| Show rOLI POLITICAL intolerance the state constitution requires a secret ballot in utah making a provision therefore mandatory upon the legislature the statutes passed in pursuance of this instruction provide that voters shall be free from any intimidation that they shall make up lip their ballots free from tile the inspection of any individual and that no election officer or watcher shall express even an all opinion as to how an all elector voted and a severe punishment is ordered for a i disregard of these provisions the purpose of all this is to preserve the freedom of the ballot in this st state ate for in such freedom is the safety of the peoples liberties the aim aimis is that nu no elector shall be threatened or intimidated in advance of tile the election to affect his vote and that the way in which ile he voted shall not be revealed to subject him to punishment for acting freely in ill tile the exercise of the elec elective tiNe franr franchise hise in view of this care with which the freedom of the ballot Is sought to be guarded in the letter of the constitution and laws of the state both before and after voting what will the people say of the action of the senate at this session of the legislature what must they say the record is plain on which to bi bie base e a judgment governor wells serit sent to the senate nominations from the different political parties aa i tile the law requires require when some of the nominees came up for consideration they were pursued into the ballot box and for their action there guaranteed by bv tile constitution and laws to be free to them they were e publicly snubbed and insulted by being turned down and to that ex tot were they punished by the senate the head and front of their offending was the way they voted bothin else was charged nothing else intimated the competency of the men for the positions ions named darned was beyond b yond question but they had supported and voted noted for the regular republican ticket in this state slate which they had a constitutional right to do were dubbed and the nominations rejected for that cause which the senate had no constitutional right 0 to do the very reason leaon for the action taken 1 is a violation of the spirit ot of the constitution ution an infringement of political liberty A V very small minority of the senate raised a protest against this course cour e the grossest political tyranny and intolerance ever exhibited by a legis legislative latiNe body in utah this being tile the situation a people who love ione and ikirt on full political liberty can have but one thing to say they know that a man who will not deal fairl fairly y and justly with another because that other differs with roith him in political or religious convictions is not worthy their full confidence in the governing power of the commonwealth A legislative senate sc nate may hold bold up to ridicule or denunciation a goldbug toda today to day da Y it may be a silve ritell tomorrow to morrow or a unionist the next da dav y but when the application of these terms Is made through the way a man ma n votes it is forbidden by the C con all and therefore must be condemned damned and rebuked by the people it if the they y would preserve their own freedom from assaults of bi bigotry otry in politics it is not a question of a political party it is a matter that concerns the liberty of tile the citizen to 0 o express ills will at the ballot box debret Te eret news nenn S |
