The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-10-02
WILL THE PARTIES
STAND FOR 1T

In the spring OF the year 1911 the
Utah legislature passed the commits
sion form OF government act for cit
les and would be political reformers
have howled themselves hoarse to the
effect that It was the intention OF
the legislators that the law should be
nonpartisan. And in fact the cities
concerned nave so imbibed the song
of the self heralded reformer that
recent city elections have been bas-
ed on individuality and the platforms
of candidates themselves.
But in Logan 1t Is to be so no
more. and the Republican and Demo
cratic parties are not good enough
mediums for the new rulers either.
No, brand new political organiza-
tion-The Betterment Leagues to
supplant all former parties, and rule,
the city. One week ago the
Betterment League party met in con-
vention assembled and nominated
ticket, or rather ratified the choice
of the slatemakers. Men who two and
four years ago denounced any and
all attempts to nominate party tick
cts, blandly and complacently acquies-
ced Saturday evening in a program
which creates a new political party,
dominates candidates, or rather rati-
fies candidates selected by the boss
es, adopts a platform and elects cam
paign organization. Just how long
this new party is destined to live is
not known from the fact that no linn
II was placed on its life. DR.. George
Thomas who seemed to be first chief
in the movement declared that il was
not to be a permanent political or
ganization," hut whether that means
one, ten, or twenty years the big
chief did not say. Judging from his
differences his party is necessary to
do things that evidently no other
party is capable of doing something
that no individuality is capable OF
handling, and as 1t Is just one step
from city to county, it is not at all
improbable that this new party will
be in evidence in the county cam.
paign one year hence. Why not, when
Il has secured an inch. why not take
n mile And II It Is so much better
than either OF the old parties, why
not make II permanent?
The state law says, ANY person de-
or or commissioner or auditor snall,
at least ten days prior to said prim.
AIRY election file with the said record
er a statement of such candidacy"
etc. Thi has made current the
construction that city elections should
be ,nonpartisan, nonsutarian, etc, and
that the field is open to any citizen,
who desires to be candidate, Not
withstanding, this new political par.
ty, by virtue of its alignment, has
practically served notice upon all
single handed citizens that they must
leave the field. Not content with a
three to one victory in June they
want to wage the fight over again in
hopes of a unanimous verdict in No.
vember. II the fight were the same
no doubt the verdict would be unan.
imous, for as one hitherto wet" ad-
herent said in discussing this ques-
ton, "since the June election
there is not man, woman or child
in Logan that is not for prohibition"
For days citizens have been
shaking their heads and saying "The
Republican and Democratic parties
are good enough for us, and when
men that cry out so loudly about
keeping city elections out OF politics
create a new party in violation Of
their own protests insinuate by theil
own acts that the two big politica
parties are not big enough to cope
with the questions OF the hour anC
set individually, so signally elevated
by state law, as being totally incom
petent in Logan, there is certainly I
colored gentleman in the wood pill,
somewhere.
Will the parties stand for it? TIL
Republican party has taken the init
alive ana has called a mass CONVEX
ton wherein the matter will be dis
cussed, and 1t Is evident that shoul
the Republican party decide to ey