The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-01-23
THE PEOPLES PRIMARIES.

The ward csucuses. or meetings for
the selection of delegates to the COM
ing municipal convention, Cor pomi-
mating persons to fill the city Offices
during the coming two years, will be |
held next Monday evening. These
preliminary meetings should be at
tended by every person interested in
the good government of the city, for
at the primaries the tickets ought TO
be practically made up. In these all
the people have the right to be heard
and to take hand in the selection OF
persons TO guard and look after their
interests in the management OF the
municipal affairs. Who shall be
mayor, sldermen, councillors, mar
shaI, assessor, collector, recorder,
treasurer, etc., OF Salt Lake is Of
vastly more importlnce TO the resi-
dents and taxpayers OF the city than
who shall be president of the United
Stales or which political party
hold the greater power in congress.
So far as any local community is con-
cerned, it makes very little difference
whether a Hayes or a Tilden is presi-
dent, or whether the democrats or re-
publicans are a majority o! the ma
tionsl legislature /; but it is OF conse-
quenee whether the local officials,
from mayor down to Them humble
policeman, are capable and honest,
or incompetent and dishonest. The
Fraud in the White House concerns
the Salt Lake City resident good
deal less than the municipal dog
catcher. A Hvelier interest should be
taken in the local elections and the
arrangement of tickets than has been
in the past. Where everybody leaves
the work to be done by somebody else
little may be expected ID be accom-
plished, and the job is very likely 10
be hotched. If a taxpayer is dis
satisfied with the alderman or
councillors from his ward. or
displeased with the manner in
which the municipal government is
administered, his duty is to attend the
primaries, and there designate and
work for the nomination of other
men, and proclaim against what he
considers wrong in the city manage
ment. It happens that election mat
tiers here are different from these else
where. Here a place on the Peoples
ticket is equivalent to tae election oil
the candidate. For this reason the
greater concern should be manifested
by the people in the primaries in the
selection Of delegates to the nomi-
mating convention, and in giving
proper instructions to the Rard rep
regentatives.
There never vas q time when it
stood the people more in hand than
now to interest themselves in the
making up of the city government.
The city is growing rapidly, its ex-
penses are constantly increasing, im-
provemeats that will cost money are
required to be made, and what is OF
immediate moment to everybody, it
looks as if the city revenue from taxa
ton would necessarily have to be in
creased. Wise and efficient men,
possessing honesty, integrity and
proper degree of caution, are needed
in the Council aad in all departments
of the municipal government. The
new administration will be called
upon to exercise 8 wise discretion in
the expenditure of the puclic funds,
to guard against extravaganza, and
at the same time answer so far as
possible the large demands that will
be made upon it for improvements
because Of the increasing population,
growth of the town, and the coEse-
euent new and expensive wants Of
the place. In the selection of nomi-
nees for the various oficeg, the wis
dom, fnanciering ability and good
judgment of candidates ought to be
taken into consideration, more than
personal friendships. Choose mon
whose interests ara Identical with
those Of the people generally, who
are individually interested in the
proper administrat on of the muni-
cipal government.