The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-01
1T WAS UNFAIR POLITICS.

, \ good many of the Republicans are
, Justly complaining at the way INC
church deserted them in their campaign.
at the primary election IN this city.
The Republican organization had every
reason 10 expect and count upon the
support of the church in this election as
heretofore. Those in control of that
party have never refused anything that
, the church asked and have been 10y
ally subject to "thc authorities: they
have executed 1.-The will of the brcth-
rcn as completely. as unscrupnlously
and as servilely as is possible, even
, though some Of them did not belong to
the Mormon church. In spite Of their
nonmembershlp they have looked for
and have needed the signals from
church headquarters to the same cxteut,
with the same alertness, and have
obcycd with the same completeness as
Though they were members Of the church
lat command
For this complete subscIvience the
Church has given that party its sup
Iport at most Of the elections for "A good
many years past And now. 10. have
the church desert that party in the pres
ent municipal election is cruel blow,
IA very deep and wounding stab in the
very vitals of that party organization.
1t is no wonder that IL good many Re
Ipublicans, not amenable to church die
Itation, are rcsenting the action of the
lchurch at the recent primaries here.
Of ho opt in m
which nominated the Republican ticket
proceeded with the utmost confidence
lin their work. rccE Eonin2 on the sure
support Of the church vote lust as here
ltoiore. But, to their CONSERVATION and
dismay, they found Oh the aicht of the
primaries that the church support had
been withdrawn aud applied in another
direction. OF course, the defeat of the
Republican ticket at the primaries was
the end of all claim of party allegiance
so far as voting at the municipal clec-
zion is concerned For, though the
church was able to defeat the Republic
an ticket and keep the names of those
on that ticket off the official ballot,
it is not able TO do With the Gentle
Republican vote what it does with the
Mormon Republican vote, controlling
absolutely at the polls And SO there
lis q revolt
This revolt is the most natural thing
in the world a very large number of
honest minded Republicans could not
sec that their triumpbs heretofore had
been by reason of the favor OF the
church. They supposed that those tri-
umphs were obtained OH principle. aud
because the voters of this city and state
and were ready to back the Republican
party in tho promulgation and carrying
out Of those principles.
But those honest Republicans have
had a rude awakening. They have been
brought to realize. as it was told them
many times heretofore, that the church
cares nothing for political parties. or
political principles. 1t is working for
its own ends aud measures all the time.
II is willing 10 use the Republican par
~ so far as the Republican party will
serve it, but when it considers that amy
ment will be better for it than the Re
publican, it has no scruplc whatever in
changing to that other party or move
ment
That is precisely what it did in the
present municipal campaign. and the
hopest-minded Republicans, who have
been deceived hitherto in this matter
are now brought to see with uncxam.
pied clearncss the grim fact that it is
the ecclesiasts who arc in rule. that
! II IS they who give either victory or
defeat. Usually they have given vic,
tory to the Republican party. This year
| they give il defeat. But the obnoxious
principle involved, the odiousuess Of
living under church political tyranny
is precisely the same whether the church !
operates through the Republican party |
or any other party. or joins in any
other nolitleal movement 1t is no won
der that the Republicans are protesting
and are di5contentcd this year. 1t is |
the Democrats who have usually been
deserted by the church politically. al. |
though occasionally they have been IA
Vored. This year il is the Republicans
VINO are conspicuouslv abandoned, and |
the honest-minded Republicans find il
difficult 10 realize ''where they are
at. - Their only recourse lies in vote
that Will be rebuke TO the church
usurpation and desertion, and that will
be at the same time a help to Salt Lake
IN maintaining Its progress, its pros
perity. and its vast growth in nonulo
tion and wealth. under American puid.
ance.
1t was unfair politics, to be sure. a
blow below the belt, which the church