The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-02-02
POLITICS AND THE CLUE.

/ organ took pans TO explain and en-
force the proposition that the tariff
on lead is a matter of politics, II went
on 10 show that the Democrats of the
House had passed She bill revising the
metal schedules under tho gag rule, rnd
that the only hope Of the lead indus
try of Utah was with ihc Republican
Senate and the Republican President
1t held that the tariff Oh lead was a
Republican party proposition, and that
the lear old donkey of the Demo
cratic party was making the usual cx-
hlbit of itself in its partisan effort ia
reduce the tariff on lead, Further, it
had lab al The Tribune for opposing
the reduction of ,thc tariff on load while
we advocate the taking Off of the tariff
on iron and steel, Its position was,
that whoever supports the reduction OF
the tariff on iron and steel is bound also
to support the reduction Of the tarlfi
on lead and zinc The Smoot organ S
position in this is utterly preposterous,
as VIC have shown. anl still that Or
gan S plea was fervcnt aud direct TO
.the point, that the proposed reduction
in the tariff on lead is a political prop
osition; that the Democrats, as a party,
arc responsible for it. and that the Re
pubhcanss as a party. arc lighting IT.
1t made She matter absolutely clear
that. from its standpoint, the case was
simply one of politics.
"Apd the next day it showed - On
Thursday the same organ arraigned
the Commercial Club Of tins city for
taking precisely the view of .hc tariff
question that the Smoot organ enforced
on Wednesday morning. IL attacked
the club AS having "a queer idea of
what is politics. in an alleged refusal
TO help the lead interests, when ,thc club
had done nothing more than accept
the organ S own representation in that
respect. The club, Of course, was fool.
ish TO follow the lead Of that organ.
but still the Smoot paper has no right
to arraign tho club for doing so The
organ insisted on Wednesday morning
that tho tariff on lead and zinc was
clcar-cut political question as between
Democrats and Republicans, and moth
ing else. On Thursday morning, it ar.
raigncd the Commercial Club for tax.
ing that view and for declining TO 90.
into this fight in favor of lead because
it is political question. And yet the
organ complains The utter inconsis.
tency of that sort of thing must he
evident TO every reader.
The truth of the matter is. that the
tarIft on lead is no. political ques-
tion IN any sense as related to Utah.
II is an economic question entirely;
and the simple question is. whether the
American miner is to bc protected from
the pcou labor of Mexico and .,hc
lead of Canada. That
is all there is To if. As VIC have said
we do not believe that the
Democrats would reduce the tarin on
lead if they understood what they were
doing. and comprchcpdcd the basic
principles of the case, The Democrats
of Utah do understand the question,
and they oppose the reduction ot the
that knows anything about 1T, But TO
have an organ come out ono morning
insisting that thc matter is purely a
political question, then tue next morn
ing come out i'm a howl because its
view is accepted by thc Commercial
Club, is too ridiculous to discuss.
VIC believe that the Commercial
Club made mistake so far as if took
that view of tho question The club |
was organized, aud has constantly pur |
sued thc object OF its organization. TO !
iclp the development, the improve.
ncit, and the expansion of the indus. |
,rics of Utah, this without regard TO
politics or political cNigcncics or cam.
,ai2ns. The lead-mniug industry in
his State is one of very great import,
nee. The fact that nominaly ono
'arty seems 10 he ben, upon The de-
tructiou Of that industry. and the 9th
II i'll support Of il, is nothing that the
commercial Club need consider So
AR as the club is concerned t. is sim
,ly question of the commercial and
HuhSlTl1l auNdnldSte OF L Idh, ana thc
reservation of an activity and pro-
uction that yield large revenues and
'ene6its TO the community So con.
iicred, tho question is clearly within
nc domain Of the Commercial Club:
nd it Is not TO be supposed for one
nomcnt that any charge of political
'iaa or political activity would lie
gainst the club if it fulfilled It's prop.
r functions in acting with the lead.
inning industry III this state in opposi.
ION TO any attack which would Grip.
lie or ruin that industry. We cannot
elicvc that the club VIII adhere TO
he wrong idea inculcatcd by the Smoot
rgan, and which .,hat organ now turns
pon and rends, The club should stand (
p for the development OF the indus.
ries Of Utah without regard 30 politics
r political claims. In 80 doing. il will
ccessarily take the side of the lead
iIners agaInst any proposition TO Grip I,
le or rum them And so we cxpcct
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