The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-10-30
THE REASON FOR IT.

| that the American party is not direct
ing its attention this year to attacking
the Democrats. II is a question easily
answered, and the answer is conclusive
on two main points.
First, we have not noticed that the
Democrats or that any Democrat, be ne
ecclesiast or otherwise, is dragging his
church into politics, We do not sec
any church ecclesiast addressing meet
ings of the Saints in their meeting
houses and calling upon them as mem
bers of the church to vote the Demo
cratic ticket We do not see any one
for the church getting up in conven-
tions of the Mutual Improvement asso'
Citations and, as president OF the stake,
calling upon all the members Of that
association to vote the Democratic
ticket. We do not see nor hear or any
president Of a stake in a priesthood
meeting in the temple, reading out lists
of Republicans to do work for the
Democratic party on election day, as
President McLachlan OF the Pioneer
stake. IN priesthood meeting, read out
work on election day And inasmuch
AS 1t is the work of the American party
to protest against the dragging Of the
church into politics and of the exercise
by church officials OF political influence
through their ecclesiastical Offices, VIC
see no reason TO oppose the Democrats
upon this point The Democrats are not
guilty Of using church influence IN poll
tics, while the Republicans are not only
most guilty, but are thoroughly satu'
rated and dripping with guilt, on this
count From the head of the church
down, the church is made the political
agent, supporter, advocate, and press
gang of the Republican party, Demo
Gratis are constantly 'counseled' by
the church ecclesiasts TO desert their
party and vote the Republican ticket.
SO that while the Democrats are free
from this ottense, the Republicans are
thoroughly reeking with it and are. IL
fact, this year representing the whole
propaganda of tho church in politics,
There is no occasion for the American
party press or speakers TO attack the
Democrats on this point. The Demo
Gratis are confning their campaign, so
far as we have observed. to strictly
political proposition. With that cam
paign, therefore, the American party
has no concern, and it would not COM
plain against the Republican party if it
kept the church out Of politics as the
Democrats are doing. But this differ
ence in the work of the Republican
campaign compared with the work Of
the Democratic campaign, necessarily
makes the Americans fight the Republi.
cans and let the Democrats alone. 1t
fights the Republicans because they are
deeply guilty of the very offense which
the American party was organized to
oppose. 1t is not only natural, there.
fore, that the Americans should fight
the Republicans for their church i'm
pregnated politics; it is their bounden
duty to do so or be uufaithful to their
principles and their cause.
Another reason why the American
party does not make Its fight against
the Democrats this year is because it
does not recognize in the Democratic
party it's formidable foe. II does recog-
nize in the Republican party, backed
as it is by the church influence and
power, as not only formidable foe, but
the only foe that 1T has to fight. Why,
then, should the American party be ex~
pectcd to leave off its fight against the
only opponent that is, in fact, making
fnrr dol Ill f,,b%
sistance, and switch off TO fighting n
foe from whose strength il has nothing
to fear, and which is making only 20.
litical fight? The Democratic vote this
year will he q negligible quantity in
the campaign in this county, SO far as
any expectation Of Democratic success
is concerned. And here is the main
fight, so far as the American party is
concerned
The Americans can we'll afford to let
the Democrats alone. In fact, it is their |
bounden duty TO do this, Just as it is |
their bounden duty to fight the Repub-
lIcan party on the two points named. |
First, because the Republican party is |
not only the chief, but the only offender |
this year in violating the rule that the
church should not be in politics; and.
second. because it is the only formidable
foe which the American party has TO
face,
If the Democratic party were out in
The open with it's ecclesiasts drumming
up votes for the Democratic party and
adluring the Republicans to desert their
party and support the Democratic
ticket, then it would be the duty, as
It would be the high privilege and de-
sire Of the American party TO fight
he Democracy just as it is fighting the
Republicans; because the Republicans
ire guilty of just those things for which
he American party would be obliged
20 fight the Democrats if they were
guilty of doing them.
These are the controlling reasons why
he American party is fighting the Re-
publican party especially this year, and