The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-01
PARTY ACTIVITY.

! SNifINdH parry d'ilNlli ~
| carly This year And this ,s perfectly
natural, for never was there so great
prospect of victory. such magnificent
increase of strength ever manifest in
the American party as this year, All
the tendencies Of the times are in favor
of the American cause, and indicate
n greater triumph for the American
party in this city next fall than 1T has
ever enjoyed.
The sensational growth of the city in
population and wealth. thc magical
building activity. the tremendous pub
he improvements in strectpaving. side
walk construction, and sewer building,
all are directly traceabe to the victories
of the American party in the municipal
elections of 1905 and 1907 Prior IN
this first victory, the city was dead,
II was, in fact. losing ground, its pop
nlation was on the decrease. A long
succession of paralyzing obstruction by
the reactionary mossbackism of a par
alyzing church control had caused many
to hose heart and hope of the city. and
w ''''N "NoH. hN PNpb'c saw illo' I'
matter which Of the church parties nom
inally carried the election, nothing was
done. A fair instance is the case of
the election Of 1901, when Mr.. Ezra
Thompson was elected Mayor on the Re.
publican ticket, and eleven members Of
his party out of fifteen membership
in the City Council were also Rc.
publicans, or at least were elected on
the same Republican ticket with him.
Bur at once four of the Republican
members Joined with the four Demo.
cratic members of the Cabinet, all being
Mormons and acting under priestly
" counsel, and the ''solid eight
forming majority Of the Council,
held up everything the mayor proposed.
In like manner, when Mr.. Morris
was elected Mayor as a Democrat in
1908, though the Council was nominally
Republican. sufficient Republican Coun-
cllmen were found to act with him in
ousting non Mormons from municipal
office simply because they were non
Mormon Republicans, this to give place
to good brethren simply because they
were good brethren.
Manifestly. there was no political
good faith in all this. it was simply !
the rule of the church And these are
but typical instances II was that way
all the time, and without the least re.
gard to alleged party lines.
Of course, the city could not grow !
under such paralyzing conditions. Lit |
tie public work was undertaken. and !
what little was done was badly done. |
1t made no difference how badly. if |
only a good brother did it. And so the |
splendid progress that at once ensued |
upon the acquisition of power by the
American party was change aud a
reaction, in part, against the former
conditions, And the magni- |
ficent progress made by the American
has justified the faith
Of the people in the American party.
It is known that with the American
party is progress. and without it, stag
nation. Therefore, the people are anx-
ous to keep the American party in
control
And we must moi forget the imbecil
ty OF the church party in the Legisla
.ure, an imbecility that the people took
full notice of, and have set down to the
liscredit Of the church politicians. And
he false pretenses, imbecility, aud fail
lres of the church party, contrasted
Sith the energy, faithfulness. and eff
sective work of the American party in
putting the city to the front. pleases
he people, and gives them confidence
n American good faith and good
works. 1t is altogether natural. there.
'ore, that the American party should be
up and doing. that it should appreciate
is advantages and opportunities, aud
move on to another victorious cam
oaign