The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-11-04
THE ELECTION.

Guard against being influenced by
eleventh-hour roorbacks. Up to the
present the campaign has proceeded
pleasantly, and it has been generally
recognized that no great moral issue
is involved. All Of the gentlemen who
survived the primaries are men OF ex-
cellent reputation, and The Tribune,
therefore. has refrained from support
ing or attacking any one or moro OF the
candidates.
It is. OF course, devoutly to be
wished that the best men be chosen,
and that the candidates who are freest
TO do the will Of the people should WIN
their suffrage Thus far has The
Tribune gone and no farther. The
voter should use every source OF IN
formation at his command, and II
he finds that any of the gentlemen who
have been nominated are associated
with undesirable interests and may be
unduly influenced if elected, he should
give this consideration due weight.
In saving this The Tribune does not
mean to suggest that any sinister in
iluences arc at work for or, against any
candidate. 1t has not discovered any.
But ii believes that it is the part of
wisdom for every voter to be guided
by his own sources of information.
The voters should not cast their bal"
lots for or against any candidate be-
cause he is Mormon or a Gentle, an
Episcopalian or Methodist, but
should consider solely the question OF
his fitness for Office.
II some publications have departed
from this view and have favored or
opposed certain candidates, it evident
ly is because they are hoping for some
favors that should not be granted.
But here again the voters themselves
are the best judges of this question,
We believe that the voters have
made up their minds and that only
the timid or vacillatipg will be in
Guenced at this hour by roorbacks and
other political schemes devised by
the cunning and malign. So familiar
have these methods become to the
American voter that they seldom have
any great effect. Usually they are the
weapons Of those who for one reason or
another arc afraid TO come out in the
open. Fearful of taking a decided
stand in the early part of the cam
paign, or compelled by various reasons
TO assume nonpartisan attitude, in
which they are not sincere, such inter
ests and publications seek at the last
moment to stampede the voters by
vicious aud deceptive means. We do
not believe the voters of Salt Lake
will permit themselves 10 be misled
by any such childish devices.
Many years ago the gifted Don Piatt
was member of the Ohio legislature s
lower house. As TO the influence upon
legislation, the following story is told:
One day he was approached by a
constituent who had bill he de-
sired passed. lie asked the Buckeye
wit il he could count upon his sup
port
Piatt. immensely pleased, drew him
self up and said: Certainly I'll sup
port your measure, my friend. I'll
even do more than vote for it; III
make a speech for Won on the floor of
the house.
The man looked at the irrepressible
Don for a moment and then dryly
observed: Il appreciate your kind
offer very much, indeed, but i fear you
don I understand What / desire is
that you should make n speech in op-
position 10 my bill and then a majority
of the other legislators viii be certain
10 vote for il.
4 final word. II the best men arc
not elected today IT will be due to the
fact that the voters have been apa-
thetic. The Tribune urges all citizens
who are registered to 90 to the polls
and make their selections. If the full
vote is east there can he no regrets,
for in that case the winners will be
regarded as without doubt the choice
of the people.