OCR Text |
Show . COMMUNICATION : 4 f j Appeals to Democrats. 1 The following letter was submitted to The Tribune by one of the most prominent promi-nent Democrats in the state, who, however, how-ever, asked that his name be not used, i As the Democrats are without a newspaper news-paper In the city, he asks The Tribune 'to print the letter so that it may obtain ; the widest possible publicity. The communication, com-munication, which is headed "Discordant Democracy," is as follows: Editor Tribune When the Bryan wavo swept Democrats into power in Utah eighteen years ago they controlled con-trolled the legislature almost unanimously unani-mously but they could not control themselves. As a result, they failed to elect a senator and adjourned with a poor legislative record and much j bad blood. j It was said that the election of 1 United States senators by the lepris-! lepris-! lature was inimical to party harmony. har-mony. It was eliminated. Time healed many of the old wounds, and a harmonious Democracy, united ln its support of President "Wilson and in its opposition to the management of state affairs by the Republicans, was returned to power at, tne last election. Have Democrats profited by their previous experience whiie in power? 1 Has the elimination of senatorial -contests brought them harmony? Will ! anything- ever ' unite tiie Demr.crats of Utali except in their opposition to j come other party? Certainly they never pttil together when the responsibility re-sponsibility rests upon them. They split on policies, on measures, on motives, mo-tives, on men. and suspect e:u-h other and question each other's airnerity ln Inw enforcement, just as a member ot" the lower house of the st;ite legislature leg-islature recently cast indis-'ri rninate opprobrium on every sheriff in the state. Theoretically tho preparation of bills In advance of the assembling: of the legislature is an excellent plan. It ought to simplify discussions and save much valuable timo to the state. But what is the actual result? Discussion Dis-cussion is prolonged and delays are emphasized. Why? Becauso radicals crowd themselves to the tront in unofficial un-official deliberations. They insert into proposed bills every provision which intolerance suggests, and misguided mis-guided zeal is willing to accept. A fair promise to be fairly kept, under their manipulation, becomes a threat or an Insult, lays every official open to an implication of distrust and subjects sub-jects every citizen to the menace of inquisition by fanatical reformers. Had the prohibition bill been simply sim-ply a sane measure, a reasonable response re-sponse to the demands of a conservative conserva-tive constituency, a plain fulfillment of the pledges of the party, in power, it would have passed about the second sec-ond day of the session. It would have been signed promptly and the record of the Democratic state administration administra-tion for speed and sincerity would have borne no blot, such as the In-' In-' tolerants are daily smearing upon it. Why is it that Democrats, even those who know better, suffer them- selves to be misled and swayed by those who were never interested in Democratic success, but merely hope to use the party now and abuse it when they are through with it, as they have In the past? Had the bill providing for a public utilities commission been drawn to comply with the platform pledges of the party in control of state government; govern-ment; had it enumerated only those concerns which are generally recognized recog-nized by the courts as public utilities, it, too, would have passed in record time and formed another feather In the cap of Democratic achievements. Public utilities obtain franchises, . have condemnation rights and other features which distinguish them from ordinary corporations. Why was it proposed to extend state control to the manufacture of .sugar, salt, cement, ce-ment, plaster, chemicals, shoes, books, newspapers everything that a majority ma-jority of the people regard as necessities? neces-sities? Is there no danger of overloading the ship, especially on its first voyage? voy-age? Would not opponents of the bill, or enemies to the state administration, admin-istration, like to see this bill overloaded, over-loaded, inasmuch as some action is inevitable? Why do members of the legi3lature permit political bunko steerers to offer them packages of sawdust every time they call for a little platform dope? Yet this is what is going on by and with the aid of a few well-connected cappers in the assembly. as-sembly. These are some of the reasons why Democrats, when the people trust them, never trust each other. They' will listen by the hour to a designing design-ing lobbyist with a hobby to ride or . an ax to grind, but will never go near the men who, for a quarter of a century, cen-tury, have been laying the foundations founda-tions for the party prestige they now , enjoy. They are like the proverbial countrymen who resent the advice of a policeman and confide their troubles to a confidence man. The outcome will be analogous. Would a Republican state official do anything so assinlne or impractical or suicidal as that? Such a course of action is copyrighted by Demo- , crats and reserved for the use of their own officials. This is the actual state of affairs. These are some of the reasons the prohibition bill was not passed promptly and why other measures are arousing needless controversy. It is a fact that Republicans are smiling over the future prospects of their party; that the liquor interests are. hoping for an unreasonable and unconstitutional un-constitutional prohibitory law; that the lobbyists urge more radical action day by day and rejoice together at night. The last Democratic legislature fought for sixty days and adjourned leaving its most important work undone. un-done. Some of the same people are busy again. What is the present Democratic legislature going to do? A DEMOCRAT. ' j |