The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-02-05
INJUSTICE AND INSULT.
To the Utah Commission, Secre-
tary and Registrar.
To the Editor OF The HERALD.

To the Editor OF The HERALD.
tits a common observation Of honor
able and far seeing men, that II men
are sincere in their efforts for reform
and their love of law, that their actions
will accord with their profession; and
from actions alone can their true mo-
tiyes be judged. We have officials
among us who talk much about adher-
ence to law and honored usage, yet who
disregard both to crafty their preJu-
dice or accommodate favorites.
| beg leave to ask the Utah Commas
sioners, with their secretary ana the
registrars, few questions. is IL law
full in political usage, and just to ap-
point residents OF one county,
CITY or precinct to offices OF
registrars and judges of election
in other counties, cities or precincts, in
which the said officers do not reside
and are consequently not eligible TO
vote? l need not pause for an answer.
Our knowledge OF law, and usage, as
well as of Justice and common sense,
answers mo, it is not lawful or just.
If not lawful, then, or just, ask, is 1t
lawful and just to appoint men in this
city to be deputy registrars or judges OF
election in wards in which they are not
eligible to vote themselves? Our regis
tration in the cities in wards was &C.
signed to prevent persons in one ward
from voting in other wards on the same
day; and hence persons leaving wards
to reside in other wards when election
days arrive are requested to have the
change so made on the registries of the
wards in which they live. This is wise
and tends to check election frauds or
double voting.
/ see that Governor Murray recon-
mends in his late message that the
districts be so constituted that each
shall have voice without being over
powered by a large neighbor, which
may be combined with it as now. The
same applies to the manner of choosing
municipal officers. Each precinct should
have its own representative, elected by
a majority of its citizens, instead of
electlng all, as now, on a common
ticket" This recommendation appears
fair and Just; but how do that party
and our Utah Commission, and Sec~e-
tary and Registrar agree, in their course
and conduct, with said recommends
ton, and profession of reform and law
usuage? Let US see. Registrars and
judges of election have recently been
appointed for the five wards of this city,
and what have they done in the pre-
misses? 1 select but one municipal
ward-the one in which l live-which
comprises the Eighteenth, Twentieth
and Twenty-frst bishops wards.
cd 70
gistrar;for the Fourth Municipal Ward,
Ninth bishops ward. He and Q. j.
Wenner are appointed with G. NJ. OF
finger, Judges of election in that ward
at the coming election. Wenner lives
at the Continental Hotel in the Sec nd
municipal ward, or Fourteenth bishops
ward. They cannot vote in the precinct
that they are judges in-their two votes
will be lost to their party that day, be-
cause they must be on the ground to
open the polls at the same time that the
other wards polls are opened, and hence
will not be in time TO vote anywhere
This course has been pursued by the
Commissioners and Secretary and
former Registrar at former elections,
and confusion and annoyance have re-
suited as we'll as injustice to the efficient
citizens of the wards.
Is it possible that the large and
populous Fourth Ward-the Eight
zenith, Twentieth, Pwenty-first Wards
has not more than one man Mr..
Ottinger) to fill those positions, so that
our wise and law-abiding Commission
and registrars are compelled TO go into
other wards to fill those positions?
Let me say that can name more than
twenty men in ina: ward who are ex-
perienced, intelligent and respectable,
who are as eligible and competent to
fill those positions as either of the
Commission, Secretary or Registrar.
The course of those functionaries is an
insult to the ward. There could be but
two reasons for their conduct: First,
The wards were void of intelligent men
to choose from-or, second, they ap-
pointed favorites from other wards for
the purpose. The first is neither feas-
ible nor true, and the latter can be the
only cause for theimproper proceeding.
Let such men-officiais or p rtisans-
reform themselves before they attempt
reform of other people; and let cur
Executive see that his own party are as
guilty of incongruity before advice be
given others. 4 NoTER.
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. l, 1886.