The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-28
AN UNFAIR RULE.

AN UNFAIR RULE.
Tho Chicago Tribune is making
fierce fight upon Senator William Lori
mer of Illinois The nominal cause OF
this is on account Of the .'low politics
charged upon that Senator. The real
reason is that our Chicago contempor-
ary was augrily opposed to the elec-
tion of Lorimcr 70 the Senate. 1t
wanted Hopkins returned, and erron. |
eously claimed that he had been nomi- |
mated by the Republicans of Illinois IN
lhcir State primary. But in fact no
nomination occurred at the primary, |
because Hopkins did not receive the
majority Of the vote; he simply re-
ccivcd more than either Of his two
opponents And right there appears
tho chief defect of the primary law. In
the primary election there may be
three or more candidates, in fact there
may bc n dozen candidates, and the ono
receiving the highest vote Of the lot
may not have, in fact, one-fourth OF
! the total vote; hut still, according 20
| the Chicago Tribune's contention, that
! highest vote should nominate This,
of course. cannot be admitted. The
primary is ali right where candidate
receives n majority of the vote, but
where he receives minority. mere
plurality, that plurality perhaps very
short OF n majority, tho nomination so
claimed cannot be satisfactory; and as
in the case OF the Illinois Legislature
with respect to Hopkins, the nomination
by minority cannot be held to be bind,
ing.
Tho Chicago Tribune confesses that
personally Mr.. Lorimer leads blame
less life: but it thinks that this makes
him all the moro dangerous in his pub
lie capacity, its reasoning on this point
being as follows:
! IT is no offset TO his eXccrahle public
qualities that his character in private
life should be such as TO win admiration
II anything he becomes more danSerou'
7 because Of irrcproachable qualities OF IN,
sort known as personal rougi
p neclled saloon boss OF the oid type coul'
: have no lower ideals OF public service
I than has Mr.. Lorimer, and yet ne WouI'
! be infinitely less dangerous. Mr.. Lori
mers virtues protect his vices.
= According to this. the inference mus
+ be that man whose public or politi
o cal career is Objectionable ought ais
). to lead an Objectionable private life
t and if he does not, he is all the NOR
!. blameworthy on that account. Sue
Y reasoning as that, however, defeats II
f self. for surely man who leads blame
o less personal life VIII undoubtedly sho'
+ good moral standards and logical idea
II couformable thereto, that would PR
q vent him from descending far into III
n mire in his public career. We are oI
n Hged to dissent emphatically and
IA together from our Chicago conten
O. porary's idea in this matter. 1t
20 highly to the credit of public offici!
=. to live Il blameless personal life. Fro
, the fact that he does so the publ
~ conscience viii take courage, and WI
~ believe that no matter what may
"a charged on the man, he will probab
80 be able TO show good reason for VIII
=. ho did. And the people of the Six
- Congressional District, in Chicago, eI
-, phatically repudiated the view of q
n Tribune Of that city, by electing Mo
10 ley, reputed to be Lorimer's man,
substantial majority,
-. 1t is always unsafe to acce
~ determined hostile accusations tn
-, come from an adversary; and
- matter how much the Chicago Tribu
,r, may object to Mr., Lorimer's pub
~ methods or acts, the probability is tn
these are not nearly as bad as charge
:, and that fact that Mr.. Lorimer' p
ID vate life is admirable reinforces t
- probability that his public career ca
80 not be so very bad after all. 1t mi
\, be remembered, also, that it is imp'
sible to charge upon Mr.. Lorimer al
!, thing worse than was charged up
nd Mr.. Hopkins, the specially favored ci
by ,.,. . ~. CL;,oro Tr;hupe
nd ulu"Ie ol '"o S"i'"E'