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Show INUTIjS Parley P. Christenseu Issues His Defi to the Federal Bunch. HE SPEAKS FOR PROGRESSIVES IN G. 0. P. In ah Open Letter, He Announces An-nounces His Candidacy for Congress. The federal bunch who carry out the behest of the hierarchy in tho politics of Utah have boon laboring under Uig delusion delu-sion that this would he tho easiest year politically for them that they have over had, hence havo taken no steps looking to tho holding of- a stnto convention, have held no meeting of tho stato committee, com-mittee, but taking a complacent view of matters, confident that when thoy did call a convention that tho rank and file would readily ucquicsco in the selections made by the bunch. This bunch did not believe that Elder Howell How-ell would havo any opportunity whatever, what-ever, bclioved that his cinch upon ihe congressional nomination was absolutely absolute-ly a lead pipo ono. But the bunch has mado a mistake; their conclusions have been wrong. The insurgents have taken a hand and a hot old time is promised l3r the insurgents, the. progressives, the voungor members of the church Republican Repub-lican party. Speaks for Insurgents. Comes now Parley V. Christonson in an open letter in tho Park City Record, who throws down the gauntlot upon the part of the insurgents and openly defies tho federal bunch. He declares that the progressives are in tho fight to stay and that tho intolerance and tyranny of the bunch will no longer be submitted to. In other words, that tho yom about the nocks of tho insurgents, tho progressives, progress-ives, has boon brokon and from now and henceforth there will bo no longer any bowing to the action taken hy the bunch but that it is a fight to the finish. fin-ish. Kditor Raddon of the Park City Record had, it appears, written a letter to Mr. Christenseu desiring to know whether or not ho would bo a candidate for congress this year bnforo the church Ropublican state convention. Mr. Chris-t Chris-t onsen in reply declares his purpose to entcrf tho congressional ruue. I lis declaration, dec-laration, which is printed in tho Record, follows: Mr. ChriBtensen's Letter. Mr. S. 1.. Raddon, Editor Park Record, Park City. Utah. Dear Friend: Yes. I think I shall. I have received a largo number of Inquiries Klmllar to yours, but have waited, hoping hop-ing that a satisfactory candidate woidd appear against Mr. Howell. I would have been glad to support some one else possessing pos-sessing the political courage to mako the race. No candidate, to date, has appeared, ap-peared, and If I understand nrlghl the political situation, nono Is likely to appear ap-pear I shall, therefore, make the race not entirely with the hope of being elected, elect-ed, but rather as a political duty as a protest against the present political regime, re-gime, the absolute absence of political opportunity. Why, may I ask, has no candidate appeared? ap-peared? Is It because our present congressman con-gressman hns made such a brilliant record? rec-ord? That he bus so Improved while In congress that be has become Indcspensa-ablo? Indcspensa-ablo? Those questions aro not for mo to answer his record speaks for Itself. Eopnblican Party Boss-Riddon. Now, why this condition in Utah? What Is the trouble politically? It Is simply this, Tho Republican party In Utah Is bo thoroughly boss-ridden that all the vitality Is crushed out of Its adherents, lie who hns Ideas of his own. who has political Independence and integrity Is not wanlod The young men of Utah in tho Republican party are not privileged to choose their own paths to political preferment there Is, at present, but one route, and that leads through the private pri-vate office of the boss The test of availability is, "Will ho take orders?" Individual initiative Is despised rather than encouraged. And all tho political machincrv is operated to that end- This Is the 25th of August. The slato nominating convention will bo held In less than thirty days. Before the stato convention con-vention we must have our county conventions con-ventions and district primaries or cau-cusos. cau-cusos. How much time remains for ihc voters to choose among candidates before be-fore tho primary or caucus which Is really tho "unit of government" tho only place undor our system where tho elector elec-tor has a voice In the selection of candidates? can-didates? ,,,, Pitiablo Condition. Tho state convention loss than thirty days away and no candidates In tho field save tho present Incumbents. "What a pitiable condition! Other states have been active for months. In all or them candidates candi-dates arc before the people for their consideration. con-sideration. In many states, under direct prlmarv laws by which the people ure given perfect freedom and opportunity to express their choice for exumplo, In California, Cali-fornia, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Oregon, Ore-gon, where primary elections have already al-ready been held, or In olhors. ns Washington, Wash-ington, Wisconsin and Idaho, where the primary contests arc at white heat. In Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and others convention con-vention nominations have boen mado; and In every stato, savo Utah, candidates aro actively before tho people, Inviting I'onHlileration of their respective claims. No Show for Rank and File. But in this commonwealth poor old boss-ridden Utah not even the Republican Republi-can state committee has been called together, to-gether, bo far at least us the ordinary overy-day elector knows. What Is the meaning of this delay? It simply moans that the bosses and the bosslcts do not purpose to give thu