The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-27
WHY THESE TEARS?

WHY THESE TEARS?
Evidently the federal Office holders
do not enjoy the outspoken condemna-
ton of their system expressed by the
resolutions of the Republican conven-
ton in the Theatre Wednesday even
ing, To hear them talk through their
official mouthpiece one would think
they were much abused and badly
misunderstood bunch of patriots. SUI
fering at the hands of an ignorant,
though possibly honest, aggregation of
enemies. Taking their word for it. they
alone represent the Republican party;
they only are entitled to speak with
authority on its desires. and they of all
men are most entitled to feel aggrieved
at the turn party affairs have taken.
:; :; =
one particular grievance is that the
prohibition Republicans refused to pei
mt the office holders syndicate an OPP
portunity to speak on the floor of the
convention. What right had they to be
heard there? Had they permitted any
free expression of opinion before the
senate committee which chIoroformed
the Cannon bill? Had they given the
prohibition Republicans any chance at
all to present effectively the senti-
ments the demands of the rank and
file of their own party? Haven't they
for years run the road-rolIer over every
opponent in and out Of conventions
who ventured to differ from their idea
of party management?
In a free government the people are
supposed to retain the right OF petition,
and with it the right TO give reasons
for the thing demanded. Has the SmoOt
machine ever paid any attention TO
either petitions OF the right of the peo-
pie to be heard on legislation if it hap
pened to cross their desires? The ques-
lions answer themselves: no small CO.
terie of politicians ever paid less atten-
ton TO the rights of others. in OF out
of their party than the aggregation
that was denounced so vigorously by
the Republicans in the Theatre conven-
ton; none ever smothered so ruthlessly
any opposition to them. From the first
state convention they dominated
through the legislative session of last
year, when their man Joseph counted
votes as he thought best. down through
the present session to the arbitrary
and unpaTliamentary suppression OF
debate on the Cannon bill. they have
fought without regard to fairness OF
decency. They are barred from any
criticism of any body that denies them
the right to take part in public dis
eussion,
But there is another phase of the
matter which they ignore: the Theatre
meeting was called 10 give expression
TO the sentiments they refused to heal
i'm the legislature. 1t was called by
Republicans VINO refused to submit Il
such unfair treatment at their hands
without a protest: the delegates repre-
sented that large section of the party
which the federal machine had ignored
derided and sought to deliver into th'
hands of the liquor dealers. Remem
berinE the purpose of the meeting anC
the cause of its assembling, il was de
cidedIy impudent Of the office holderl
to even ask TO be heard They had
read out of the party the leaders of tn
convention; they had assailed person
ally the men who called il; they de
clared it was not Republican gather
ing. They had voluntarily placed them
selves outside the pale of association
with the delegates composing the gath
ering: and their plaintive wall of unfai
treatment is Enthusiastically dishon
est What really hurt them was tina
Republicans of Utah, representing thi
partv iH delegate convention elect
ed under official party auspices, sue
eeeded in doing what it meant to d
without suppression or intimidation a
the hands of the federal office holders
and this for the first time since tn
smoot machine seized control of tn
party machinery.
X
The Office holders, speaking officially
say ethe meeting Wednesday nigh
was not a Republican meeting VIII,
not? II was composed of delegate
chosen under call by Republican lead
ers of undisputed loyalty. 1t include
none but Republicans, many Of ther