. as he is called upon TO en-
force them against the subordinate Off
GERS of the government? Or has he
grown 10 be greater or wiser than the
law?
1t is well understood that in making
OFFICIAL appointments the chief executive
Is supposed to appoint those in sympathy
with the political party which elected
him. The present chief executive has NOT
been content with following in the we'll
beaten path of his predecessors He has
Ventured into new fields. and has APP
parently, upon the old adage that "a
wise judge extends his jurisdiction. also
adopted the theory that a wise execu-
tive should extend his Jurisdiction. and
thus we have in the last presidential cam
palgn the spectacle of the chief executive
throwing to the winds all former prece-
dents OF his predecessors, and apparent
" all restraint and the dignity of his high
Offlce and entering into the active advoc-
acy OF political partisan controversy and
party politics through the public press
almost as freely as If he were not elect
ca 10 De the executive for the whole Deo-
pie AS TO whether or not he is flayed !
IN the battle with his political opponents
Or otherwiset or whether his political |
may be tenable or untenable is
matter of small consequence executing
only, perhaps, that in the event his points
N the controversy may not be well taken |
the humiliation of seeing the nations
;hlef executive politically castigated is all
me more humiliating alike to friend and
zoe. To say that the pernicious activity
SO exhibited by the executive is simply