The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-08
THE BITTER CAMPAIGN.

The campaign which we have just
passed through has been one of unusual
snd extreme bitterness; this not alone
in Salt Lake City. but also in Ogden
The reason for that bitterness in Salt
Lake was the viudictive hatred of the
church for the American party, and the
church determination TO get into the
fight as church, and to lend its every
possible effort toward the defeat of
the American party. To this end every
imaginable falsebood was sprung, every
possible prejudice was played upon,
every possible circumstance, per-
sonality, or rumor. was availed of to
the utmost possible extent by an un-
scrupulous opposition, to gain its ends.
The alleged nonpartisan ticket was
made up in the most exclusive partisan
spirit. Although the American party
very largely outnumbered any of the
other parties, and may fairly be said
to outnumber all of them put together
on square vote. no member of the
American party was allowed on that
misnamed nonpartisan ticket The
church was not so much in evidence in
candidacy as 1t was in political ac-
tivity; but the subservience of the
nominees was assured This activity
was not in the least disguised this wear,
although the church organ, right in the
midst Of that activity. denied that
church influence was being used 1t
was shameful prostitution of re.
ligious organization for political pur-
poses. Of course. the American party
has known all the time Of this church
activity in politics, although much of
the time this activity has been kept
under cover and denied 1t was de.
MED this year the same as before, al
though the activity was publicly evi. |
dent.
In Ogden this church activity was
also fully manifested, although the
church leaders did not have the excuse
IN Ogden that they have here that tbev
must unite TO beat "their enemv.n the
American party. For there is no
American party in Ogden, and has not
been. Yet the church activity in
politics was manifested there openly !
and almost as fully as in Salt Lake. |
And In Ogden also the campaign was |
extremely personal, viudictive. and bit
ter.
Those who expected that the bitter. |
ness Of political strife would be abated |
by the introduction OF the com !
mission form Of government have been /
rudely disappointed Not only was !
there no abatement Of the bitterness of
the political strife, but that bitterness |
MAS immensely increased. And, while |
the church was able 10 hold its mem
oership in line practically intact there
we're many Gentiles who played into the
.hurch hands.
II IS all striking lesson OF the diff.
ference between conditions in Utah and
conditions elsewhere Those who sun
posed that the commission form of gov
eminent would work here the same as
elsewhere in the abatement of strife
ind the soothing Of political animosi-
les must now see their tremendous
mistake. This added virulence of the
strife was a condition that was fore
cen by The Tribune when we de.
1lorcd the forcing upon the city of this
'orm OF government whether the peo-
Die wanted il or not. There would. As
We believe, have been some ameliora-
ion Of savage conditions If the people
lad been allowed 10 vote,on the ques.
Ion whether they would have the com
mission form OF government or not
As they were not 80 allowed TO decide
Tor themselves. alignment was on 2
'ectarion basis: the hand of the church
n ths legislation was evident. and the
Whole purpose OF the commission