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Show EDITORIAL: The Shadow Of Pendergast The contesting of the 1946 election of Congressman Walter K. Granger may not have won David J. Wilson the long disputed disput-ed legislative scat, but it brought to light several interesting as well as startling facts. Not the least of these being the observation observa-tion by a member of the House sub-committee on elections that, "some of the political manipulations manipula-tions in Utah compare favorably with Pcndcrgafct machine politics in Missouri." To be compared to the most corrupt organization that ever beat a drum in the great American Ameri-can political parade is a rap on the knuckles which should torment tor-ment the people of Utah, at least the honest ones, into an acceptance accep-tance of their burdens and privileges pri-vileges under the election laws. In Missouri there were no privileges pri-vileges except for those voters :nd candidates who bore the mark of "Boss" Pendergast. Without his blessing not even a dog catcher in the most remote Ozark town could long hold office. He manipulated his disciples into the Senate and the House of Representatives with utter disregard dis-regard for election laws and an obvious contempt for their purpose. pur-pose. Pendergast's objective was power, his methods of achieving it were foul, but once he subjugated sub-jugated Missouri politics the ballot bal-lot boxes of that state remained under his guardianship until despairing des-pairing voters gathered enough support to send him to prison. Certain" Utah political leaders seem to have acquired the same thirst for power, according to the minority report of the House sub-committee which reviewed the Wilson-Granger case. Glaring examples of Utah registration and election law violations are cited and the four Congressmen conclude their signed minority report with the admonition': "We hope the facts we have pointed out in this report may serve as a warning to election officials who have charge of the election machinery, and that in the future strict compliance with election laws may follow." The right to vote without coercion co-ercion and in accordance with well defined laws is a distinguishing distin-guishing characteristic oX. democracy de-mocracy and the strongest cita-dal cita-dal against the forces of totalitar-ionism. totalitar-ionism. Would-be dictators seek first to deprive the people of their constitutional right to" vote and their first step is a circumvention circum-vention of the election laws. The whole American system, from party nominations to the White House, is nailed to the framework frame-work of a free ballot, legally cast, legally judged and legally registered. That the true results of the 1946 election in Utah's First Congressional district were effected ef-fected through irregularities promulgation pro-mulgation of the House sub-committee on elections. There can be no certainty as to the number of votes involved, but as to the illegality il-legality of the specified manipulations manipu-lations the full Congressional committee expresses no doubt. In an instance or two committee commit-tee members voiced the belief that mistakes "or misundertand-ing misundertand-ing of the election laws were responsible re-sponsible for the registration and balloting discrepancies. But to accept iri this case such a belief is tantamont to denying that irregularities ir-regularities did not exist. What happened in the registering of voters alone in several parts of the Congressional district lends force to the contention that the irregularities were executed according ac-cording to plan" with a definite Durnosc as their objective. It would be non-acceptance of facts not to believe that errors were preconceived to keep their instigators insti-gators from losing the political power to which they had become be-come accustomed, Unless the people who are. sincerely sin-cerely interested in Utah and good government keep the picture pic-ture of what happened in the 1946 First Congressional district election before the voters of the state an effort will be made to minimize the finds of the House election committee. If the charge that Utah's political manipulations manipula-tions resemble the workings of the Pendergast machine can be forgotten, then the way will be open for other irregularities. No eligible voter should be permitted permit-ted to-forget; neither should any election official nor officer responsible re-sponsible for the enforcement of the Utah election laws be allowed al-lowed to lose sight of what has happened. David J. Wilson, unsuccessful in his 1946 Congressional bid, but instrimental in bringing Utah's infamous political maneuvering1 maneu-vering1 to light because of his defeat, holds a good hand in his current re-bid. He can use the House committee findings to good advantage. But more important im-portant than a party issue, the evident disregard for Utah's election elec-tion laws can, and should be, used by. the voters as a club to pound the dishonesty out of political po-litical sharpers and to hammer a sense of responsibility into officials of-ficials who are under solemn oath to enforce the election laws. |