The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-22
ASSESSMENTS mot RIGHT"

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The chief organ of the Mormon church
has evidently heard of the campaign as.
cssments levied by the church Republi
can party on the officchoIdcrs who Have
been given their positions through that
party, but as usual il undertakes TO
throw the odium Of that vile practice
back upon. the American party. The
church organ knows full well that the
church Republican party makes these
assessments, 1t makes them not alono
on the candidates who are expecting 10
receive Office, but il makes them upon
those who arc already In office; assess.
ing mccilcssly all alike from the State
officers down. 1t appeals. also, that the
assessment is made on the new appoint
mcnts of police by the Sheriff, and the
church organ is so full of rejoicing
over tho Republican success in this
that 1t cannot hold in 1t lets the cat
out of the bag. over the shoulders OF
the American party, in this style:
1T ISN'T RIGHT.
No. 1T isn't right 10 ask the police
or any other employees OF the public
10 pay money 10 the party funds, to help
maintain one party in power as against
another. Voluntary contributions for any
purpose are all right. but when party
bosses are assessing the peoples serv-
ants for party purposes, and eXacting
the payment. they aro doing wrong. no
matter who they are.
Such payments are in the nature OF
brloes. They mean that public servant
i..af lat Fi..l
has no right 10 sell IT, and that unless
he pays the b!ackmai nc Will be turned
out. BY what right does any party sell
the offices that belong TO The entire
people?
Public men, from the highest to the
lowest. ought TO be employed because
of their ability and honest effort 10
serve the people we'll. They ought to be
retained az long as they serve faIthfuIIy.
They ought to stand. as do the consti- |
tutional kings of Europe. so high above
party strife and jealouses as TO be able
10 serve the people and not only ono
part Of them. And until some such
principles are adopted and carried out In
our municipal governments. there will be
graft and rottenuess. incompetency and
failure.
Against voluntary contributions to
party funds We have no word of critl |
ciSm. Every American citizen has q |
right 10 affiliate with parties and support |
his choice to the best OF his ability, with |!
money and otherwise. But no party has |
a right to bleed anybody. or to force |
by threats directed against |
his Job. any more than g5.nst his life.
So we agree fully with the police
man who says. at isn't right" But did |
the American" bosses ever do anything |
right?
1t is natural Of course, that the News, |
being Republican organ this year as
usual, should undertake to lay the sins
of that party upon the American party;
but anyone used to the News IS meth
ods. and understanding the working of
Its mind. can read between the lines
that the News is chuckling over the sue
in getting this big police force upon
which to levy campaign assessments. 1t |
is curious. however, to see that it uses
the word blackmail' in "A wrong
sense. The word it should apply is, Of
course. hold-up' instead Of "black-
mail, because the latter term is mean
ingless in this connection. 1t is hold
up and drag out, plain and straight 1t
is robbers levy upon the officeholder,
with notice attached that if he does
not come through with the assessment
made, he will have no chance fvf Office
again in the purity of graft and graft
crs.
Tho gentle inslnuation made farther
on by the News, that Against volun-
tary contributions to party funds we
have no word of criticism. - is SO child.
like and bland as to nuke one smile.
The church Republican campaign man.
ayers present the proposition fair aud
square TO every oficcholder and would
be ol1iceholder that his assessment is
so much. The money is expected. He
can contribute it Voluntarily and 20
receive the political blessing, or he can
refuse to contribute it Voluntarily
and receive the party curse and ostra.
cism. II is sort Of voluntary contri.
button like the voluntary contribution
of tlthes. a man need not pay tithes
If he does not want TO, but if he does
not pay tthcs ostracism, denunciution
and vicious abuse is his portion in this