The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-10-13
THE CAMPAIGN IN UTAH.

The political campaign IN Utah is sc
far abont the Quietest that We have
ever had in Presidential year, The
bogus Republican bosses arc evidently
relying upon the church support and
influence to carry their ticket through
6ght for it. Much is going on under
cover, and the church organization sp'
pears TO be in use rs heretofore as the
political organization OF the machine.
| This is evident from two facts that
are notorious; first the lack of effort
on the part Of political organs, COM
mittees, and speakers in behalf Of the
machine Republican ticket: and second,
! because Of the active interposit'ou
Of the church authorities. first in Pres
ident Smith 5 signed editorial in the
| Improvement Era. and second. in the
devotion Of the recent conference. cs'
peciallv in the speaking of tho last day,
to 'wbooping il up' for the Republic.
nm party and for adherence TO the
church guidance in voting for that
party.
The Roosevelt campaign opened in
this state in IN immense hurrah. with
wide claims and with tremendous cuthu'
siasm This enthusiasm appears to have
"petered out, - and Rooscycltism in
Utah is in the trough of the political
sea. So far as the Roosevelt movement
is concerned. The Tribune reioices 10
see this waning: but so far as the local
cause OF the Progressive movement IL
concerned, Tho Tribune would be glad
10 sec that movement gather and gain
so as TO put the old machine out of
business. Mr.. Nephi Morris. the Pro
gressive candidate, has been doing good
work on the stump but we fear that
the machine strength. with the church
reinforcement, will he too much for
him. Still his candidacy ought to de
velop a good deal Of strength, and the
people of Utah will be keenly interest
cd in noting what effect a candidacy
such as Morris's will have at the polls
in opposition to the forces that rule.
The Democracy also began the pres
ent campaign with high hopes and
great claims; but these claims were to
a considerable extent wilted by the
frosts Of early October already referred
to. The Democratic local nominations
(and we can say the same of the Pro
gressive local nominations) have been
OF meritorious order, and the State
would lose nothing by the election OF
the candidates Of either Of these par
ties. Still, the tide set In motion by
the president of the church, sustained
and reinforced by the Conference nd
dresses, is liable TO be conclusive
Of the result rs against both
the Progressive and the Democratic can
1idates IF either Of these two wins,
it will be by narrow majority and af-
ter a desperate fight. But so far as
great portion Of the voters are con-
corned, and of the working spirits il
both Of these parties, the heart is largely
taken out of them by the apparent de-
Of their church leaders to
take part against them politically.
There are those, to be sure who
claim that the open action OF the
church leaders and the Conference de-
Iiveries were merely for public effect,
and that the church leaders reserve to
themselves the right to remodel and
change according to circumstances
This may be true, Of course. and there
is no doubt but the supposition is en-
tirely feasible.
The upshot Of the whole matter at
this time Is that the election is at sea,
without any particular indications as
to the final result, save only that the
influence Of the church leaders appears
to be honestly and devotedly in favor
of President Taft, this at the behest OF
Apostle Smoot, who stands for the
church politically In the National field,
and doubtless the apostolic quorum
feels obliged to sustain him, and the
First Presidency also TO be In harmony
with that quorum, The whole tumble,
however, is an offeuse to an upright
independent American citizenship, and
the right thinking voters Of Utah are
both tired and disgusted at the abnor-
nal conditions which are thus projected
into the political campaigns Of this
State by an ecclesiastical power which
has no business to figure in these cam