The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-29
POLITICAL DRY-RoT IN UTAH.

Christensen, reprinted in The Tribune
this morning from the Park City Rec
ord. 1t is for the most part faith
full and accurate description OF polit-
ical conditions in Utah.
The absolute dominance of the church
politicians, the meek subserviencc of
the public and the Indifference of the
bosses to the opinions, interests or de-
sires of the masses Of the people, all
this is so we'll known here that it is but
commonplace to Teiterate it as Mr.
Christensen does; and yet his is val
uable summing up and 1t is we'll to
have the existing conditions faithfully
set forth from time to time, 'lest we
forget
1t is not alone, as Mr. Christensen
points ont, that the bosses show this
brutal Indifference to the wishes of
the people, this absolute confidence in
their own supremacy, this contempt for
any idea that the people ought to have
something to say in politics This. we
say, is not all. Going right along with
this, as Mr.. Christensen points out,
there is the MALIGNANT action OF the
bosses toward all independent minds,
and their constant use of the big stick
IN clubbing ont of their way any per-
son Of vital mind or Independent char
acter, or any one who may wish to
have something to say, either for him
self or as a representative of current
thought in the State, without first ask
ing the leave of the selfish and dcmi-
neering bosses who rule. 1t makes no
difference how much any one may wish
to be heard; IT is no matter how zeal
ously any one may wish to correct
evils, wrongs, and mistaken tenden-
cies In the Republican party; no matter
how worthy is his plea, it is
enough that any such one raises his
voice or undertakes to do or say some
thing not approved by the bosses; as
soon as this is done down comes the big
stick and that Independent soul is
crushed into the earth, never to rise
again il the bosses can help it.
Mr., Christensen is quite right in
stating that all over the United States,
save here. the people have and show a
spontaneous activity in politics. They
have something to say in bringing out
candidates as we'll as merely casting
their votes in confirmation of the Sc.
lections already made by bosses. They
actually have their say about select
ing the candidates. In large num-
Der Of the States the campaign has
been on for some time. In good many
of them the nominations are already
made. In good many more the nom
nations will be made tomorrow, and
nations have kept things stirred up
so that the people have live, vital in
terest and practical hand in the polit-
zeal transactions of the year in their
several States. But in Utah it is diff.
ferent, There is here an absolute dead
ness. There is a contemptuous indif-
ference by the bosses to any idea of
Insurgency here. The bosses as
sumo as a matter of course that the
standpat idea is the only idea, and
he should keep his mouth shut and re-
tire to the rear of the procession
We have from time to time dwelt
upon these things and urged a change
in favor of independent action and
freedom, but to no result. so far as
the church Republican rulers are con-
cerned. 1t is refreshing, however. to
have man who has been Il regular
party man, and is so now so far as
party regularity is concerned, come
out and give voice to conditions as
everyone knows them to exist. We
have been wondering how it was that
in the Republican party in Utah there
seemed to be not voice raised in ia
vor of insurgency or progressiveness,
inasmuch as the progressive idea seems
to be taking hold of the Republican
party and will be next year in full con-
troll of that party, Judging from the
present outlook. In Utah alone is
| there a muzzle, a suppression of free
speech timidity about coming to the
front that is wholly un-American and
nowhere else Seeu, luib ledNeS LHS
standpat bossism unchallenged,
The pitiable condition of the Repub-
lican party in Utah is fairly set forth
| by Mr.. Christensen, and his letter is
candidly to be Judged by the facts as
presented 1t is pitiful showing for
party which once was the vital party
of the United States, the party that
did things. the party Of progress, Of
| freedom and of liberty and opportu-
nifty. Now it has got to be party of
dry rot, deadness hampered by fungus
and barnacles so that it is unable to
help itself, much less to help the coun-
try at large. 1t is in precisely the po-
sition that the Democratic party was in
the days of Buchanan. The parallel is
fairly exact the Democratic party at
that time being simply held in the grip
of an odius power inimical to liberty
and destructive of American ideas and
institutions Just so is the stand-pat
Republican party today 1t must cleanse
itself or go down precisely as the Bu.