The Portland daily press., 1888-03-14

If Street Commissioner Staples has been
guilty, as charged by one Michael Carey, of
compelling street laborers to pay him part
Of their wages he deserves to be punished
by removal from Office. But the Argus
would seem to be estopped from criticising
the Republicans for nominating him in the
face of this charge, inasmuch as, after
having printed this very charge in its own
columns, it commended Mr.. Staples in this
language:
That Mr.. Staples has made first class street
commissioner performed well the duties Of that
ONCE, made the money appropriated for the
street department 60 as far as possible, been
hard worker himself, is not questioned. The
chief objection we have heard brought against
MIR. Staples is that his manner is rough and that
he shaves only occasionally, 1t certainly is
doubtful Ii George would have made successful
courtier in the days of Queen EliZabefh-had he
been one of Her Majesty's subjects-but he surely
has made good street commissioner for the city
of Portland While Staples is no fine kid-gloved
dude; he has generous heart good head, and
stalwalt body--pretty fair qualifications for the
Office he now holds.
The Argus will not fail to observe that it
is in the same boat with the members of the
City Council who nominated Mr.. Staples.
1t, as well as they, knew that this charge
existed. 1t had published it. Nevertheless
1t commends him as a man of generous
LCults a EOOQ uGdu anu u obdlNdIb DOQy. ana
endorses him as a fit man for reelection.
The presumption is that the Argus disbe-
lieved the charge. Why doesn't the Argus
extend the same presumption to the Republi-
cans who nominated him? Why does it re-
buke the City Council for doing what it yir-
tually said was the correct thing to do?
1t is to be hoped that the indications, which
now point to an approaching solution Of the
Mormon question, are reliable, and :have
back Of them a basis of real reform. Well
informed correspondents in Salt Lake City
write to eastern papers that polygamous
marriages have almost, if not quite ceased,
under the working of the stringent law
passed by Congress. Delegate Cain, who
represents Utah in Congress, in the course of
long article favoring the admission of
Utah, lays particular stress upon the fact
that the dominant portion of the Mormon
people have professed themselves ready to
give up polygamy by adopting State con-
stitution which makes polygamy a criminal
offence. But before these outward appear
ances are taken as true indications that the
days of polygamy in Utah are over, it may
be well to reflect that the great decrease in
the number of polygamous marriages comes
at time when the laws of Congress have
made those marriages very perilous and un-
pleasant to the contracting parties; and that
the public remuneration Of polygamy con-
tanned in the State constitution is step that
is expected to make Utah State, and bring
about a condition in which those effective
laws of Congress would cease to operate.
Where the inducements for hypocrisy are so
manifest, the supposition is natural that APP
pearances of reform are deusive; and Con-
gress will not be likely to let Utah get from
under its thumb until polygamy is nearer
than now to,its last ditch. A continuation
Of the operation Of the present repressiye
laws, with the salutary influence of business
prosperity may bring that day nearer than
has been expected. 1t is reported from Salt
Lake City that lively real estate boom now
continuing there is doing quite as much as
the law towards bringing about the complete
adjustment of the Mormon difficulty. Prices
of land have jumped up enormously, and
Gentiles, by scores, are coming in and cap
turing the city with their money. This is a
sort of business boom that ought to increase
in geometrical ratio. for every increase in the
number Of Gentiles means as great or
greater advantage in the consequent diminu-
ton OF Mormon influence. No one outside
of Utah will object to see polygamy and cor
ner lots at Salt Lake go up together