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Show POLITICAL DRY-ROT IN UTAH. We commend to the careful reading nnd attention of the peoplo of Utah, especially thoso -who tako any interest in politics, the letter from Parley P. Christenson, reprinted in The Tribune this morning from the Park City Record. Rec-ord. It is for the most part a faithful faith-ful and accurato description of political polit-ical conditions in Utah. The absolute doniinanco of the church politicians, the meek subserviouco of the public and the indifference of tho bosses to tho opinions, interests or desires de-sires of tho masses of tho people, all this is so well known here that it is but commonplace to Teiterato it as Mr. Christenson does; and yet his is a val-uablo val-uablo summing up and it is well to have the existing conditions faithfully set forth from timo to time, "lest we forget." It is not alone, ns Mr. Christenson points out, that the bosses show this brutal indifference to tho wishes of the people, this absolute confidence in their own supremacy, this contempt for any idea that the people ought to have something to say in politics. This, wo Bay, is not all. Going right along with this, as Mr. Christenson points out, there is the malicmant action of the bosses toward all independent minds, and thoir constant uso of tho big stick in clubbing out of thoir way an' person per-son of vital mind or independent character, char-acter, or any one who may wish to have something to sny, either for himself him-self or as a ropresontative of current thought in the State, without first asking ask-ing the leave of tho selfish and domineering domi-neering bosses who rule. It makes no differenco how much any one may wish to be heard; it is no matter how zeal-ouslj zeal-ouslj any ono may wish to correct evils, wrongs, and mistaken tendencies tenden-cies in tho Republican party; no matter how worth' is his plea, it is enough that any such one raises his voice or undertakes to do or say something some-thing not approved by thd bosses; as soon as this is done down comes tho big stick and that independent soul is crushed into the earth, novcr to rise again if the bosses can help it. Mr. Christonsen is quite right, in stating that all over tho United States, save here, the people have and show a spontaneous activity in politics. They 'have something to say in bringing out candidates ns well as merely casting tlicir votes in confirmation of the se lections already mado by bossos. They actually have their say about selecting select-ing the candidates. Tn a largo number num-ber of tho States the campaign has been on for some time. In a good many of them tho nominations arc alrendy mado. In a good many moro the nominations nom-inations will be made tomorrow, and .tho preliminary campaigns for the nominations nom-inations have kept things stirred up so that tho peoplo have a live, vital interest in-terest and practical hand in tho political polit-ical transactions of the year in their several States. But in Utah it is different. dif-ferent. There is here an absolute dead-ness. dead-ness. There is a contemptuous indifference indif-ference by the bosses to any idea of "insurgency " hore. Tho bosses assume as-sume as a matter of course that the stand-pat idea is the only idea, and that if any one has an3r other notion he should keep his mouth shut and retire re-tire to the rear of the procession. Wo have from time to time dwelt upon these things and urged a change in favor of independent action and freedom, but to no result, so far as the church Republican rulers are concerned. con-cerned. It is refreshing, however, to have a man who has' been a regular party man, and is so now so far as party regularity is concerned, come out and give voice to conditions as everyone knows them to exist. We have been wondering how it was that in the Republican party in Utah there seemed to be not a voice raised in favor fa-vor of insurgency or progressiveness, inasmuch as the progressive idea seems to bo taking hold of the Republican partj', ana wm dc next .year in inn control con-trol of that party, judging from the present outlook. In Utah alone is there a -muzzle, a suppression of free spoechj a timidity about coming to the front that is wholly un-American and nowhere else seen, that leaves the stand-pat bossism unchallenged. The pitiable condition of the Republican Repub-lican party in Utah is fairly set forth by Mr. Christenson, and his letter is candidly to be judged by the facts as presented. Tt is a pitiful showing for a party which once was the vital party of tho United States, the party that, did things, the party of progress, of freedom and of liberty and opportunity. opportu-nity. Now it has got to be a party of dry rot, deadness, hampered by fungus and barnacles so that it is unable to help itself, much less to help the country coun-try at large. It is in precisely tho position po-sition that the Democratic party was in the days of Buchanan. The parallol is fairly exuet, the Democratic party at that time being simply held in tho grip of an odiuB power inimical to liberty and destructive of American ideas and institutions, Just so is tho stand-pat Republican party today. It must cloanso itself or go down precisely as tho Buchanan Bu-chanan party went down when Abraham Abra-ham Lincoln wna elected President of tho United Slates in 18C0. Dreadful ns is tho position of tho Republican Re-publican party throughout tho country, threatened as it is, it is anywhere else in bettor position than in Utah, for elaewhorc there are signs of life and energy, and, evidences of activity. In Utah all is dead, lethargic, supine. Evoryone knows that political movement move-ment is impossible except as it comes from the bosses. The peoplo dare not move for themselves, or take any sort of spontaneous action. Every one lias to wait until the bossos get rendj- to move, and whop the bosses arc ready to move the work is douo and all that is ex pected of tho people is that they shall ratify "the previously prepared programme.'' pro-gramme.'' It is a sickening condition altogether for a live party man, and Mr. Christenson has done tho public a sorvico by presenting anew the facts to the public. |
