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Show I PiVlUNICIPAL POLITICS I I The indications at this time are that the American party -will como up strong In tho municipal election In this city tho coming autumn. Tho Immediate Im-mediate causo for tho increased strength signs of which are apparent now aro twofold. First, ex-Senator Kearns is no longer a factor even if the American party, a thing of his creation, cre-ation, should carry not only the city hut the state. Politically, so far as his own personality Is concerned, Mr. Kearns Is as dead as an Egyptian mummy which for thousands of year3 has slept tho sleep that kcows no waking. Ho may and doubtless will pursue his revenge to tho hitter end; that Is inseparable from his character, nut that ho will over again attain to a position where he can make a formlda-hle formlda-hle attempt to dominate Utah politics or obtain for hlmselt any high oflico may bo counted among tho Impossibilities. Impossibili-ties. Tho fact of tho elimination of Mr. Kearns as a practical factor in tho party of which ho and his newspaper newspa-per organs aro tho loaders, clears tho way for many peoplo to afilllato with tho party whoso thorough disapproval of the man and his methods not only prevented them from sympathizing with it, but caused them, to vigorously opposo it. Tho forcible elimination of Kearns has added strength to tho American party. Tho second thing which will inuro to tho advantage of the American party next fall is the fact that In tho municipal election national Issues aro not Involved. It is a well known fact that many Ropub-Hcans Ropub-Hcans woro hold to their party lines i last year In tho general election who otherwise would have voted the American Ameri-can party ticket. These aro cold facts which the opposition to tho hy-j hy-j brld party which calls itself "Amerl- ican" will do well to realize. Several minor things have also hap-Pened hap-Pened recently which aro teillng in favor of tho "Americans." One of theso I Is tho application of tho Utah Light and Railway company for an extension f its franchise for 50 y rs in addition addi-tion to tho 40 odd yoart a has yet to run. While there Is no doubt that ho petition for tho extension of tho franchise was tho outcome of a corrupt deal entered Into by the present city government as a part of tho water grafting scheme and the million dollar bond Issue and while tho Mormon people peo-ple generally aro as strongly opposed to the granting of tho light company's request as tho Gentiles, on tho face of, it it looks as if it woro a' church business proposition. Tho Tribune, Herald and Telegram, In tho Interest of tho American party aro working that theory to tho fullest extent, thereby there-by making supporters of tho anti-church anti-church party friendly to tho Americans. Ameri-cans. Churchmen lnunching a life insurance in-surance company which is wholly Mormon Mor-mon is another thing which Is throwing throw-ing water on tho wheel of tho Americans. Ameri-cans. An insurance company, the heads of which aro high .Mormon church officials, would have a great advantage In a business way over other oth-er insuranco companies doing business In this state ovon if tho churchmen refrained from anything which could bo construed as "church influenco" in tho business. Mormons of course, have equal rights with Gentiles to engage in any business thoy please, but it will readily bo understood that an insuranco in-suranco company composed of high church omcials would have a big advantage ad-vantage in doing business In this state While tho American party was conceived con-ceived and born of the basest motives, the church leaders by allowing their names to bo used in purely business enterprises are giving It an excuse for existence. Gentiles and Mormons aliko aro anxious to havo high churchmen church-men ldentiiled with their business enterprises. en-terprises. Companies that are largely controlled by Gentiles eagerly seek to havo tho names of high Mormon church officials among their offlcors, because they find It pays, but It keop3 tho Mormon church in hot water all tho timo without any corresponding advantage to tho church. It is a fact, however, that tho Mormon church Is differently constituted to any other church. Tho officials of other churches aro paid salaries such as enablo them to give their entire timo to their church, while tho Mormon church officials of-ficials recelvo either no salaries at all or such very meager stipend that thoy are obliged to earn a living in commercial com-mercial or other pursuits. That Is primarily tho reason why tho church Is open to tho clinrgo of commercialism. commercial-ism. How these questions will bo sot-tied sot-tied in tho futuro Is a problem. Tho lact Is, however, that tho Amoricnn or anti-church party will bo strong In tho next election. While Councilman Black's mnyornlly boom is still growing among tho straight Republicans, a rival, wo might say, a formidable rival, Is looming up In tho person of Wlllinm J. Lynch, present chief of police. Mr. Lynch has great cxccutlvo ability and is a man of standing In tho community. Ho hns many warm supporters who think he is just tho man for the placo. Others Oth-ers arc booming his nnmcsnko John C. Lynch. John C. has both money and influence and friends galoro who would liko to see him in tho mayoralty chair. Truo tho wishes In regard to tho mutter mut-ter of theso talked of candidates havo not been consulted. If tho boom strikes them thoy aro oxpected to capitulate and sacriflco themselves on the altar of public welfare o |