The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-29
POLITICAL MORALITY

the factors which led to his retirement
Yet as long as the elements OF selllshness
and passion are the general motives OF
crimes committed: society has its Grim
inal element. but the line is not distinct
Iy drawn; for there are criminals in
the weak and the would-be criminal, the
respectable CRATER: and who would deny
that the confidence man would not make
the smoothest politician by invoking
political infatuatlon of himself, whatever
his character?
The Mormon prophet, ct uxores. and
Reed Smoot, with following OF Suther-
land ct al, cannot we'll be accredited
with any civic morality. for theirs is de-
rived from the polygamous emotions, and
the infatuaton OF large number OF Nor
mons with polygamy as practiced by their
leaders Jack -Mormons are afflicted with
this incubation. but IT would be a good
rule for any one TO, not become. infatu-
atCd with any political leader, for such
are only men,, and possibly inferior men.
The emotional bnn'd clement mt Of polygamous
ciyi! government a political factor.
Thus society is made up by the dove
failing in of its various elements. and
| the vicious element have the privilege
1s,1n 10 attend the primaries and vote az the
violating the law to carry their point or
win for their man; no man OF them is
bad unless he has been so careless as
70 be caught. or has exposed his friends,
Thus, 1T is the duty. OF all good citizens
TO take part in politics; they may not be
able to purify it, but many evils will be
| torestalled.
If the vicious or destructive element in
| society get themselves or their friends
| into political power. the moral tone OF
| the community must suffer. and the bad
effects are often far-reaching. II the
vicious element could be congregatcd and
| isolated, ii would soon destroy itself. In
| temperance and the social evil are the
Two most potent factors of destruction to
iGi nd f1,a ftrfi 1,
as the process of evolution must finally
eliminate. no valid objection can be made
But the segregation is impossible. and no
such elimination may be looked for, for
all grades are in all strata OF society as
constituted. and there Is no perfect class
But should evil men gain control OF
the government OF a community. it may
| involve society in the demoralizing and
destructive process. For instance. II
polygamists had the political power in
their hands. the moral tone of the COM
ent state government OF Utah may be
said 10 be by sufferance polygamous
product the Smoot machine with all of
its attachments is the typical polyga-
nous product. and nobody can well deny
its venality. The politics or a COM
munity Is what the people make It. upon
rious parties. and the general morale
of the officers chosen. have powerful in
nuences for good or evil.
| Inc poIittcal morality OF an officer.
OF course. depends upon his character:
his training. his inherited tendencies and
In no small degree upon his conception
of a supreme being; and upon the re-
sDonsiblity OF his conscience, Conscience
Is only "a relative term, and its quality
Will depend upon the formative training
OF society, religion. and home influences
with which the individual has had the
fortune 10 form character, embracing SO
important and vital personal equation as
as the conscience Thus, Il is well known
that men brought up under the environ
ment OF human slavery We're often idle
immoral and brutal. and the inhuman-
tiles Inflicted upon the Union prisoners
OF war during the War OF the Rebel
lion shows the trait OF cruelty developed
by the environment OF slavery, The en-
vironment OF poiyeaniy has had marked
effect unon the building OF character
among Mormons (also Jack Mormons)
and In some respects its effects arc not
unlike those engendered by slavery. pos
sibly the latter more closely affecting the
social morale of Caucasian people. All
of these elements are involved in pol
ttical morality or good citizenship Too
1T must be remembered. that IL is only
the thinkers and strong men that car
break away from the teachings of child
hood, whether 1t be polygamy or slav-
cry.
II may be proper TO give just as much
credit to the man or woman who be.
lieves that Joseph +. Smith Is the vice
that A. Dowie was Elijah; yet ii mus,