great electorate of tho stale any show, but will, as usual, call a convention In a perfunctory sort of way; direct the local bosslcts to call primaries for holo-ln-lho-wall caucuses), and this will be dono in tho most orderly order-ly and quiet way for tho fear the people may find It out and attend, which, of course, would spell death to the gang. This Is the Ideal way In which boss power Is perpetuated. When an Idcpcn-dent Idcpcn-dent citizen ventures out tho political juggernaut (the steam roller) Is success-fullv success-fullv applied, nnd thcro nro but fow who repeat. The system has been so successfully success-fully applied since the advent of Fussy Jimmy that very few self-rcspcctlng citizens citi-zens venture out. "What'a tho Uso7" Oh! for a roturn to tho good old political politi-cal limes, from tho advent of tho parties' organizations In Utah down to tho Og- Coiitinued on Page Tcu ' INSURGENT HAS TAKEN A HAND Continued from Pago One. den stato convention! Since that time a blight has been casL over the partv, and for that matter over the politics of the whole state. Where arc the stalwarts stal-warts of a few years ago? Attending to their own business with the sign hung out, I am out of politics." If you spc-ak to them about taking a hand again their response is: "O, what's the use?" Such is the case with' hundreds, and among them the best blood of tho parly. Some of our stalwarts, under what I be-lievo be-lievo to be a mistaken idea, have felt themselves forced Into the American party. It Is plain to bo seen that this is all perfectly planned and thought out by those now in power in the Republican organization. Tho independent spirit must be crushed; Individual initiative must be discouraged; men must be taught to get consent from the boss before they venture out. Work of the Gimlet, The very best evidence of this appears In the columns of our parly organ the Herald -Republican in which for months the progressive Republicans of our sister states have been abused and held up to ridicule. Why should a Republican party paper lambast Hon. Jonathan P. Dolllver or Hon, Albert J. Bevcrldgc, from whom we but recently were glad to take ad-, vice? It Is all in the general plan to stamp out all Independence of thought In the parly. Tills Is shown In the closing clos-ing paragraph of almost every editorial in the party organ. For example: "This Is the enemies' country so far as insurgents insur-gents are concerned.'" "Put Dolllver, Beveridge. et al.. where they belong, outside out-side the Republican party," "There are no insurgents in Utah." There may not be strong surface indications in-dications at present, but there are more progressive Republicans of tho Roosevelt, Brlstow, Bcvcridgo type in Utali than in any other state in the Union according to population. And when these independent inde-pendent voters are once aroused the bosses will feel It. The public press of the state should teacli, us to be progressive and independent. indepen-dent. This is especially true of tho press of the Republican party, which stands for independence In thought, word and action. It is the progressiveness of the Republican Republi-can party that keeps It abreast with the people, and has made It the hope of the independent thinkers of the nation, Don't underestimate the advance of our party. The platform of the next Republican national na-tional convention will bo written by the progressives in the party, and on this platform William H. Taft will ride to victory. What Bossism Has Done. Because of the arbitrary rulo of the bosses In Utah we have been denied a direct primary law, such as other progressive pro-gressive states have. Such a law would give the voters a voice in the choosing of candidates. It would enlarge the power pow-er of tho Individual votor, and give him a moro potential part, to plav In the affairs af-fairs of tho nation, state, countv and municipality. mu-nicipality. The primary is the unit of government. No ono knows this better than the bosses. That is why they lmhl i! In tho kitchen of the bosslm with only a couple or days' notico to the oli-rs. 4 What is tho result of all this? It Is driving the. best men out of tho public service and developing a lot of political mollycoddles. It is destroying Individual initiative and dwarfing the development of high-class public service. This is shown in many parts of tho country as well as in Utah. Look at poor old boss-rlddcn boss-rlddcn Pennsylvania; and where are the Sumncrs and Webstcrs of today from Massachusetts? Ask the boss, Senator Lodge. "Ill fares the stato whose service offers no attraction for men of the first character to enter public life." But One Result. If I judge aright, the great electorate of the state of Utah Is not made of the stuff that will long enduro the present political conditions. Tf the representatives of the Republican party do not correct them, experience tenches but one result re-sult defeat of the party at the hands of the voters. Understand me aright, I am not opposed op-posed to party organization. Careful and complete organization aids victory. But the condition that exists in tho Republican Republi-can party in Utah Is unendurable it amounts to an oligarchy. In view of my convictions I shall enter en-ter the contest. I have tried to qualify myself for the position, and nothing would please me- more than to cross swords with Hon. Joseph Howell In a discussion of the issues of tho day before be-fore the people of my stale. If what I have said here shall cause me to be listed as an Insurgent. I shall accept the titlo as a compliment. Tours for Republican success, PARLEY P. CIIRISTENSEN. Salt Lake City, Utah. Aug. 25, 1910. |
