| Show 4 I 1 The Caucus Pledge i 0 HEN TV V THEN certain members of the Utah legisla legisla- Jf lW xv W hire ture held a caucus last Saturday to deter t 5 l- l mine what action they would take in regard tc p j wedges given in behalf of members of the Sail Hake county delegation they did not ease se I Ismon smon before the public At this meeting a i I A bUon was made to sustain the Salt Lake count county I ittman of the R Republican party in his lots acts in far r as they might constitute a party obligation irhe fh The motion was subscribed to by all but one J d si l two of the members attending the cus l C f What does thi this this' action signify Is it itt itt t t a t. t tacit admission of of ties in the last last county election of which the voting public was purposely pt in ignorance Of or course it is generally and admitted that a pledge was written if observed would would prohibit and forestall forestal n y and nd all efforts to amend or repeal the anti- anti t law which has been a disgrace to to the st state te atutes and Utah intelligence for the last two ars This pledge was written by F. F C C. Loofbourow Chairman of the Salt Lake county Republican com com- Mr r. r Loofbourow is a man of credit and good standing in the community He frankly ad- ad its writing this document declaring it had the of the candidates It is defended on the und of We cannot political emergency con con- e tIie action of Mr Loofbourow believing lieving that fatter aUer ater with or without the tie advice and con consent ent I f candidates at now legislators under r restraint the sacred rights of the people for a of which they knew nothing and in int Irich t the they v could not participateS participate S 'S Ve We b believe it places party success above the onor of the candidates the inherent rights of the eople and the in integrity of the state In In- spite u f this we give credit to Mr Loofbourow for Courage urage and honesty woefully lacking among who publicly deny and privately admit the of a pledge to keep hands f the law These rhese men do no not seem 4 fo be be possessed of the stamina of stat statesmen mend They say there w was s no pledge and immedi- immedi tey go into caucus and decide to support the Dunty chairman in his obligations Publicly the aret ret pledge is not mentioned in this action and uld seem to be merely a pledge of fidelity to promises given by the chairman either t n or after election Naturally the public i it fl want to know why this caucus was necessary Jese ese candidates were not subject to any pledge I Does not this this' renewal or subscription to a aldge f dg previously given place the participants in inic I jc ic c position of doing the very thing they denied They ey did in the campaign Is it not worse for hse solons to subscribe now to 10 a private pledge I before election and for the obvious pur- pur I se p-se of f gaining new votes by deceiving old v voters ter an it would have been for them to to publicly admit dmit that the pledge was given in the heat beat 0 h lie battle Does not the caucus indicate more I than words that that certain members of f the thea J a I Salt Lake county delegation were pledged to leave t the e Southwick act undisturbed j If this caucus was not particularly concerned th the cigard ties what other pledges are rare there thereat at it demand an a avowal owal of fidelity Under such system it would be possible to deny deiy the people t i I fights pf participation in their government V 7 We believe that Representative Pembroke t ook o a manly course when he asked permission l his position declaring that in the caucus i the voted no to the proposition to abridge his hist I t frights as a legislator r.- r. and land a representative of the thet t by subscribing to the cau caucus us motion r S Similarly we believe that Representative McKell McKeIl took took the only stand consistent with honesty and and public duty when he refused to be bound to the caucus pledge in behalf of a private group when he r realized its scope The stand tand of Representative Callister also deserves credit The house in refusing refusing refusing re- re fusing to permit these stat statements to ments to be printed in the journ journal I was i inconsiderate c sid rate to say the least The activities In in Utah have gone far t beyond the realms of tile Ute tobacco question an anti and t have become a legislative disgrace We Ve h have ve n no r r patience for the mentality which rejects a revenue J. J of a year to cling to a hobby Whether r we v have hay the Southwick act or some some other the f t- t i 0 l I 10 f. f d t f fl t. t I state will tobacco and nd i in t the sar sarri same quantities The The child whom we would protect is s cursed rather ther than blessed by the Southwick act ct for it not only suffers it to all the temptations of the evil but is taught hught by precept and example that the law is meaningless and without force orce The difference between the act and the substitute measure introduced in the senate senate sen sen- ate at this session is Under the new newbill newbill newbill bill the state would get this revenue under the Southwick act it goes to those who sell The state loses in a financial way as well velL as in a amoral amoral I. I moral way I t i But the question now is Incidental to the main object The question the people now is one of honor t 4 No man has the right to to ask the public s 's support sup support sup sup- p- p port when he is pledged to private privat legislation of which the people are kept in ignorance A rep e of the people has no right to sell or orI I give himself to private control To this offense offense- certain members of the Salt Lake county d delegation l gaI ga- ga I tion of the Utah legislature h have ve added deceit and evasion not to mention the unfairness of f t the e affront offe offered ed two of its own members them the right to place their position fearlessly I and honestly in the records record of the house even event when they were charitable in th the extreme to t certain of j their colleagues 4 |
