Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-19
TINTIC'S CLAIMS.

A correspondent of the DEMOCRAT
writing from Tintic few days since says
that the amount which the county OF
Juab derives from taxes in and around
Eureka is about $1,000 per year, while
the amount that is paid in to the Terri
torial treasury is about $1,000 per year,
and yet the taxpayers of Tintic receive
no benefit whatever from the taxes.
Tintic is one of the best mining camps IN
Utah, and is growing each day, and
is entitled to some consideration
in the matter of representation
in county affairs. 1t is doubtful
whether minority representation can ever
be successfully carried out in a govern
ment where the whole theory rests upon
the right of the majority to rule.
Wherever the theory Of the right OF the
minority to representation has been put
in practice it has never been successful.
1t seems to be inconsistent with majority
rule, and when minority representation
obtains, there are so many shades OF
opinion in the minority, all claiming
recognition, that it is impossible to make
minority representation satisfactory to
the various factions. Various plans have
been tried, but none with any'success.
We make these remarks preliminary to
considering the claims of Tintic. That
Tintic is entitled to a recognition of her
claims is clear, how to bring about that
recognition is not so clear. The county
in which Tintic lies is one of the largest
in the Territory, and Tintic itself is geo.
graphically separated from the line of set
Elements of Juab county. Taking the
natural boundaries of a place as the
proper ones for legal boundaries, Tintic is
distinct from that portion of Juab county
which the majority of people have in.
mind when speaking Of that county. We
mean that portion in which lie Nephi,
Mona and the other towns which are not
engaged in the mining industry. They
are agricultural, and in great part their
wants are based upon that industry.
Eureka and Silver City are mining, and
their municipal needs are different from
those of the towns above mentioned,
Why cannot the Legislature give to
Tintic mining district an Independent
county organization? The district is
amply able to support county organiza-
ton, and the revenue that the district
now pays to Juab county, and from
which it receives no benefit, would give
them many needed improvements. 1t
is not the same case rs the case of
Park City, for there the mining
interests are confined within a limited
district, while those of Tntic are scat
tered, there being a number of camps. |
Since Park City has been an incorporated
town things have improved most wonder
fully there, and where were formerly
filthy streets are now well-kept and clean |
ones. Where formerly reigned drunken
ness and disorder there now reign decency
and order. What is the reason for this
change? The giving control of local
affairs to local people, people whose inter-
ests are more there than elsewhere. If
Tintic were given a local county govern
ment, the same change would be seen
throughout the entire district that is seen
in Park City to-day. These are the claims
and rights Of Tintic, the control of local
affairs by the people of the locality, and
the people of Tintic should ask for their
recognition and the Legislature should
grant it.