The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-10-17
REeIsTRAr1oN AND VOTE.


but2 two of the registration days nave
passed. and additions 20 the hst are
counted in the different districts D!
tens. and altogether on "Wednesday 'he
registration ia the city was but httle
over 1000 and in the county not ABOVE
1900 This shows very small move
ment Of population.
Two more days of registration VIII
remain. the first Tuesday and the nrst
Wednesday prior 10 the general cleo
tion. If is certainly 10 be hoped that
those two days. the first Tuesday aud
the hrs, Wednesday prior to election
dav. the Goth and 30th days OF October,
| NAV show better results than have
been shown heretofore IN completing
the registration.
IL must be understood by every one
who is otherwise entitled to vote. that
the qualifications do not count at ali
unless the voter is registered. There
fore, those who are qualified TO vote,
and who hope TO vote, on the fifth day
of November next, must make sure on
the two remaining days that mis- or her
name is on the registration list, or the
hope of voting viii fail.
This lethargy about registration in.
dicates that probably there may be
lighter vote than usual polled in Utah
at the Presidential election. There are
reasons why this may be so. which can
not escape the attention of the Vigilant
observer Prominent among these
reasons is the attitude of the church
leaders, and of the recent conference.
The tone throughout, beginning with
the signed editorial of President Jo-
seph F. Smith in the Improvement Era.
was decidedly antagonistic 10 Colonel
Roosevelt. aud in favor Of President
Taft. This wns backed mp in the con-
ference by the sentiment that the Pres
ident Of the Church is entitled TO
obedience in all things from the mem
bcrship of the church. And so many
voters who would naturally be in favor
of Colonel Roosevelt or OF Gov. Wilson,
for either they we're opposing the
wishes OF their church leaders, and
would be reluctant To thus vote. The
probability is therefore, that such per-
sons would not be keen about voting
at all, and many Of them would not
vote, especially upon President.
1t is admitted that everywhere there
is an uncertainty, mlx'up in the po-
litical sentiment of the country which
makes forecasts very uncertain, and
shrcwd politicians are 10th to make
any forecasts, To the general uncer-
tainty that prevails in the country at
large. there is added in Utah the
special feature Of uncertainty which
we have named, and the speculation as
TO what extent the church vote will be
guided BY the editorial declaration or
President Smith and the Endorsement
of President Smith by the conference
as the proper person to give "coun-
sel' and guide in such matters. There
is no doubt but that tho declaration Of
President Smith, coupled with the
conference sentiment that he was en-
titled 10 obedience in this voting,
will be of considerable effect in Utah
But. on the other hand, there is a
claim IN some quarters that the revolt
against this open political method in
the church will work against President
Smith 3 "couuscl" We are not in
elinel 10 give much credit to this sort
Of hope of reaction or resentment on
the part of the Mormon voters against
the Interference of the high ccclesiasts
and the attempt TO control their
votes. In few of the more populous
parts of the State, this resentment may
make itself felt to some extent, but in
the State at large we think there is no
doubt but that President Smith e dec
laratou will be accepted as their rule
and guide by very large numbers of
voters.
The election returns. however. here
as elsewhere. will be the only absolute
test of the feeling Of the voters, and
also so far as Utah is concerned, Of
the effect of the declarations Of the
church leaders in the editorial referred
20 and in the sustaining of that edi-
torial sentiment by the speakers at the
October conference. We would be glad
10 see the time come when in Utah, as
elsewhere. there will be, no matter how
much general mix.up and uncertainty
may attend il, free and independent
sentiment on tho part Of the voters.
whereby everyone casting a ballot will
cas-, that ballot for reasons of his or her
own. and not because any one. by
reason Of ecclesiastical position. has
undertaken TO show him or her how hc
or she should vote. and 10 enforce that
showing by claim of ecclesiastical
gard
No papTU QntInnr Cvcnr,Y